Topics are often used as a key speech elicitation method in
performance-based assessments of spoken language and yet, the validity
and fairness issues surrounding topics are surprisingly
under-researched. Are different topics 'equivalent' or 'parallel'? Can
some topics bias against or favour individuals or groups of individuals?
Does background knowledge of topics have an impact on performance? Might
the content of test taker speech affect their scores - and perhaps more
importantly, should it? This monograph draws on original data as well as
insights from empirical and theoretical research to address these
questions. Grounded in the real-world assessment context of IELTS, this
volume explores issues related to topic validity against the backdrop of
one of the world's most high stakes language tests.