The purpose of this study is to discuss the nature and validation of a college English testing format in a student-centred curriculum. This paper reports on an attempt to validate the college English tests. Questions to be asked in validation and evaluation of the tests include the following: Do the tests correctly identify those students who take up the English programmes? Do the students who take the tests feel that their language has been accurately measured? Is the content of the tests appropriate to the uses made of the tests? Are the tests reliable? After presenting the results of the study, the paper comments on both the validity and reliability of the tests, and on some wider issues that influence how validation studies of college English tests can be carried out.
