Abstract This review describes in brief the writing sub-sections of the internet-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and discusses its use in university admissions decisions and potential use as a tool for course placement. The primary purpose of the TOEFL is to measure the academic English proficiency of non-native English speakers seeking admission to English- medium universities. The writing portion of the TOEFL consists of an independent writing task and a second writing task that requires test-takers to integrate reading, listening, and writing skills to compose a written text. Currently there is only is limited evidence supporting the use of TOEFL scores for placement (either in ESL programs or in university composition courses), but the review offers guidelines for further investigation into the TOEFL’s potential as an assessment tool for placement.

中文翻译：

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大学录取以外的托福写作任务的可负担性

摘要 本综述简要描述了基于互联网的英语作为外语考试 (TOEFL) 的写作小节，并讨论了它在大学录取决定中的使用以及作为课程安排工具的潜在用途。TOEFL 的主要目的是衡量非英语母语人士寻求进入英语中等大学的学术英语水平。托福写作部分由独立写作任务和第二写作任务组成，要求考生综合阅读、听力和写作技巧来撰写书面文本。目前只有有限的证据支持使用托福成绩进行分班（无论是在 ESL 课程中还是在大学作文课程中），