The effect of texts' authenticity on reading-comprehension test-taking strategies used by adult Saudi learners of English as a foreign language

A considerable theoretical importance is assigned to the use of authentic texts in testing reading comprehension. There is, however, a dearth of research that could provide the practical justification for such importance. Recently, some researchers began to question the speculative significance of authentic materials in reading comprehension assessment. As a result, the present study is aimed at examining the possible effect that the authenticity of texts may have on the test-taking strategies used in answering reading comprehension tests. Specifically, the study is directed at investigating whether the authenticity of texts may impact the way in which examinees use the test-taking strategies with multiple-choice and open-ended tests and whether there are significant differences between examinees who are reading authentic and inauthentic texts in regard to the bottom-up and top-down test-taking strategies.; Two hundred sixteen adult male Saudi Arabian students taking English as a Foreign Language (EFL) participated in the study. During the study, the subjects had to take a one-reading passage test in which they answered five comprehension questions. Each of the 12 tests was given to a group of 18 students. Using the statistical tests of significance of differences between proportions, the researcher found that the authenticity of text does not have an effect on the number of strategies that are utilized with authentic and inauthentic texts. Whether the reading text was authentic or not considerably affected the manner in which examinees uses the test-taking strategies. Although both groups of readers used bottom-up test-taking strategies in a similar manner, the readers of inauthentic texts reported using more top-down test-taking strategies. They also have shown a better ability to use more efficient strategies according to the demands of the questions. Readers of authentic texts used more question-directed strategies. The results indicate that it is safe to make the assumption that there is a need for more investigation into the speculative theoretical importance of authentic materials in reading comprehension assessment in particular and language teaching in general. Moreover, the study calls for in-depth examination of the presumed significance of background knowledge in reading comprehension. Finally, the linguistic and cultural differences between different groups of EFL learners have to be reexamined and should be taken into greater account.