Series Editors' note
Preface
Acknowledgments
Chapter 1
An overview of oral language assessment
Introduction
Outcome-based research on oral language assessment
What are language assessment interviews��
Past research on oral language assessment
The ACTFL OPI
Empirical studies on the OPI
Research on other oral examinations
The need for process-based research
Discourse-based studies on oral language assessment
Background
Lazaraton's research on ESL course placement interviews
Participant behaviour in oral interviews
Comparisons of interview behaviour with conversation
Comparisons of test format
Comparisons of test scores with produced discourse
Rating scale construction and validation
Summary
Conclusion

Chapter 2
Conversation analysis�� institutional talk�� and
oral language assessment
Approaches to discourse analysis
Conversation analysis
Background
What is conversation analysis��
What is conversation��
Nonverbal behaviour in conversation
An evaluation of conversation analysis
Institutional talk
What is an interview��
The organization of the interview
Summary
Conclusion

Chapter 3
Data collection and transcription
Data collection and selection
Introduction
Collecting audiotaped data
Collecting videotaped data
Selecting data for transcription/analysis
Summary
Data transcription
Understanding transcription philosophy
Understanding transcription goals
Learning the conversation analysis transcription systemConsidering the mechanics of transcription
Using the conversation analysis transcription system
Transcribing languages other than English
Transcribing nonverbal behaviour
Summary
Conclusion

Chapter 4
Data analysis and presentation
Reflecting on six methodological issues
Real�� recorded data
Unmotivated looking
Units of analysis
Single cases�� collections�� and deviant cases
Sociological variables
Coding and quantifying data
Summary
Working with interactive data
Five 'analytic tools'
A worked example
Summary
Working with monologic data
Rhetorical analysis
Functional analysis
Structural analysis
Summary
Presenting data and reporting results
Rationale
Guidelines for presenting data
A research report format
Guidelines for evaluating other studies
Summary
Conclusion
Practice problems

Chapter 5
Some speaking test validation studies using this approach
Test validity
Background on Cambridge EFL examinations
Overview
The Cambridge approach
Interlocutor behaviour in speaking tests
Research on CASE
Research on CAE
Research on KET
Comparative research on CAE-KET
Summary
Candidate behaviour in speaking tests
Research on FCE
Research on IELTS
Summary
Conclusion

Chapter 6
Summary and future directions
References
Appendices
Appendix 1�� Glossary of CA terms
Appendix 2�� Transcription notation symbols
Appendix 3�� Guidelines for Chapter 4 practice problems
Author index
Subject index