Similar prompts may not be similar in the performance they elicit

What is it about?

Many studies have examined the performance of second language speakers on picture story retellings. Performance is evaluated with respect to complexity, accuracy, fluency and lexis. Few studies have considered the characteristics of the pictures stories as an influence on performance. This study investigated whether stories that were similar in terms of narrative structure and storyline complexity elicited similar performance. Complexity and accuracy seemed similar, but there were unexpected differences in fluency and lexis.

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Why is it important?

This study highlights the importance of piloting speaking prompts, such as picture stories, before using them for research or testing purposes. It also proposed new prompt features that contribute to task complexity.