Computer adaptive: First the test taker is tested over the entire range of difficulty for an initial estimate of ability . After that the computer adjusts the difficulty level of the subsequent question according the student’s answer of the previous one. If the answer is correct, the level moves up; if not, the level moves down. The test ends when the computer senses that the test taker has reached her/his ability level.

Placement exam: A placement exam consists of questions on various levels ranging from easy to difficult. Examinees of all ability levels take the same test. Its results help determine a student’s placement. Before an institution implements a placement test, it must norm the test by testing its own students and establish a range of levels for each course into which students will most likely be placed as a result of the test. Generally these courses are those of the first four semesters of a language department’s course offerings. The score of the placement test does not reflect a percentage of correct answers in relation to the total number. Rather the score reflects a student’s general ability with the language. A placement test is not the same thing as an achievement test.

The CAPE tests in French, German and Spanish were developed by the Humanities Research Center at Brigham Young University. They test grammar, vocabulary and reading comprehension in the format of multiple choice questions. As the name indicates, the tests are computer adaptive. Since the computer needs to adjust the level for each question according to the previous answer, the test taker must respond to each question as it appears. A question cannot be skipped for later nor can one return to a question or omit a question altogether. If a student does not know the answer, she/he needs to guess, but perhaps the student can eliminate one or two of the choices outright and then guess among the rest. This being a placement test, there is no penalty for guessing. Generally a student completes a test in 20 to 30 minutes. The tests are most accurate on the beginning and intermediate levels. Immediate results make it possible for students to be advised right away.

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