ABOUT THE TOEIC® TEST
TAKING THE TOEIC® TEST
TOEIC® SCORES

ABOUT THE TOEIC® TEST

• What are the differences between the TOEIC® and TOEFL® tests?
• Does the TOEIC® test measure speaking and writing?
• From what contexts are TOEIC® test questions taken?
• What quality standards does the TOEIC® test adhere to?
• How “fair” is the TOEIC® test?
• If I have a disability, can I still take the TOEIC® test?

 

TAKING THE TOEIC® TEST

• Do I need to present identification at the testing site?
• Can I take materials into the testing room?

 

TOEIC® SCORES

• Can I fail the TOEIC® test?
• How is the TOEIC® test scored?
• How quickly will my TOEIC® scores improve?
• How will I receive my scores?
• If I take another version of the TOEIC® test, will I receive the same scores?
• How long will my scores be valid?
• How long will my scores be kept on record?
• Are my scores confidential?
• Can I have my test re-scored?

ABOUT THE TOEIC® TEST

The TOEIC® and the TOEFL® tests were developed by ETS to serve different purposes. Therefore, the design, content, context, and range of proficiency that each test measures are also different. The TOEFL® test was created for foreign students seeking admission to undergraduate and graduate programmes in North America. The test hence is a measure of English used in academic settings. On the other hand, TOEIC® certifies competence in business English. Organisations that document employees' English proficiency and individuals who want to demonstrate their ability to use English in the global workplace would prefer to use the TOEIC® test.

The TOEIC® test measures listening and reading skills directly. These skills can be tested objectively, cost-effectively, and efficiently. Testing speaking and writing directly requires considerable time and expense, both for administering the test and for scoring. Direct tests of speaking and writing are generally not only less objective, but also less reliable. The decision to test only listening and reading directly on the TOEIC® test was a response to the needs of clients and test takers for a rapid, affordable, and convenient service, as well as for high reliability.

However, the TOEIC® test provides an indirect measure of speaking and writing. Studies with large samples of non-native speakers of English from around the world have confirmed a strong link between TOEIC® results and an oral interview. Smaller studies have shown a similar link with writing skills.
 

These are some examples of the settings and situations you may find in TOEIC® test questions:

• Corporate Development: research, product development
• Dining out: business and informal lunches, banquets, receptions, restaurant reservations
• Entertainment: cinema, theatre, music, art, exhibitions, museums, media
• Finance and Budgeting: banking, investments, taxes, accounting, billing
• General Business: contracts
• Health: medical insurance, visiting doctors, dentists, clinics, hospitals
• Housing/Corporate Property: construction, specifications, buying and renting, electric and gas services
• Manufacturing: assembly lines, plant management, quality control
• Offices: board meetings, committees, letters, memoranda, telephone, fax and e-mail messages, office equipment and furniture, office procedures
• Personnel: recruiting, hiring, retiring, salaries, promotions, job applications, job advertisements, pensions, awards
• Purchasing: shopping, ordering supplies, shipping, invoices
• Technical Areas: electronics, technology, computers, laboratories and related equipment, technical specifications
• Travel: trains, airplanes, taxis, buses, ships, ferries, tickets, schedules, stations and airport announcement, car rentals, hotels, reservations, delays and cancellations

 

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The quality of the TOEIC® test is ensured by specific psychometric standards outlined in the ETS Standards for Quality and Fairness.  ETS standards have been established through stringent guidelines to ensure fairness, reliability and accountability in all assessments.  The TOEIC® test is also recognised by the strict criteria of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), the military alliance of democratic states in Europe and North America.

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Like all ETS tests, each new version of the TOEIC® test undergoes a stringent “fairness review”.  This review is conducted by ETS testing experts, in collaboration with outside reviewers, to be certain that all items (questions) are exhaustive and appropriate.

Every effort is made to ensure that the test is unbiased and culturally relevant to candidates worldwide. The TOEIC® test development team is careful to:

• Avoid language that is specific to either US or British English (e.g. vocabulary, grammatical
  constructions, idioms)
• Choose contexts that are not specific to one culture, or that may be foreign to candidates
  from some cultures
• Ensure the balanced use of names from different nationalities
• Refer to locations, people, or events that would be recognised in many different countries
• Avoid situations that are too specific to one occupational area
  

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The quality of the TOEIC® test is ensured by specific psychometric standards outlined in the The policy of ETS Africa is to prescribe no single testing alternative for individuals with disabilities. ETS representatives should negotiate with individuals with disabilities to provide suitable alternatives that will accommodate their needs and, at the same time, maintain the integrity of the testing process. These alternatives to standardised testing procedures are described in the “Policy for Administering the TOEIC® Test to Individuals with Disabilities ” document.  

If you require special testing arrangements because of a disability, please contact your local TOEIC® representative office to discuss your needs at least two weeks in advance of the test date. Your representative will make every effort to accommodate you. There is no additional cost for special accommodations. 

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TAKING THE TOEIC® TEST

You will need to show photo identification (passport, identity card, etc.) at the centre on the day of the test.

Books, dictionaries, papers, notes, rulers, calculators, watch alarms, listening devices, recording or photographic equipment, highlighters, or aids of any kind are not allowed in the testing room. You may be dismissed from the testing room or have your scores cancelled if you do not follow these rules.

TOEIC® SCORES

 

The TOEIC® test is not the kind of test that one "passes" or "fails." Not every job or task requires the same level of English proficiency. Because it was developed specifically to measure the types of English used in the workplace, the TOEIC® test measures many levels of ability. It enables people to demonstrate what they can currently accomplish in English.

 

Many companies use the TOEIC® test to set their own standards and may require that employees have a certain minimum TOEIC® score because the corresponding level of English is needed on the job. This does not mean that an individual will pass or fail, the TOEIC® test—it simply means that he or she will meet or not meet, the standards set by a specific company or language school. 

Scores on the TOEIC® test are determined by the number of correct answers. The number of correct responses on each section is converted to a scaled score. Three TOEIC® scaled scores are given for each examinee: a Listening section sub score, a Reading section sub score, and a Total score that consists of the sum of the Listening section and Reading section sub scores. Each sub score can range from 5 to 495. The Total score hence ranges from 10 to 990. The statistical procedures used to convert scores to a common scale ensure that similar TOEIC® scores indicate similar levels of English proficiency.

Improvement in overall English ability generally takes a considerable amount of practice and study. There are many things that affect an individual’s progress in learning English such as motivation, amount of practice, the number of hours or weeks of classroom study, previous exposure to English, and the type and quality of instruction. It is difficult to say exactly how much learning time is needed before a significant improvement in English proficiency is seen.

ETS Africa recommends that students do not retake the TOEIC® test until they have received at least 60 hours of English instruction and/or practice. Of course, given the many factors that influence learning, some students may require more, or fewer, hours of instruction.

 

If you take the test through your sponsoring organisation, your sponsor will receive your score and inform you of it. If you take the test independently, you will receive your score report direct.

If you take another version of the TOEIC® test, you will probably obtain slightly different scores from those you received the first time. Each version of the TOEIC® test is validated on a population of at least 50,000 people. It is therefore a highly reliable test, but no test measures performance with perfect accuracy and consistency. If you took several versions of the test within a short period of time, you would obtain a number of scores that centre on an average value known as your “true” score. Two-thirds of the time, your total score would be within 35 points of your true score.

 

Your scores are valid as long as your level of English proficiency remains the same. Your proficiency can, however, improve or decline over time. For this reason, the more recent the score, the more likely it is to be a valid indication of your proficiency.  ETS Africa recommends that a TOEIC® score be considered valid for up to 2 years. 
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To provide you and your employer with a historical summary of your scores, scores will be kept indefinitely. If you do not wish to have your scores kept on record indefinitely, please contact your local representative.
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Your scores are confidential and will be released only to your sponsoring organisation and to ETS Africa. With your written permission, scores may be provided to other organisations.
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If you feel that your scores are not an accurate reflection of your ability in English, you should contact your representative. The representative will re-score your answer sheet and will give you a second score report. If a discrepancy is found between the first score report and the second one, the representative will pay for re-scoring your answer sheet. However, if a discrepancy is not found, you may be charged a small fee to cover re-scoring costs.
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