由於作者陳建林曾多次參加了英語專業四、八級考試的作文評分工作，在與同仁的交流過程中，對上述問題有了*加濃厚的興趣。在2011年、2012年專業八級作文閱卷期間，作者通過深人訪談、有聲思維、問卷調查等方式對幾十位評分員的評分過程進行了調查，並收集他們評分的詳細數據，在經過幾年的整理、分析和探究後，終於形成此書。
《外語教學測試構念研究--以TEM-8作文評分員為例》以英語專業八級考試作文評分員為研究對像，對評分員的認知結構進行了描述，對評分過程的本質進行了理論概括，並就提高評分員評分一致性問題提出了看法和見解。

陳建林著的《外語教學測試構念研究--以TEM-8 作文評分員為例》以TEM-8作文評分員為研究對像， 對有聲思維法、問卷法和深入訪談法以及SPSS、 Nvivo、Rasch模型和結構方程模型等數據分析軟件和 分析方法進行了詳細說明，對評分員在作文評分中建 構的三個認知結構(即作文結構、評分結構、情景結 構)進行了描述，探究了上述三個結構的建構過程及 其影響因素，在此基礎上提出了評分過程本質的框架 模型。本書對於外語寫作能力測試研究具有一定的啟 示和借鋻意義。

List of Acronyms
Tables and Figures
Table of Contents
Chapter One Introduction
1.1 Rationale for the study
1.2 Research background
1.2.1 The TEM general introduction
1,2,2 The TEM-8 and its writing component
1.2.3 Studies on the TEM-8 essay rating
1.3 Brief description of the research
1.4 Significance of the research
1.5 Outline of the research
Chapter Two Literature Review
2.1 Studies on raters and rating
2.1.1 Rating in writing assessment
2.1.2 Factors influencing rating process
2.1.3 Process of rating
2.2 Problem-solving and cognitive constructivism
2.2.1 Problem-solving
2.2.2 Piaget's cognitive constructivism
2.2.3 Rating process: a problem-solving process
2.2.4 Raters' cognitive construction
2.2.5 Summary
2.3 Research hypothesis and research questions
2.3.1 Research hypothesis
2.3.2 Research questions
Chapter Three Research Methodology
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Data collection
3.2.1 Scores assigned to 25 essays by 17 raters
3.2.2 Questionnaire data
3.2.3 Think-aloud Protocols: 6 raters' rating 10 essays
3.2.4 Interview data
3.3 Data analysis
3.3.1 MFRM analysis of rating performance
3.3.2 Factor analysis of questionnaire data
3.3.3 TAPs data analysis
3.3.4 Interview data analysis
3.3.5 Instruments
3.4 Summary
Chapter Four Results
4.1 Rating quality: MFRM analysis
4.1.1 The vertical rulers
4.1.2 Examinee measurement report
4.1.3 Raters' rating quality
4.1.4 Bias/Interaction analysis specified by examinee and rater
4.1.5 Summary
4.2 Factors affecting rating: questionnaire data analysis ..
4.2.1 Frequencies
4.2.2 Exploratory factor analysis
4.2.3 Confirmatory factor analysis
4.2.4 Frequencies of the six factors
4.2.5 Interaction among factors
4.2.6 Summary
4.3 The writing structure
4.3.1 Aspects of the writing structure
4.3.2 Aspects elaboration
4.3.3 The framework of the writing structure
4.4 The contextual structure
4.4.1 Aspects of the contextual structure
4.4.2 Aspects elaboration
4.4.3 The contextual structure
4.4.4 Summary
4.5 TAPs usefulness and the rating structure
4.5.1 TAPs performance
4.5.2 The rating structure
4.6 Summary of the chapter
Chapter Five Discussion
5.1 Construction of the writing structure
5.1.1 Factors contributing to the construction
5.1.2 Defining the construction
5.2 Construction of the rating structure
5.2.1 Orientation of the writing structure
5.2.2 Contribution of other factors
5.2.3 Summarizing the construction
5.3 Construction of the contextual structure
5.3.1 Factors contributing to the construction
5.3.2 Summarizing the construction
5.4 Nature of human essay rating
5.5 Summary
Chapter Six Implications
6.1 Construct of essay assessment
6.2 Validity and reliability and rater characteristics
6.3 Rule of rating scale and its development
6.4 Purpose and methods of rater training
6.5 Rating supervision and feedback
6.6 TAPs in cognitive process research
6.7 Future research
Chapter Seven Conclusion and Limitations
7.1 Answer to research Question One
7.2 Answer to research Question Two
7.3 Answer to research Question Three
7.4 Limitations
References
Appendix