[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-detail-158015-en":3,"doc-seo-158015-105":31,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":96},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",{"doc_id":7,"user_id":8,"nickname":9,"user_avatar":10,"doc_module":4,"category_id":11,"category_name":12,"doc_title":13,"doc_description":14,"doc_content":15,"file_id":16,"file_url":17,"file_type":18,"file_size":19,"view_count":20,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":21,"is_downloadable":21,"audit_status":21,"page_count":22,"language":23,"language_code":24,"site_id":25,"html_lang":24,"table_of_contents":26,"faqs":27,"seo_title":28,"seo_description":14,"update_tm":29,"read_time":30},158015,687197207919,"Theodora","https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/avatar/a000253d6f5f7c60be?x-image-process=image/resize,m_fixed,w_180,h_180&k=1779446848396160552",4,"Exam","Comparison of IELTS Academic and Duolingo English Test - Issue 1 - Research report","In-depth research compares IELTS Academic and the Duolingo English Test (DET) using publicly available documentation and published scholarship. The analysis applies a socio-cognitive framework covering test-taker characteristics, cognitive and context validity, scoring validity, consequences, and criterion-related validity. Results indicate broadly comparable overall proficiency distributions, with IELTS tasks eliciting a wider range of cognitive processes and more academic orientation than DET. Score correlations are observed, but the CEFR mapping for DET cannot be confirmed publicly. Findings suggest DET under-represents academic language construct and may be better suited to low- to high-level distinctions than high-stakes admissions.","ISSN 2515-1703 2022/1  \nIELTS Partnership Research Papers: Studies in Test Comparability Series  \nComparison of IELTS Academic and Duolingo English Test  \nSara T. Cushing and Haoshan Ren, Georgia State University  \nComparison of IELTS Academic and Duolingo English Test  \nThis report provides an in-depth comparison between IELTS Academic and the Duolingo English Test (DET), based on a review of publicly available documentation and published scholarship on each test.  \nFunding  \nThis research was funded by the British Council and supported by the IELTS Partners:  \nBritish Council, Cambridge Assessment English and IDP: IELTS Australia.  \nPublishing details  \nPublished by the IELTS Partners: British Council, Cambridge Assessment English  \nand IDP: IELTS Australia © 2022.  \nThis publication is copyright. No commercial re-use. The research and opinions expressed are of individual researchers and do not represent the views of IELTS.  \nThe publishers do not accept responsibility for any of the claims made in the research.  \nHow to cite this report  \nCushing, S. T. , & Ren, H. (2022) . Comparison of IELTS Academic and Duolingo English Test. IELTS Partnership Research Papers: Studies in Test Comparability Series, No. 1. IELTS Partners: British Council, Cambridge Assessment English and IDP: IELTS  \nAustralia. Available at [https://www.ielts.org/for-researchers/research-reports](https://www.ielts.org/for-researchers/research-reports)  \n[www.ielts.org](www.ielts.org) IELTS Partnership Research Papers, 2022/1 2  \nForeword  \nThis report provides an in-depth comparison between IELTS Academic and the Duolingo English Test (DET), based on a review of publicly available documentation and published scholarship on each test. We follow the analytical framework found in Taylor and Chan (2015), who employed and expanded on the socio-cognitive framework (SCF) for test validation introduced by Weir (2005) . This paper is framed by the six components of the SCF: test-taker characteristics, cognitive validity, context validity, scoring, consequences, and criterion-related validity.  \nIn terms of test-taker characteristics, our analysis of published demographic data suggests that the population of test-takers for each test are approximately equivalent in overall profciency. While IELTS Academic is specifcally designed for use in educational settings, DET was originally designed as a general profciency test. However, some recent Duolingo publications have stated that its main purpose is for admissions decisions.  \nTo compare cognitive and context validity of the two tests, our analysis focuses on the four main language skills (reading, listening, speaking, and writing) and the specifc test tasks targeting each skill. For all four skills, IELTS tasks elicit a wider range of cognitive processes than the DET tasks, and the DET items are generally less oriented to academic skills required in higher education contexts. In terms of scoring validity, despite large differences in the way scores are calculated, both tests appear to be scored reliably and to demonstrate internal consistency, and both testing organisations seem to have in place suffcient procedures for monitoring test performance. Our analysis of criterion-related validity suggests that there is a relationship between scores on the two tests; however, this relationship needs to be interpreted with caution. In particular, we were unable to fnd any publicly available information about how DET mapped its scores onto the CEFR. Finally, by analysing available online discussions about the two tests, we discuss their consequential validity. Given that many test-takers are focused on getting the highest possible scores on tests, our analysis suggests that the test preparation strategies recommended for IELTS may be more applicable to future academic work than those for DET.  \nIn conclusion, we found that, compared to IELTS, DET test tasks under-represent the construct of academic language profciency as it is","cbCaidxtHuUiaRP7","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaidxtHuUiaRP7","pdf",1006482,2,1,48,"English","en",105,"# Contents\n## Overview of the two tests\n### International English Language Testing System (IELTS)\n### Duolingo English Test (DET)\n## Author biodata\n## Introduction","[{\"question\":\"What framework does the report use to compare IELTS Academic and DET?\",\"answer\":\"The report applies a socio-cognitive framework for test validation, organized into six components: test-taker characteristics, cognitive validity, context validity, scoring, consequences, and criterion-related validity.\"},{\"question\":\"How do IELTS Academic and DET differ in the way they assess language skills?\",\"answer\":\"For all four skills (reading, listening, speaking, and writing), IELTS tasks elicit a wider range of cognitive processes, while DET tasks are generally less oriented to academic skills needed in higher education contexts.\"},{\"question\":\"Are DET and IELTS scores comparable, and can DET scores be mapped to the CEFR?\",\"answer\":\"The report suggests a relationship between scores on the two tests and notes evidence of reliable scoring and internal consistency. However, it reports no publicly available information on how DET maps its scores onto the CEFR.\"}]","Comparison of IELTS Academic and Duolingo English Test - Issue 1 - Research report | PDF",1787993626,121,{"code":4,"msg":32,"data":33},"ok",{"site_id":25,"language":24,"slug":34,"title":13,"keywords":35,"description":14,"schema_data":36,"social_meta":91,"head_meta":93,"extra_data":95,"updated_unix":29},"comparison-of-ielts-academic-and-duolingo-english-test-issue-1-research-report","",{"@graph":37,"@context":90},[38,53,73],{"@type":39,"itemListElement":40},"BreadcrumbList",[41,45,48,51],{"item":42,"name":43,"@type":44,"position":21},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":46,"name":47,"@type":44,"position":20},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",{"item":49,"name":12,"@type":44,"position":50},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/exam/",3,{"item":52,"name":13,"@type":44,"position":11},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/comparison-of-ielts-academic-and-duolingo-english-test-issue-1-research-report/158015/",{"url":52,"name":13,"@type":54,"image":55,"author":60,"headline":13,"publisher":62,"fileFormat":65,"inLanguage":24,"description":14,"dateModified":66,"datePublished":67,"encodingFormat":65,"isAccessibleForFree":68,"interactionStatistic":69},"DigitalDocument",{"url":56,"@type":57,"width":58,"height":59},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/comparison-of-ielts-academic-and-duolingo-english-test-issue-1-research-report/158015.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":9,"@type":61},"Person",{"url":42,"name":63,"@type":64},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-09-11","2026-08-29",true,{"@type":70,"interactionType":71,"userInteractionCount":20},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":72},"ViewAction",{"@type":74,"mainEntity":75},"FAQPage",[76,82,86],{"name":77,"@type":78,"acceptedAnswer":79},"What framework does the report use to compare IELTS Academic and DET?","Question",{"text":80,"@type":81},"The report applies a socio-cognitive framework for test validation, organized into six components: test-taker characteristics, cognitive validity, context validity, scoring, consequences, and criterion-related validity.","Answer",{"name":83,"@type":78,"acceptedAnswer":84},"How do IELTS Academic and DET differ in the way they assess language skills?",{"text":85,"@type":81},"For all four skills (reading, listening, speaking, and writing), IELTS tasks elicit a wider range of cognitive processes, while DET tasks are generally less oriented to academic skills needed in higher education contexts.",{"name":87,"@type":78,"acceptedAnswer":88},"Are DET and IELTS scores comparable, and can DET scores be mapped to the CEFR?",{"text":89,"@type":81},"The report suggests a relationship between scores on the two tests and notes evidence of reliable scoring and internal consistency. 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