Difference between revisions of "Recorded Text Testing"

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First, find out as much information as you can about the language area through [[Background Research|background research]] and [[Intelligibility Interviews|intelligibility interviewing]].  
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{{Recorded Text Testing}}
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Recorded Text Testing (RTT) can help surveyors understand how well people in certain areas understand particular speech varieties. The first form of the method was used by C.F. Voegelin and Zellig S. Harris to determine dialect intelligibility. They published their work as ''Determining Intelligibility among Dialects of Natural Languages'' in the Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society, vol. 95, no. 3 in June 1950.
  
With that information in mind, work through the [[Decision Guide for RTT Administration Protocols]] to see what kind of RTT you might want to use.
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Others have since refined the methodology, notably Eugene Casad in his 1974 book Dialect Intelligibility Testing. These early studies were carried out mostly on Native American languages and in Mexico. Provided that enough social distance remains between communities that the tool is employed in, material for the test is likely to be valid. In locations where community connections are strong. In 2003, an RTT was attempted in Western Province of Papua New Guinea. Due to the strong connections between even geographically distant communities however, the test was rendered invalid as test takers were able to identify who was speaking on the recording. RTTs are not always valid assessment tools therefore.
  
Then work on [[Choosing RTT Test Points | choosing RTT test points]] in the language area.
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The pages linked in the table to the right can help walk you through the RTT process.
  
Once you are on your survey, you'll dive into [[Obtaining a Text|obtaining your source text]].
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Some [[sample RTTs]] are here.
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[[Category:Tools]]

Latest revision as of 21:48, 8 August 2011

Recorded Text Testing
Background Research
Intelligibility Interviews
Choose Kind of Test
Choose Test Points
Materials
Obtain a Text
Develop Questions
Create Introduction Text
Assemble Pilot Test
Administer Pilot Test
Select Final Questions
Build Reference Tests
Develop Post-RTT Questions
Administer Text Test Set
Process Scores

Recorded Text Testing (RTT) can help surveyors understand how well people in certain areas understand particular speech varieties. The first form of the method was used by C.F. Voegelin and Zellig S. Harris to determine dialect intelligibility. They published their work as Determining Intelligibility among Dialects of Natural Languages in the Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society, vol. 95, no. 3 in June 1950.

Others have since refined the methodology, notably Eugene Casad in his 1974 book Dialect Intelligibility Testing. These early studies were carried out mostly on Native American languages and in Mexico. Provided that enough social distance remains between communities that the tool is employed in, material for the test is likely to be valid. In locations where community connections are strong. In 2003, an RTT was attempted in Western Province of Papua New Guinea. Due to the strong connections between even geographically distant communities however, the test was rendered invalid as test takers were able to identify who was speaking on the recording. RTTs are not always valid assessment tools therefore.

The pages linked in the table to the right can help walk you through the RTT process.

Some sample RTTs are here.