C-test generator script for Moodle & PDFs

C-test generator script for Moodle & PDFs

by Matt Bury -
Number of replies: 3
Picture of Plugin developers

Hi Moodlers,

I got bored with manually creating c-tests in Moodle & so wrote this script to automagically generate them from copied & pasted paragraphs of text. Just thought it'd be worth sharing with the Moodle community: https://matbury.com/html/ctest-generator/index.php

Of course, GPL3 licensed & source code available here: https://github.com/matbury/ctest-generator

BTW, c-tests (a type of cloze deletion test) are one of the most effective integrative reading comprehension tests available. You can use them to test the readability of your instructional writing for your students, i.e. How well do they score when they read you lecture/lesson notes? and for general reading comprehension, e.g. for modern foreign languages. Unlike, other cloze deletion tests, they can be algorithmically generated & still maintain high degrees of (construct) validity & reliability.

I hope you find this useful! smile

Matt

Short bibliography on c-test research:

Ajideh and Mozaffarzadeh—2012—C-Test vs. Multiple-Choice Cloze Test as Tests of .pdf. (n.d.). Retrieved August 14, 2019, from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1080104.pdf
Ajideh, P., & Mozaffarzadeh, S. (2012). C-Test vs. Multiple-Choice Cloze Test as Tests of Reading Comprehension in Iranian EFL Context: Learners’ Perspective. English Language Teaching, 5(11), 143–150.
Babaii and Ansary—2001—The C-test a valid operationalization of reduced .pdf. (n.d.). Retrieved June 1, 2016, from http://www.sciencedirect.com.libezproxy.open.ac.uk/science/article/pii/S0346251X01000124/pdfft?md5=eff1fae1dd479f8b37605bbfce972187&pid=1-s2.0-S0346251X01000124-main.pdf
Babaii, E., & Ansary, H. (2001). The C-test: A valid operationalization of reduced redundancy principle? System, 29(2), 209–219. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0346-251X(01)00012-4
Babaii, E., & Moghaddam, M. J. (2006). On the interplay between test task difficulty and macro-level processing in the C-test. System, 34(4), 586–600. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2006.09.002
Chapelle, C. A. (1994). Are C-tests valid measures for L2 vocabulary research? Second Language Research, 10(2), 157–187. https://doi.org/10.1177/026765839401000203
Chapelle—1994—Are C-tests valid measures for L2 vocabulary resea.pdf. (n.d.). Retrieved June 15, 2016, from http://slr.sagepub.com.libezproxy.open.ac.uk/content/10/2/157.full.pdf
Dörnyei and Katona—1992—Validation of the C-test amongst Hungarian EFL lea.pdf. (n.d.). Retrieved June 15, 2016, from http://ltj.sagepub.com.libezproxy.open.ac.uk/content/9/2/187.full.pdf
Dörnyei, Z., & Katona, L. (1992). Validation of the C-test amongst Hungarian EFL learners. Language Testing, 9(2), 187–206. https://doi.org/10.1177/026553229200900206
Jafarpur, A. (1995). Is C-testing superior to cloze? Language Testing, 12(2), 194–216. https://doi.org/10.1177/026553229501200204
Jafarpur—1995—Is C-testing superior to cloze.pdf. (n.d.). Retrieved June 15, 2016, from http://ltj.sagepub.com.libezproxy.open.ac.uk/content/12/2/194.full.pdf
Khodadady, E. (2014). Construct Validity of C-tests: A Factorial Approach. Journal of Language Teaching & Research, 5(6), 1353–1362. https://doi.org/10.4304/jltr.5.6.1353-1362
Klein-Braley, C. (1985). A cloze-up on the C-Test: A study in the construct validation of authentic tests. Language Testing, 2(1), 76–104. https://doi.org/10.1177/026553228500200108
Klein-Braley, C. (1997). C-Tests in the context of reduced redundancy testing: An appraisal. Language Testing, 14(1), 47–84. https://doi.org/10.1177/026553229701400104
Klein-Braley—1985—A cloze-up on the C-Test a study in the construct.pdf. (n.d.). Retrieved June 15, 2016, from http://ltj.sagepub.com.libezproxy.open.ac.uk/content/2/1/76.full.pdf
Klein-Braley—1997—C-Tests in the context of reduced redundancy testi.pdf. (n.d.). Retrieved June 15, 2016, from http://ltj.sagepub.com.libezproxy.open.ac.uk/content/14/1/47.full.pdf

Average of ratings: Useful (1)
In reply to Matt Bury

Re: C-test generator script for Moodle & PDFs

by Beatriz Rojo -
🎈Awesome Matt, huge thanks!🎉 I also think C-Test is a very reliable assessment method, but I've given up to use it in Moodle.
Average of ratings: -
In reply to Beatriz Rojo

Re: C-test generator script for Moodle & PDFs

by Matt Bury -
Picture of Plugin developers

Thanks Beatrice smile

Yes, c-tests are pretty clunky the way they're rendered by Moodle's Quiz module, which I think makes them more difficult for students to complete, which may detract from their validity & reliability.

I've been thinking about this issue more and you find this interesting too: https://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=404858 There's at least a working web form for students to complete c-tests with better rendering. The difficulty for me is doing this in Moodle.

Cheers!

Matt

Average of ratings: -
In reply to Matt Bury

Re: C-test generator script for Moodle & PDFs

by Beatriz Rojo -
I tried your script and I'm super happy with it smile
Average of ratings: -