Not to scale? An argument-based inquiry into the validity of an L2 writing rating scale

This study sought to investigate the quality of a rating scale used to assess L2 students' writing ability at an intermediate level of an IEP in the US. Using a mixed- methods approach, several sources of data were collected and analyzed. The results indicated that the scale largely appeared to function as it was intended, despite the fact that it could have benefited from some revisions. The implications support that L2 practitioners must make principled and justified decisions about the scoring criteria that they include in scales when assessing ESL students' writing.