Sources of Test Score Pollution: State of the Art

This paper focused on the notion of test score pollution and elaborated on different sources of test score pollution. These sources were test preparation, situational factors, contextual factors, disproportional importance attached to tests by policy makers, editorialists and other commentators based on misconceptions about the role of tests or misinterpretationsand over‐interpretation of the meaning of test scores. Then, it provided some suggestions to reduce the problem with interpretation and unwise use of test results. The recommendations offered in this paper expressed the concern to employ a democratic approach to testing and use of multiple‐indicators rather than a single one. It recommended using a multi‐level view of assessment based on integration of quantitative and qualitative assessment procedures to minimize the effects of test score pollution.