Short-answer questions
Hughes (2003: 79) states that items in which the test taker has to provide a short answer are common, particularly in reading and listening tests. Alderson (2000: 205) regards short-answer questions as a “non-objective” technique that has to be subjectively evaluated. Test takers are just asked a question that requires a brief written response, i.e. a few words, as in the example below. And an attempt is made to restrict the length of answer, i.e. to two or three words in IELTS, to ensure scoring consistency. “Short-answer” not only tests careful reading strategy for detailed information, but also tests expeditious reading strategies, such as skimming for the gist of a text, searching reading to locate information and scanning for specific items (Khalifa & Weir, 2009: 87). The justification for this technique is that it is