For Test Takers: TOEFL® Paper-based Test (PBT)
Current section: Scores > Policies
Scoring Policies
- Confidentiality of Scores
- Test Question Inquiries
- ETS Score Cancellation Policy
- Problems with Giving the Test
- Valid Identification
- Misconduct
- Plagiarism
- Invalid Scores
Confidentiality of Scores
The TOEFL® PBT and TSE® program recognizes the right of examinees to privacy with regard to information that is stored in data or research files held by Educational Testing Service and the program's responsibility to protect information in its files from unauthorized disclosure. ETS or its authorized representative may share examinee score data with institutions or agencies for verification purposes.
TOEFL PBT and TSE test score data and writing and speaking responses that may be used at any time for informational, research, statistical, or training purposes are not individually identifiable. Information retained in TOEFL PBT and TSE records is the same as the information printed on the examinee's score record and on the official score reports. Official score reports will be sent only to those institutions or agencies designated by the examinee when he or she registered to test, on a Score Report Request Form submitted at a later date, or otherwise specifically authorized by the examinee.
Scores are not to be released by institutional recipients without the explicit permission of the examinee.
Inquiries on Test Questions
Language specialists prepare TOEFL PBT and TSE test questions. These specialists follow careful, standardized procedures developed to ensure that all test material is of consistent high quality. Each question is reviewed by several members of the ETS staff. The TOEFL Committee of Examiners, an independent group of professionals in the fields of linguistics, language testing and language teaching that reports to the TOEFL Board, establishes overall guidelines for test content and specifications. After test questions have been reviewed and revised as appropriate, they are selectively administered in trial situations and assembled into tests. The tests are then reviewed according to established ETS and TOEFL program procedures to ensure that all possible versions of the test are free of cultural bias. Statistical analyses of individual questions ensure that all items provide appropriate measurement information.
Although ETS employs extensive quality control checks throughout the development of test questions and the preparation of final tests, typographical errors or flaws in questions may occasionally occur. If you suspect a problem and want to question a test item for any reason, notify the test administrator before you leave the test site. You may also write to: MS 42N-208, TOEFL/TSE Test Question Inquiries, Educational Testing Service, Rosedale Road, Princeton, NJ 08541-0001, USA, or send a fax to 1-609-683-2600 immediately after taking the test. Please include the name of the test, the section of the test, the test date, the name of the center where the test was taken, and, if possible, the number of the test item being questioned. If you have a complaint about the testing facilities or the test administrator, write to TOEFL/TSE Complaints, Educational Testing Service, P.O. Box 6163, Princeton, NJ 08541-6163, USA, within three days after the test date. Be sure to give the date of the test, the name of the test center and the city and country in which you tested.
ETS Score Cancellation Policy
ETS strives to report scores that accurately reflect the performance of every test taker. Accordingly, the standards and procedures for administering tests have two primary goals: giving test takers equivalent opportunities to demonstrate their abilities, and preventing any test takers from gaining an unfair advantage over others. To promote these objectives, ETS reserves the right to cancel any test score when, in its judgment, a testing irregularity occurs, there is an apparent discrepancy in a test taker's identification, the test taker engages in misconduct, the test taker attempts to use the work or ideas of others as their own in the essay section of the test, or the score is invalid for another reason. Reviews of scores by ETS are confidential. When, for any of the above reasons, ETS cancels a test score that has already been reported, it notifies score recipients that the score has been canceled, but does not disclose the reason for cancellation except when authorized to do so by the test taker and in certain group cases.
Problems with Giving the Test
Sometimes there are problems with the administration of a test. When this occurs, it may affect an individual or group of test takers. Such problems include, without limitation, administrative errors (such as improper timing, improper seating, defective materials and defective equipment); improper access to test content; and other disruptions of test administrations (such as natural disasters and other emergencies). When testing irregularities occur, ETS may decline to score the test or may cancel the test score. When it is appropriate in ETS's judgment to do so, ETS gives affected test takers the opportunity to take the test again as soon as possible without charge.
Valid Identification
When, in the judgment of ETS or test center personnel, there is a discrepancy in a test taker’s identification, the test taker may be dismissed from the test center. In addition, ETS may decline to score the test or may cancel the test score and the test fee will be forfeited.
Misconduct
When ETS or test center personnel find that there is misconduct in connection with a test, the test taker may be dismissed from the test center, or ETS may decline to score the test or may cancel the test score. Test takers whose scores are canceled because of misconduct will forfeit their test fees. Misconduct includes, but is not limited to, noncompliance with the “Test Center Procedures and Regulations” on pages 12 – 15 of the TOEFL PBT Bulletin.
2009 – 10 Bulletin (PDF)
2009 – 10 Bulletin (screen reader version)
Plagiarism
ETS reserves the right to cancel scores when: (1) there is evidence that an essay includes text or ideas that are substantially similar to those found in other TOEFL responses, or (2) quotations, paraphrasing, language and ideas are used without attribution from published and unpublished sources. Such responses do not reflect the independent speaking or compositional writing skills that the test seeks to measure.
Invalid Scores
ETS may also cancel scores if, in its judgment, there is substantial evidence that they are invalid for any other reason. Evidence of invalid scores may include, without limitation, unusual answer patterns and/or inconsistent performance on different parts of the test. Before canceling scores pursuant to this paragraph, ETS notifies the test taker in writing about its concerns, gives the test taker an opportunity to submit information that addresses those concerns, considers any such information submitted, and offers the test taker a choice of options. The options may include voluntary score cancellation or arbitration in accordance with the ETS standard Arbitration Agreement. In addition, the test taker is sent a copy of the booklet Why and How Educational Testing Service Questions Test Scores, which explains this process in greater detail. This booklet is available to any test taker at any time upon request from the ETS Office of Testing Integrity. Call 1-800-353-8570 or e-mail TSReturns@ets.org.
Note: The arbitration option is available only for tests administered in the United States.
