The Eiken Test: An Investigation

The Etken tests, first administered in 1963 by the Society for Testing English
Proficiency (STEP), are highly respected in social, educational, and employment
circles and taken by millions each year. However, upon closer scrutiny, it appears
that the Eigo Kentei Kyokat (Etkyo) operates on its own terms. Unlike TOEFL
and TOEle, Eikyo does not make information about the tests' reliability or validity
available to the public. Therefore, important questions remain unanswered: Are
the Etken tests reliable and valid instrument? Do the Eiken tests really function
as tests of English proficiency? This paper examines the Etken pre-second level
test from June 1994. The test was administered to 168 first-year Japanese college
students. The results provided data for reliability and validity studies, in an
effort to shed light on the value of the Etken pre-second level test as a reputable
test instrument of English proficiency. The results of the studies conducted here
are far from encouraging with regards to the Eiken pre-second level test's reliability
and validity.