Use of Error Profiles in Applied Lingui...

An error profile, as proposed here, would represent a breakdown of errors most particularly distinguishing between different groups of test-takers, as defined by a common categorization. Essentially, the interest is in grouping errors in correlation to the grades awarded to writing performances in one assessment context, where each grade represents an indication of the hierarchically ordered level of relevant language proficiency. The paper makes an assertion that ascertaining representative error profiles in one educational context can have multiple didactic and assessment uses. This includes rater training, defining rating scale descriptors, language teaching didactics, and the design of teaching materials. Construction and application of error profiles is exemplified on a case study involving the final (high-stakes) language proficiency exam taken by the undergraduate students of the English Department, University of Klagenfurt in Austria.