Academic research
Academic research
OET is underpinned by ongoing research from leading academic institutions.
A quality test you can trust
OET has featured prominently in research literature relating to language testing in specific-purpose contexts. Findings and recommendations from key research studies have informed the development of OET test material and tasks, ensuring the test remains relevant.
Published material
Knoch, U. (2018). Exploring context and construct in rating scale design. Invited keynote presentation, Conference of the Asian Association for Language Assessment, Shanghai October 2018.
Knoch, U. Elder, C. Flynn E, Manias, E., McNamara, T. Woodward-Kron, R. (2018) Operationalizing an expanded construct of writing proficiency for an occupation-specific language test: from workplace criteria to a workable rating scale. Presented as part of invited Colloquium: Crossing Disciplinary Boundaries: Challenges to Construct Definition in ESP/LSP Assessment. Applied Linguistics Association of Australia Conference, Wollongong, November.
Knoch, U. Elder, C. Flynn E, Manias, E., Woodward-Kron, R. (2017) Operationalizing an expanded construct of writing proficiency for an occupation-specific language test: from workplace criteria to a workable rating scale. Presented as part of invited ILTA/AAAL Colloquium: Crossing Disciplinary Boundaries: Challenges to Construct Definition in ESP/LSP Assessment. American Association of Applied Linguistics ( AAAL), Portland, March 18-21.
Knoch, U., Elder, C., McNamara, T., Woodward-Kron, R., Manias, E., Flynn, E., Huisman, A. (2017, July). How to move from indigenous criteria to a useable rating scale? Evolving guidelines for LSP test developers. Language Testing Research Colloquium, Bogota, Columbia.
Knoch, U., Elder, C., McNamara, T., Woodward-Kron, R., Manias, E., Flynn, E., Huisman, A. (2017, July). Using profession-specific criteria to inform rating scale development on a specific purpose writing test: a way forward for test developers? Symposium on Second Language Writing, Bangkok, Thailand.
O'Hagan, S. (2015, June) Relating assessment processes for migrating doctors in different jurisdictions to perceptions of language and communication. Presentation at the 13th Interdisciplinary Conference Communication, Medicine and Ethics (COMET), University of Hong Kong.
Pill, J., O’Hagan, S. (2015, June). Relating assessment processes for migrating doctors in different jurisdictions to perceptions of language and communication. Presentation at the 13th Interdisciplinary Conference Communication, Medicine and Ethics (COMET), University of Hong Kong.
Yahalom, S. (2015, June) Health professionals’ perspectives on referral letters: implications for education, communication and patient safety. Presentation at the 13th Interdisciplinary Conference Communication, Medicine and Ethics (COMET), University of Hong Kong.
Elder, C., McNamara, T., Woodward-Kron, R., Pill, J., & Hoekje, B. (2014, August). How authentic can we get? Reconstructing a specific-purpose language test to reflect health professionals’ values. Symposium of 4 papers with discussant. AILA, Brisbane.
Frost, K. & O’Hagan, S. (November 21). Building a validation argument for the Occupation English Test (OET): Investigating test taker processes on the listening subtest. ACER/LTRC Symposium, Melbourne.
Frost, K. & O’Hagan, S. (2014, November 27-29). Building a validation argument for the Occupation English Test (OET): Investigating test taker processes on the listening subtest. ALTAANZ conference, Brisbane, Australia.
Hamp-Lyons, L., Elder, C., Douglas, D., Lockwood J., Jin, Y., O’Hagan, S., McNamara, T., Pill, J., & Davies, A. (2014, June 4-6). The Universal and the Specific: Must proficiency choose? Paper presented at Language Testing Research Colloquium, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Knoch, U. (2014, November). The communicative functions of medical records. Occupational English Test Stakeholder Forum, Melbourne
Macqueen, S. Elder, C, Pill, J. & Knoch, U. (2014, August 10-15). In the real world: Perceptions of the relationship between the Occupational English Test and the workplace. AILA, Brisbane.
Macqueen, S. Elder, C, Pill, J. & Knoch, U. (November 21). In the real world: Perceptions of the relationship between the Occupational English Test and the workplace. ACER/LTRC Symposium, Melbourne. ACER/LTRC Symposium, Melbourne.
Macqueen, S., Yahalom, S., Kim, H. & Knoch. U. (2014, November 27-29). Exploring writing demands in healthcare settings. ALTAANZ conference, Brisbane, Australia.
McNamara, T., Elder, C., O’Hagan, S., Pill, J. (2014, June). Assessment criteria – general or specific? The case of English language testing for health professionals. Presentation at the36th Language Testing Research Colloquium (LTRC) International Language Testing Association (ILTA), Amsterdam.
McNamara, T. & Pill, J. (2014, April 25-29). Reforming the criteria used to assess the spoken English clinical communication skills of international medical graduates. Paper presented at 16th Ottawa Conference, Ottawa, Canada.
O’Hagan, S., Frost, K., Knoch, U. (November 21). Scoping study of professional to professional communication in healthcare: an exploration of interaction and task types in inter- and intra- professional spoken communication. ACER/LTRC Symposium, Melbourne.
O’Hagan, S. & Pill, J. (2014, November 27-29). Language testing in medical registration procedures: Perceptions of the role of language and communication skills. ALTAANZ conference, Brisbane, Australia.
Pill, J., Elder, C., McNamara, T., & O’Hagan, S. (2014, June 4-6). Beyond the limits of universal criteria: Using indigenous criteria in assessing clinical communication in ESL. Paper presented at Language Testing Research Colloquium, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Pill, J. & Knoch, U. (2014). Review of data collected for OET/ARC Linkage study to verify revised OET speaking checklist. Final report. Melbourne: Language Testing Research Centre, University of Melbourne.
Woodward-Kron, R., Elder, C., & Pill, J. (2014, June 19-21). Patient-centred communication in an English language screening test for health professionals: Locating clinical engagement and interaction in candidate performance. The Language of Medicine: Science, Practice and Academia – An International Conference, Bergamo, Italy.
Woodward-Kron, R., Elder, C., Pill, J. (2014, June). Authenticity and patient-centred communication in an English language screening test for clinicians. Presentation at The Language of Medicine: Science, Practice and Academia – An International Conference. CERLIS – University of Bergamo.
Woodward-Kron, R., Pill, J., Elder, C. (2014, June). Authenticity and patient-centred communication in an English language screening test for clinicians. Presentation at the 12th Interdisciplinary Conference Communication, Medicine and Ethics (COMET), University of Lugano.
Woodward-Kron, R., Pill, J., & Elder, C. (2014, June 26-28). Patient-centred communication in an English language screening test for health professionals: Locating clinical engagement and interaction in candidate performance. Communication, Medicine and Ethics Conference, Lugano, Switzerland.
Zhang, Y., O’Hagan, S., & Pill, J. (2014, July 10-13). Expanding the construct underlying speaking assessment criteria in OET. CLESOL Conference, Wellington.
Frost, K., Kim, H., Pill, J., Fraser, C. & Knoch, U. (2013, July). Investigating test takers processes on an LSP "skim and scan" reading task: A validation study of the Occupational English Test. Paper presented at the 35th Language Testing Research Colloquium (LTRC), Seoul, South Korea.
McNamara, T., (2013, September). Using English for professional purposes. Presentation at the Cambridge English Centenary Conference, University of Cambridge.
McNamara, T., O'Hagan, S. & Pill, J. (July, 2013). Extending the scope of speaking assessment criteria in a specific-purpose language test for migrating health professionals. Paper presented at the 11th Interdisciplinary Conference Communication, Medicine & Ethics (COMET), the University of Melbourne, Australia.
McNamara, T., Pill, J., Pryor, E., Kim, H. (2013, June). Language in professional contexts: Who defines the construct? Presentation at the 11th Conference on Nordic Language as a Second and Foreign Language [Den 11:e konferensen om Nordens språk som andra- och främmandespråk] (NORDAND 11), Stockholm University.
O'Hagan, S., Pill, J., Zhang, Y. & Elder, C. (2013, July). Expanding the construct underlying speaking assessment criteria in a specific-purpose language test. Paper presented at the 35th Language Testing Research Colloquium (LTRC), Seoul, South Korea.
Pill, J. (July, 2013). An exploratory model of what doctors value in the doctor-patient consultation. Paper presented at the 11th Interdisciplinary Conference Communication, Medicine & Ethics (COMET), the University of Melbourne, Australia.
Pill, J., Elder, C., McNamara, T., Woodward-Kron, R., Manias, E., McColl, G., Webb, G., O’Hagan, S. (2013, October). Capturing health professionals’ values and standards on a specific purpose language test. Presentation at OET Forum, OET Centre, Melbourne.
Pill, J., McNamara, T., Elder, C., O’Hagan, S., Woodward-Kron, R. (2013, November). How much is enough? Standard setting on a specific-purpose English language test for health professionals. Presentation at the Applied Linguistics Association of Australia (ALAA)/Applied Linguistics Association of New Zealand (ALANZ) Joint Conference, Wellington.
Pill, J., O'Hagan, S., Zhang, Y. & Elder, C. (2013, May). Evaluating the impact of applying indigenous assessment criteria in an LSP test. Paper presented at the 10th Annual European Association for Language Testing and Assessment (EALTA) Conference, Istanbul, Turkey.
Frost, K., Pill, J. Knoch, U., Kim, H., & Fraser, C. (2012, November 9-10). Investigating test taker processes on an LSP reading test designed to prompt skimming and scanning. Paper presented at the ALTAANZ conference, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
McNamara, T. (2012, May). At last: Assessment and English as a lingua franca. Presentation at the 5th International Conference of English as a Lingua Franca (EFL5), Boğaziçi University, Istanbul
Pill, J. (2012, March 28-31). Interrogating criteria for assessing speaking performance on the Australian OET. Paper presented at Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, Inc. (TESOL) 46th International Convention, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Pill, J. (2012, December). Medical educators’ feedback on trainees’ interaction with patients: perspectives on “language”. Presentation at the 2nd International Conference Applied Linguistics and Professional Practice (ALAPP), University of Technology, Sydney.
Pill, J. (2012, April 3-5). Using health professionals‟ feedback commentary to inform the validation of an ESP rating scale. International Language Testing Association (ILTA) 34th Language Testing Research Colloquium (LTRC), Princeton, New Jersey, USA.
Pill, J. & Harding, L. (in press). Defining the language assessment literacy gap: Evidence from a parliamentary inquiry. Language Testing.
Pill, J. & O'Hagan, S. R. (2012, November 9-10). Extending the scope of speaking assessment criteria in a specific-purpose language test. Paper presented at the ALTAANZ conference, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
Pill, J., Woodward-Kron, R., Elder, C., McNamara, T., McColl, G, Manias, E., Webb, G. (2012, March). Exploring language skills through Australian examiners’ feedback on doctor-patient interaction. Poster presented at the 46th International Convention, Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, Inc. (TESOL), Philadelphia.
Pill, J., Woodward-Kron, R., Elder, C., McNamara, T., O’Hagan, S., McColl, G, Manias, E., Webb, G. (2012, December). Educator feedback on GP registrar interaction with patients: perspectives on “language”. Presentation at Communicating Health Symposium , University of Melbourne.
Villa, S. (2012). Examiner interaction in a role-play task of speaking proficiency test. Unpublished Master‟s Thesis. School of Languages and Linguistics, University of Melbourne. 7
Harding, L., & Pill, J. (2011, May). The virtuous assessor: Marking decisions as ethical decisions. Paper presented at the 8th Annual EALTA Conference, Università per Stranieri, Siena, Italy.
Neve, G., Pill, J. (2011, October). The Occupational English Test: Recent developments and the project Towards improved healthcare communication. Presentation at the Assessing Authorities Meeting, Educational and Professional Recognition Unit, Australian Education International, Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, Melbourne.
O'Hagan, S. R., Pill, J., Elder, C., McNamara, T. & Woodward-Kron, R. (2011, November/December). Are linguistic assessment criteria defensible for LSP assessment? Paper presented at the ALAA 36th Congress, University of Canberra and the Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.
Pill, J., Elder, C., McNamara, T., Woodard-Kron, R., McColl, G., Manias, E., Webb, G. (2011, July). Feedback on GP registrars’ interactions with patients: Investigating what matters. Poster presented at the 9th Interdisciplinary Conference Communication, Medicine and Ethics (COMET), University of Nottingham .
Pill, J. & Harding, L. (2011, November/December). Defining the language assessment literacy "gap": a case study. Paper presented at the ALAA 36th Congress, University of Canberra and the Australian National University, Canberra, Australia. 6
Pill, J. & Neve, G. (2011, October). The Occupational English Test: Recent developments and the project „Towards improved healthcare communication‟. Paper presented at the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations 2011 Assessing Authorities Meeting, Australia.
Woodward-Kron, R., Elder, C., McNamara, T. & Pill, J. (2011, May). Are linguistic assessment criteria ethically defensible for LSP assessment? Paper presented at the 8th Annual EALTA Conference, Università per Stranieri, Siena, Italy.
Elder, C., Woodward-Kron, R., Pill, J., McNamara, T., McColl, G., Manias, E., Webb, G. (2010, September). Identifying what matters for effective clinical communication: Whose criteria? Poster presented at the International Conference on Communication in Healthcare, European Association for Communication in Healthcare (EACH), Polo Zanotto University of Verona
Harding, L. & Neve, G. (2010). The OET listening sub-test: Specifications and development. Paper presented at the OET Forum "Building the future together", Melbourne, Australia.
McNamara, T. (2010, November). Whose criteria? Assessment of English for Specific Purposes. Presentation at the International Conference on English for Specific Purposes (ICESP), National Taipei University.
Oh, H. (2010). Overseas health professionals' perspectives on the OET. Masters thesis: University of Melbourne.
Pill, J. (2010, July). Medical professionals’ criteria for effective communication: Examples from feedback to trainees. Presentation at the 20th Anniversary Colloquium LTRC, University of Melbourne.
Pill, J. (2010, October). Towards improved healthcare communication: Project update. Paper presented at the OET Forum, Melbourne, Australia.
Pill, J., (2010, November). Assessing the communication skills of medical professionals: Which criteria? Paper presented at Linguistics and Applied Linguistics Postgraduate Conference 2010, School of Languages and Linguistics, University of Melbourne
Pill, J., Elder, C., McNamara, T., Woodward-Kron, R., Manias, E. & McColl, G. (2010, December). Defining criteria to assess the communication skills of medical practitioners: Implications for a specific-purpose language test. Paper presented at the Healthcare Communication Symposium, University of Melbourne, Australia.
Pill, J., Elder, C., Woodward-Kron, R. (2010, July). Medical professionals’ criteria for effective communication: Examples from feedback to trainees. Paper presented at the 35th Congress Applied Linguistics Association of Australia (ALAA), University of Queensland, Brisbane
Pill, J., Elder, C., Woodward-Kron, R., McNamara, T., McColl, G., Manias, E., Webb, G. (2010, November). Towards standard setting for clinical communication skills: Which criteria? Paper presented at the 15th National Prevocational Medical Education Forum, Postgraduate Medical Council Victoria (PMCV), Melbourne.
Woodward-Kron, R., Elder, C., Pill.J. (2010, May). Towards standard setting for clinical communication skills: Which criteria? Presentation at the Staff Seminar, Medical Education Unit, University of Melbourne.
Woodward-Kron,R., Elder, C., Pill, J., McNamara, T., McColl, G., Manias, E., Webb, G.,(2010, June). Towards standard setting for clinical communication skills: Which criteria? Paper presented at the 8th Interdisciplinary Conference Communication, Medicine and Ethics (COMET), Boston University.
Woodward-Kron, R., Pill, J., Flynn, E., Stevens, M. (2010, September). The language of communication skills teaching: A linguistic perspective of the communication skills lexicon. Presentation at the International Conference on Communication in Healthcare, European Association for Communication in Healthcare (EACH), Polo Zanotto University of Verona
Elder, C., Harding, L. & Knoch, U. (2009). Reading for the health professions: The Occupational English Reading Test revisited. Interim Report. Language Testing Research Centre, University of Melbourne.
Elder, C., Harding, L. & Knoch, U. (2009, June). OET Reading Revision Study: Final Report. 38pp. Melbourne: Language Testing Research Centre. 2
Harding, L. & Knoch, U. (2009). Revising the OET reading sub-test. Paper presented at the OET Forum, Melbourne, Australia.
Harding, L. & Ryan, K. (2009). Decision-making in marking open-ended listening test items: The case of the OET. Spaan Fellow Working Papers in Second or Foreign Language Assessment, 7, 99-114.
Knoch, U. (2009, March 17-20). Investigating the effectiveness of individualized feedback for rating behaviour: a longitudinal study. Paper presented at the 31st Language Testing Research Colloquium, Denver, Colorado.
Knoch, U. (2009, March 14-15). Investigating the effectiveness of individualized feedback to rating behaviour – a longitudinal study. Annual Conference of the American Association of Applied Linguistics, Denver, Colorado.
Knoch, U., Elder, C. & Harding, L. (2009, August). Report on Relating the Occupational English Test (OET) to the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). 59pp. Melbourne: Language Testing Research Centre.
Report on relating the OET to the CEFR final report. 2019. University of Melbourne
Pill, J. (2009, June). The Occupational English Test: assessing the English-language proficiency of migrating medical professionals for the workplace. Poster presented at the Communication, Medicine and Ethics Conference, Cardiff, UK.
