The School of Foreign Languages (SFL) continuously works towards the development and implementation of the courses it offers to students. The courses consist of three components: learning objectives, instructional activities, and assessment, which are closely related and mutually reinforcing. Therefore, assessment activities are designed using appropriate tools to evaluate whether the learning objectives have been achieved and whether the curriculum has been implemented in determining the relevant content for assessment. Due to the great emphasis placed on the adequacy of the assessment system, a separate unit, the Testing Office, has been established to design, implement, monitor, and improve assessment activities related to all courses offered at SFL.
The main objectives of the SFL’s assessment process are as follows:
- To design assessment tools that require students to utilize higher cognitive abilities.
- To ensure access and equal opportunities while maintaining the integrity of the program.
- To measure each student's English proficiency to ensure they have reached an adequate level of foreign language skills before starting their undergraduate studies in their respective departments.
- To provide a clear framework for individual student development, allowing teachers and students to take necessary steps for further progress.
Reliability and Validity
The aim of the SFL is for all students to have gained detailed familiarity with the assessment tools before they are carried out during and at the end of each term. It is highly important to be internally consistent in the process of creating assessment tools throughout the academic year. In order to provide internal consistency, certain steps are taken to cross-check the exams sufficiently throughout the preparation process.
The learning objectives and instructional activities are two key elements in the design of assessment tools. The validity of the assessment process is ensured by aligning the assessment tools with these two elements. Certain procedures are applied in order to verify the internal alignment of the assessment tools and the abovementioned course elements.
Internal Verification
Click here for the BTU-YDS Exam Preparation Process.
Click here for the Mid-Quarter and End-Quarter Exam Preparation Process.
PROCTORING POLICY
- Promotion of Methodological Clarity in a Transparent, Respectful, and Trustworthy Environment: The necessary environment is created to ensure transparency, respect, and trust during exams. The principle of methodological clarity is applied at every stage of the exam, ensuring that students are informed about the procedures and that any uncertainties are resolved.
- Clear Definition of Standards, Expectations, and Procedures for Exams: Clear and understandable standards, expectations, and procedures are defined for all exams. This ensures that students are aware of the exam processes in advance and that exams are conducted fairly.
Proctoring Guidelines
- Click here for Mid-quarter and End-quarter exams proctoring guidelines.
- Click here for BTUYDS exam proctoring guidelines.
GRADING POLICY
The main purpose of the SFL grading policy is to ensure student progress through learning. Appropriate grading will inform teacher planning, direct improvement, and differentiate teaching. It is essential that teachers provide feedback through grading in the formative stages of learning so that students can improve their work and make progress over time to meet their full potential. In order to ensure grading standards, teachers are required to follow certain procedures. They are listed below:
Marking Guidelines
Marking Procedures for Mid-Quarter and End-Quarter Exams
Answer Keys
- After each exam, the answer key is shared with the instructors in the "Test Office Documents Shared for All Instructors" folder located on the Common Drive.
- The answer key is prepared to include all possible answers for each question and the corresponding points to be awarded for responses that partially or fully match the correct answer provided in the key. This clarifies the grading criteria for correct, partially correct, and incorrect answers.
Rubrics
- Scoring rubrics are used in Writing and Speaking exams to objectively and consistently assess student performance.
- The Professional Development Unit is responsible for training and supporting teachers to ensure rubrics' correct and consistent application. This process is carried out through one-on-one meetings, workshops, and/or standardization sessions, ensuring that teachers receive continuous support and training in standardized scoring rubrics.
Grade Sheet
- All exam envelopes contain a separate sheet for recording student grades. The grades should not be written on the attendance sheet.
Double Marking Procedures for Speaking Exams
1. Two examiners carry out speaking exams. Students enter the exam one by one and are assessed individually during the exam. The examiners assess the exam, interact with the test-taker, and manage the exam.
2. A desk must be provided for the test-taker to write on and take notes. The seating arrangement with the test-taker and the two examiners must be triangle-shaped.
3. The assessors are provided with separate rubrics designated to assess the speaking test. The assessors fill in the rubric and grade the test-taker’s performance. The entire test is recorded with an audio recorder.
Double Marking Procedures for the Writing Exams
1. The Testing Office announces the first and second graders before each Writing Exam.
2. The original exam sheets are submitted to the second graders after the first assessment. Blind double marking, in which the second assessor of the paper has no prior knowledge of the first assessor's score, is important for an unbiased evaluation.
3. After both have graded the exam paper, the first and second assessors meet in order to compare their assessment outcomes. The scores given by the two assessors for a certain student paragraph or essay should be compared, and those assessors should calculate the variance between the scores. If the difference between the scores is equal to or less than 10 percent, the scores should be averaged for the student’s final grade. If the difference between the scores is greater than 10 percent, a third assessor is asked to evaluate the exam.
4. After the third grader’s assessment, the average of the nearest two scores is accepted as the final grade.
Marking Procedures for Multiple Choice Exams (BTUYDS Session 1)
1. In multiple-choice tests, there are eighty questions, each with four options. The test is evaluated using optical scanners and licensed software. The software program checks correct and incorrect answers. Incorrect answers do not affect the correct answers.
2. The optical scanner software saves the results as a Microsoft Excel file. The Testing Office Coordinator who is carrying out the assessment sends the Excel file to specified members of the administrative unit.
3. The file is uploaded to and published on the SFL website, where students can access and check their results using a special interface programmed only for the announcement of exam results.
Marking Procedure for Listening Exam (BTUYDS Session 2 / Part 1)
1. The listening test consists of multiple-choice questions. After the test, the test office members check the exam papers using the answer key provided.
2. The scores are written on the grade sheet, and the grade sheet is submitted to the Test Office Coordinator.
Marking Procedure for Speaking Exam (BTUYDS Session 2 / Part 2)
1. One day before this stage, the exam times and rooms for the candidates are shared on our website. Each candidate is admitted individually to the exam room.
2. Students who arrive late to the exam must obtain permission from the administration before being allowed to take the exam.
3. During the speaking exam, if there is a discrepancy between the grades given by the instructors: If the difference is less than 10%, the average of the two grades is taken and considered as the final grade. If the difference is more than 10%, a third instructor is asked to listen to the audio recording and evaluate the student. The average of the two closest grades will be considered as the final grade.
4. Immediately after the speaking exam is completed, the candidates' grades are written on the grade sheet and handed over to the test office coordinator.
Announcing the Results
1. The scores on the grade sheets of the listening, writing and speaking exams are entered in an Excel file in order to be published on the SFL website. The Excel file calculates the final scores using the formula set according to the weights of the individual exams determined by the regulations of SFL.
2. The file is uploaded to and published on the SFL website where students will be able to access and check their results using a special interface programmed only for the announcement of exam results.
Marking Verification
Since there are more than a hundred exam envelopes per quarter, a sampling procedure is implemented to verify the exam assessment. The procedure is conducted by an officer working in the SFL administrative unit.
Sampling Procedure
Exam envelopes from four different groups within a level are selected as samples for verification. The scores on the exam sheets are compared with the scores on the grade sheets, which are checked against the scores entered into the automation system.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY AND PLAGIARISM POLICY
As part of its mission to develop students' academic, professional, and social potential, the SFL is committed to providing students with the tools and resources necessary to foster originality, authenticity, and ethical conduct in their academic and professional endeavors. Through this commitment, the SFL helps students meet and exceed academic integrity expectations, preparing them for successful futures.
The SFL has developed guidebooks to educate students on how and where to use AI tools ethically and responsibly in their academic work. These guidebooks provide clear guidelines on the appropriate use of AI and emphasize the importance of originality and academic honesty in all assignments.
The School of Foreign Languages (SFL) adheres to a zero-tolerance policy regarding cheating, plagiarism, and academic dishonesty. Any student found engaging in cheating, plagiarizing, or copying during exams and assignments will face disciplinary action. Instructors are required to immediately report such incidents to the administration.