Utility and Bias in a Korean Standardized Test of English: The Case of i-TEPS (Test of English Proficiency Developed by Seoul National University)

This article examines to what extent i-TEPS (Test of English Proficiency developed by Seoul National University) incorporates perspectives of English as a lingua franca into its construction and accommodates test-takers’ needs. Based on the analysis of two sample tests, the article posits that while i-TEPS could be a robust, affordable, and user-friendly alternative to the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) in that it redresses several concerns of the TOEFL as pointed out by critics, the topics, choice of proper nouns, and grammatical and vocabulary items reflect a discernible level of dependence on Anglo-American norms. The article discusses what measures need to be taken to help locally developed and administered tests such as i-TEPS to become fully recognized not only as a viable alternative to TOEFL, but also as an effective test of English which takes contexts and stakeholders’ needs into consideration.