In Chapters 1 and 2, the nature of writing ability and the use of writing by different groups of language learners were considered. In this chapter, I will focus more specifically on issues related to the assessment of language in general, and writing in particular. As noted earlier, the models of the writing process presented in Chapter 2 were developed primarily with first-language writers in mind; thus, they are not concerned specifically with the development of language ability as expressed through writing, but assume a more or less stable language system and focus on the development of cognitive and meta-cognitive strategies that are involved in generating coherent texts for specific audiences and purposes. In this chapter I will discuss writing assessment from the point of view of language testing, which has traditionally concerned itself with defining what is meant by language ability in general, as an underlying cognitive ability and as manifested through the traditional skills of speaking, listening, reading, and writing. For the purposes of this chapter I will therefore be looking at writing tests as a specific type of language test, keeping in mind, however, that the degree to which a writing test is specifically measuring language as opposed to measuring other cognitive skills is not always clear-cut.

The framework for much of the discussion in this chapter comes from Bachman and Palmer's (1996) volume on language testing. The chapter is organized as follows. First, various test purposes are described.