-ReviewQualitative methods of assessment are

way of gathering information that yields

results which cant be measured by/
translated into numbers.
Qualitative analysis is of course the
opposite of quantitative analysis. If
quantitative analysis we collect data that
can be analyzed using quantitative
methods which includes methods that rely
on numerical scores or ratings.
In qualitative analysis we collect data that
does not lend itself to quantitative
methods but rather to interpretive criteria.
It includes methods that rely on
descriptions rather than numbers.
-Venn DiagramSo why this analysis very important in
language and literature assessment?
Very simple. Not all topics in language nor
literature can be measured statistically.
Examples of these are viewpoints, actions
and characteristics which cant always be
represented numerically. So thats why
theres a need of qualitative approach.
So, when you are trying to understand the
reasons & motivation for students
behaviour toward the topics in language
and literature you can use qualitative
analysis.
There are various ways in which tests can
be analysed qualitatively. Later the next
reporter will discuss that. But first lets
identify the ways of collecting qualitative
data.
Categories of Approaches:
Reflection- aimed at getting an insight into
the thinking processes and opinion of the
test taker
This helps the assessor or the teacher to
understand what is in his/her students
minds. It can be used to assess whether
the topic you have discussed and even the
strategy you have used in teaching the

topic helped your students learn what you

intended.
Reflection can be as simple as having
students
address
weekly guided
questions in a written journal, a class
discussion or a class-wide blackboard
discussion.
Verbal report- Offer an insight into the
thought process of the informants.
Verbal report is a counterpart of reflection
its just that the assessor gain the insight
of the test taker through test takers
spoken words.
For example, the test taker might be
asked simply to say everything that comes
to their minds as they work on a task.
Then, they might be asked to justify their
answers. And then they might be
probed/asked with some questions about
the specifics of their reasoning.
To help decide the category of verbal
report that will be collected, these are the
variables that should be consider
Talk aloud or think aloud?
- Talk aloud- informants(test taker/the
one who provides information) voice
their thoughts
- Think aloud- voice their thoughts as
well as other information such as
physical movements
Concurrent or retrospective?
- Concurrent- The verbal report is given
in real time( the rater watch videos
and simultaneously verbalise what
they observe)
- Retrospective- the given report is
given afterwards (just after the test
has been completed)
Mediated or non-mediated?
- Mediatedresearcher
occasionally
intervenes
- Non-mediated- the researcher does not
intervene some pointers, when using
verbal reports in test analysis (simply
without the presence of the researcher
ex. the raters worked at home and
recorded the test takers voice )

Diary Studies- Is another to get an insight

into their thoughts
(You know what a diary looks like,right?)
There are a number of varieties of diary
studies:
Unstructured: the informant is free to write
what he/she wants in whatever format.
Guided:
the
researcher
gives
the
informant guidelines
Structured: the researcher offers the
informant a diary form with closed and
open-form questions
But of course this way of gathering
qualitative data also have some pitfalls.
When using diaries in test analysis, the
data can be hard to process. How? In
unstructured dairies since the informant
can just write anything he/she wants in

whatever form then it could be hard for

the rater/assessor to draw conclusion on
it. Same thing goes with structured
diaries, it only offer the information you
specifically ask for.
The quality of the reflections, verbal
reports and diary can be graded using:
a likert/rubric(set
quantitative and

of

criteria)

if

its

open-ended
questions,
focus
group,
observation- qualitative (in conjunction
with novice-expert rubric)
.
A
grading
rubric works
well
to
communicate your expectations for quality
work.
So there you go, Reflection, Verbal Report
and Diary Studies are the categories of
approaches in preparing qualitative data.