introduction
　0.1 motivations
　0.1.1 queries about the application of test criteria
0.1.2 implications from preliminary findings
0.2 significance of the study
0.2.1 theoretical significance
0.2.2 practical significance
0.2.3 methodological significance
0.3 overview of the book
part i literature review
　chapter i definitions and theoretical issues
1.1 definitions of related terms
1.2 nature of the process of language assessment
1.2.1 viewing the process as linear
1.2.2 viewing tile process as cyclic
　1.3 role of the rater in language assessment
1.3.1 viewing the rater as an instrument
1.3.2 viewing the rater as a constructor
1.4 unsettled issues
1.5 summary
　chapter 2 empirical studies
2.1 studies of the process of language assessment
2.1.1 the process of spoken language rating
2.1.2 the process of written language rating
2.2 studies of the role of raters in language assessment
2.2.1 rater training
2.2.2 rater characteristics
2.3 introspective methods
2.4 unsolved questions
2.5 introducing the present study
2.6 summary
part ii methodology
　chapter 3 research design
　3.1 tem4-oral
　　 3.1.1 descriptions of tem4-oral
3.1.2 scoring procedures of tem4-oral
　3.2 three pilot studies
3.2.1 pilot study one
3.2.2 pilot study two
3.2.3 pilot study three
3.2.4 summary of pilot studies
　　3.3 the main study
3.3.1 research questions
3.3.2 subjects
3.3.3 instruments
3.3.4 data collection
3.3.5 data analysis
　　……
part ⅲ　results and discussion
part ⅳ　conclusion