Experts in Language Assessment

Are you a researcher?

Cambridge ESOL is a part of the University of Cambridge, and as experts in language assessment, we believe we have a responsibility to share that expertise with others working in the field of language assessment. For that reason, Cambridge ESOL is a leader in the field of assessment in making much of the findings of its research, and other data, available to researchers.

Below you can find resources to help your own research, together with opportunities for you to work with us.

Frequently Asked Questions: requests for materials, data and statistics available on our exams.


Research Notes

This is a quarterly publication reporting on matters relating to research, test development and validation within Cambridge ESOL.

Visit the Research Notes section where you can:

  • join the Research Notes mailing list
  • read back issues
  • use the Search facility to view or download articles.

Studies in Language Testing (SiLT)

SiLT is a series of academic volumes - edited by Dr Michael Milanovic and Prof Cyril Weir, and published jointly by Cambridge ESOL and by Cambridge University Press (CUP). The series covers a wide range of important issues and new developments in language testing that are relevant to test users, developers and researchers.

You can order individual volumes from the CUP website.

Research Reports

The first in a series of book-length reports available to download free of charge

The IELTS Writing Assessment Revision Project: Towards a revised rating scale
Stuart Shaw and Peter Falvey

Events

As well as publishing in refereed academic journals, edited volumes and other publications, members of the Research & Validation Group deliver papers and presentations to conferences, seminars and symposia all over the world. More information about Events.

Exam reports

Exam reports on KET, PET, FCE, CAE, CPE and YLE give an overview of candidate performance in each exam paper, and can be found on the appropriate page for each exam.

Grade statistics

Cambridge ESOL publishes grade statistics for each of its exams with breakdowns available by grade and by country.

International English Language Testing System (IELTS)

All IELTS-related research activities are coordinated under a framework for ongoing test development and validation. Activities are loosely divided into areas which are the direct responsibility of Cambridge ESOL, and work which is funded and supported by IELTS Australia and British Council.
More information on IELTS.

The IELTS website has information on the programme of internal research and validation which is complemented with work carried out through external grant-funded studies. For example:

English Profile

Cambridge ESOL has been actively involved in European projects for many years, including the development of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, which has become an international benchmark for language ability. We are now closely involved in English Profile – which will further develop the English language aspect of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR).

English Profile is a long term, collaborative programme of research, consultation and publication. A multi-disciplinary team is working to produce Reference Level Descriptions for English. These will provide a detailed and objective analysis of what levels of achievement in language learning actually mean in terms of the grammar, vocabulary and discourse features learners can be expected to have mastered at each CEFR level.

Visit the English Profile website.

Working for Cambridge ESOL

Some of the world’s leading names in language assessment work for Cambridge ESOL: find out how you could join them and view the latest vacancies.

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