Assessment types

Assessment tasks can take many forms. Some of the more common written assessment tasks are exams, tests, reports and essays, which can be completed using the technologies listed below. However there is a wide variety of other types, both formal and informal. Assessment tasks should be aligned with learning outcomes and be a tool for learning as well as for evaluation.

Although lecturers write the examination papers and mark student responses, they do not manage the procedures. Lecturers are unable to engage in discussions with students about the exam in the time between the exam itself and notification of grade.

Written assessment tasks

Essays

are a common form of assessment in many tertiary disciplines. The ability to construct good essays involves understanding the task, process (planning, developing, writing, editing), and conventions of academic writing. Through an essay writing task, lecturers can help students to develop and learn academic writing skills, including: formulating arguments, presenting evidence, integrating material from sources and referencing appropriately. The process of writing essays may teach students to synthesise and evaluate theoretical ideas and concepts, and develop their research skills. Additionally, students can learn academic and discipline-specific writing conventions and develop drafting, editing and revising skills. The essay is a flexible tool that can be used for a wide range of theoretical and analytical discussions.

Problem-solving assignments

help to reinforce material that has been taught in classes and helps to develop the students’ problem-solving skills. These assignments allow students to put into practice the concepts and theory that have been taught. Difficulties that students face in completing problem-solving assignments help point to aspects on which they need to clarify their understanding.

Reports

are a specific form of writing that gives a full account of what has been observed, done or investigated in a laboratory or experimental study. It has structural elements not found in essays and is visually distinguishable from essays. It also tests your ability to describe, explain and analyse the results of an experiment or study.

Journals

encourage an ongoing reflective, personal connection with learning. Their less formal writing approach can promote creative and lateral thinking around paper content. Journals can help students to evaluate their learning, link theory and practice and integrate different kinds of knowledge. The journal is a good way to promote dialogue between lecturers and their students and to help students develop reflective writing and analytical skills.

Case Studies

apply theoretical ideas to practical contexts. They enable students to see the relevance of academic ideas, prompt them to use ideas creatively and to think laterally. All of these attributes need to be developed for the workplace.

Portfolios

enable students to represent their learning in a range of ways and to take responsibility for their learning progress. In a portfolio, students select the items of work (e.g. evidence of practice, reflective commentaries, evidence of work and addressing feedback) that they wish to include to represent the learning that has occurred in a particular paper. Students are usually asked to demonstrate how the items they have selected connect with paper learning outcomes. Portfolios promote reflection, self-evaluation, and ongoing personal and possibly professional engagement as well as demonstrating practical and creative abilities. Additionally, they provide a valuable source of information regarding students’ abilities for prospective employers.

Critiques

are a way of systematically and objectively reviewing a piece of research to highlight strengths and weaknesses.

Annotated bibliographies

are alphabetical lists of sources formatted like a reference list, where each reference is accompanied by a critical commentary.

Research proposals

require students to develop research question(s) and to develop a case for a proposed study. A proposal should include a clear context, identify a gap in the literature, and include research design components.

Literature reviews

bring together arguments from multiple sources to develop an argument for a research proposal or can be a stand-alone task.

Written preparation exercises

(such as focus questions) encourage reading and teach academic reading and writing skills. They promote active, focused and critical reading of materials, enhance writing development, paper skills and the development of relevant competencies and allow students to get regular feedback on their learning progress. By promoting active participation, written preparation exercises provide lecturers with an effective way of evaluating student participation.

Tests

provide a simple mechanism to check student knowledge and understanding. They can also provide evidence of students’ unaided work.

Examinations

Closed book, fixed time period examinations provide evidence of students’ unaided work and allow integration of learning from the entire paper.
Closed book, prepared answers examinations encourage integration of ideas from a wider range of sources.
Open book or restricted book, fixed time period examinations can reduce anxiety as they do not focus on memorisation yet still provide evidence of students’ unaided work.

Related help pages

Many written assessments are submitted online as a Moodle assignment.
Feedback can then be provided through Turnitin Feedback Studio.
Other online options for written tasks include:
- a Moodle forum (commonly known as a discussion board).
- Mahara ePortfolio,
- a Perusall activity (a discussion-based activity based around a piece of media such as a course reading or video).
Tests and quizzes (formative or summative) may be administered online through Moodle quizzes.
H5P and Moodle lessons offer unique ways to create interactive online content that includes a mix of materials and questions that help students test their learning.

Common types of oral and hybrid assessment tasks

Group work

emphasises collaborative learning, problem-solving and critical evaluation, and is a valuable preparation for the workplace. Through group work, students can make use of complementary skills, deepen their understanding through interaction and discussion, and deal with a range of perspectives thereby enhancing their critical thinking skills. Students can develop team skills and learn to work with a range of people.

Computer, design and other lab practicals

allow students to become familiar with various types of software and equipment for different types of applications. Critical evaluation of the output is appropriate in some contexts and so helps to develop thinking skills. For some disciplines, the computer practicals allow students to implement algorithms, become more proficient in computer programming, and possibly develop software for practical applications. In other disciplines, the computer practicals may allow students to do tasks relevant to their studies which would not be possible by hand (e.g. visualisation of data or analysing large amounts of data) or practice skills specific to their discipline (e.g. computer programming, structural design). The practical skills developed in these computer tasks will be of use in the workplace.

Performance and composition

tasks require students to demonstrate their skills and knowledge, for example, in music or theatre studies. Students may be required to compose and perform a musical piece, or choreograph or act in a stage performance.

Oral presentations

assist students to master learning, oral communication and persuasive skills. Students learn how to organise arguments using supporting evidence, select relevant material and engage critically with ideas while developing understanding and confidence. Not only do oral presentations promote the sharing of ideas in the classroom, but they can also give immediate feedback on the quality of students’ understanding of the material.

Seminars

allow students, individually or with a group, to research a topic, provide a presentation to their class and facilitate the discussion. This is also an opportunity to promote student autonomy by handing over some of the management of the teaching and learning process.

Field work

provides an opportunity for on-site work on a project in a context related to the discipline. Field work provides an authentic context to link with classroom learning.

Practicums and work-integrated learning placements

give students the opportunity to demonstrate the skills or competencies that will be needed in real life situations. They may include practice teaching, interviewing a client or conducting a laboratory experiment.

Participation marks

engage students with paper learning and develop their ability to communicate and discuss ideas. These can improve levels of participation in the class and participation provides immediate feedback on the learning of students.

Simulations and role-plays

allow students a chance to explore authentic scenarios and case studies that reflect the complexity of situations that they might experience in the real world, potentially by taking the perspective of a particular role.