SUMMARY: Traditionally, researchers have used the term "authenticity" to refer to the degree to which tasks on a language test correspond to those used in the real world, with authenticity being a desired characteristic of tasks and tests. This white paper explains how the format of several questions in the TOEIC Speaking test was expanded to include a greater variety of real-world situations. This systematic process used by TOEIC test developers helped produce a more authentic test without altering its overall difficulty, resulting in even more authentic interpretations of speaking proficiency.
