knowledge? Size and strength: do we need both to measure vocabulary

This article describes the development and validation of a test of vocabularysize and strength. The ® rst part of the article sets out the theoreticalrationalefor the test, and describes how the size and strength constructs have beenconceptualized and operationalized. The second part of the article focusseson the process of test validation,which involved the testing of the hypothesesimplicit in the test design, using both unidimensionaland multifaceted Raschanalyses. Possible applications for the test include determining the status of alearner’s vocabulary development as well as screening and placement. Amodel for administering the test in computer adaptive mode is also pro-posed. The study has implications both for the design and delivery of thistest as well as for theories of vocabularyacquisition.

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