Given the extremely high-stakes nature of Japanese university entrance examinations (UEEs) on test takers, a correspondingly high level of reliability and validity is essential. The washback effect that these tests have also needs to be addressed. Unfortunately, numerous studies have pointed to problems in all three of these issues when it comes to the English sections of UEEs. In this paper, the case is made for the more widespread adoption of rubric-scored writing questions on UEEs as one way to address these issues. First of all, including the productive and communicative skill of writing would increase validity. Also, the use of scoring rubrics would increase reliability. Finally, including writing would have the potential to increase positive washback by encouraging a more communicative approach to English instruction, as hoped for by MEXT, as well as other stakeholders. Barriers to this change, such as time constraints and institutional resistance, are acknowledged to exist, but it is posited that these barriers are not insurmountable.
Kenneth BROWN (Mon,) studied this question.
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