Fairness and justice for all

Abstract

Although it has been argued that language test developers and researchers are concerned with the concept of fairness when they investigate tests for technical qualities like validity and reliability, the primacy of fairness has not been considered or acknowledged. Furthermore, fairness as a concept within a framework of social justice has not been developed and debated. I hope to make a beginning on these matters in this short chapter by discussing a possible definition of fairness and connections between fairness and four critical areas in language testing or assessment: research, test development, legal challenges and test developers. As a concept, fairness is seemingly clear but quite complex and thus often lends itself to dangerous misunderstandings. Moreover, often it is said that fairness is in the eye of the beholder and such discussions of fairness are obviously interminable. So, a clarifying definition seems to be difficult and elusive. One document that provides direction on this matter is the Code of Fair Testing Practices in Education (Code from now on) prepared by the Joint Committee on Testing Practices (1988). It presents standards for educational test developers and users in four areas: developing and selecting tests, interpreting scores, striving for fairness and informing test takers. Here is the excerpt from Section C, Striving for Fairness, of the Code:

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