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A Scoping Review of Research on Second Language Test Preparation

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Title: A Scoping Review of Research on Second Language Test Preparation
Language: English
Authors: Shanshan He (ORCID 0000-0002-3666-2116), Anne-Marie Sénécal (ORCID 0000-0001-8725-0413), Laura Stansfield (ORCID 0009-0000-2686-581X), Ruslan Suvorov (ORCID 0000-0003-2736-5205)
Source: Language Testing. 2025 42(1):11-47.
Availability: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 37
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Information Analyses
Descriptors: Literature Reviews, Second Language Learning, Language Tests, Study Habits, Test Coaching, Test Preparation, Test Wiseness, Educational Trends, Meta Analysis
DOI: 10.1177/02655322241249754
ISSN: 0265-5322
1477-0946
Abstract: Test preparation has garnered considerable attention in second language (L2) education due to the significant implications that successful performance on a language test may have for academic advancement, future career opportunities, and immigration prospects. Meanwhile, an overemphasis on test preparation has been criticized for encouraging the cultivation of construct-irrelevant test-taking strategies at the expense of developing general language proficiency. To systematically explore how test preparation has been investigated in the literature, we conducted a scoping review of 66 studies on L2 test preparation. Specifically, this study examined the key characteristics of publications on test preparation, the main themes explored, the study and participant characteristics, as well as the essential aspects of their research methodologies. The results of this review revealed various trends in the literature on L2 test preparation, such as the exclusive focus on English as the target language, the lack of diversity in stakeholders as participants, the dominance of international language tests, and the paucity of experimental studies that utilize advanced statistical techniques. In addition to interpreting the results of our analysis, we discuss the implications of this scoping review and outline several directions for future research on test preparation.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2024
Accession Number: EJ1454216
Database: ERIC
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  Data: A Scoping Review of Research on Second Language Test Preparation
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  Data: English
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Shanshan+He%22">Shanshan He</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3666-2116">0000-0002-3666-2116</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Anne-Marie+Sénécal%22">Anne-Marie Sénécal</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8725-0413">0000-0001-8725-0413</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Laura+Stansfield%22">Laura Stansfield</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0009-0000-2686-581X">0009-0000-2686-581X</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ruslan+Suvorov%22">Ruslan Suvorov</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2736-5205">0000-0003-2736-5205</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Language+Testing%22"><i>Language Testing</i></searchLink>. 2025 42(1):11-47.
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  Data: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
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  Data: Y
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  Data: 37
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  Data: 2025
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Information Analyses
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Literature+Reviews%22">Literature Reviews</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Second+Language+Learning%22">Second Language Learning</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+Tests%22">Language Tests</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Study+Habits%22">Study Habits</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Test+Coaching%22">Test Coaching</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Test+Preparation%22">Test Preparation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Test+Wiseness%22">Test Wiseness</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Trends%22">Educational Trends</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Meta+Analysis%22">Meta Analysis</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1177/02655322241249754
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  Data: 0265-5322<br />1477-0946
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Test preparation has garnered considerable attention in second language (L2) education due to the significant implications that successful performance on a language test may have for academic advancement, future career opportunities, and immigration prospects. Meanwhile, an overemphasis on test preparation has been criticized for encouraging the cultivation of construct-irrelevant test-taking strategies at the expense of developing general language proficiency. To systematically explore how test preparation has been investigated in the literature, we conducted a scoping review of 66 studies on L2 test preparation. Specifically, this study examined the key characteristics of publications on test preparation, the main themes explored, the study and participant characteristics, as well as the essential aspects of their research methodologies. The results of this review revealed various trends in the literature on L2 test preparation, such as the exclusive focus on English as the target language, the lack of diversity in stakeholders as participants, the dominance of international language tests, and the paucity of experimental studies that utilize advanced statistical techniques. In addition to interpreting the results of our analysis, we discuss the implications of this scoping review and outline several directions for future research on test preparation.
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  Data: 2024
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        Value: 10.1177/02655322241249754
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      – Text: English
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        PageCount: 37
        StartPage: 11
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      – SubjectFull: Literature Reviews
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Second Language Learning
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      – SubjectFull: Language Tests
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      – SubjectFull: Study Habits
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      – SubjectFull: Test Coaching
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      – SubjectFull: Test Preparation
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      – SubjectFull: Test Wiseness
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      – SubjectFull: Educational Trends
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      – SubjectFull: Meta Analysis
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      – TitleFull: A Scoping Review of Research on Second Language Test Preparation
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              Y: 2025
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