Shiraz University Teaching English as a Second Language Quarterly 2981-1546 33 4 2015 03 01 Comparing confidence-based and conventional scoring methods: The case of an English grammar class Comparing confidence-based and conventional scoring methods: The case of an English grammar class 123 152 3105 10.22099/jtls.2015.3105 EN Masoomeh Salehi Islamic Azad University, Shiraz Branch Firooz Sadighi Islamic Azad University, Shiraz Branch, English Department Mohammad Sadegh Bagheri Islamic Azad University, Shiraz Branch, English Department Journal Article 2014 11 25 This study aimed at investigating the reliability, predictive validity, and self-esteem and gender bias of confidence-based scoring. This is a method of scoring in which the test takers receive a positive or negative point based on their rating of their confidence in an answer. The participants, who were 49 English-major students taking their grammar course, were given 8 multiple-choice tests during the semester. These tests were scored both conventionally and in a confidence-based manner, and the reliabilities of these two score sets were compared. Each score set was correlated with the final exam scores to compare their predictive validity. Gender and self-esteem bias of the confidence-based scores of the eight tests were also calculated. The results showed that there was no difference between the reliabilities of the two sets of scores. Confidence-based scores had better predictive validity than conventional scores, but this difference was not significant. Confidence-based scores were not biased against a specific gender and specific levels of self-esteem. The conclusion is that confidence-based scoring is as good as conventional scoring and the choice between these two scoring methods depends on the teacher’s discretion and the teaching context. https://tesl.shirazu.ac.ir/article_3105_f12428f95f7587c998d08fcd1170f24f.pdf