1. Assessment Methods Purpose Assessors Desirable Features
Graphical Mini-Review of Assessment in HE: Methods, Purpose, Assessors and Desirable Features
Assessment
Methods
Race (2009)
Purpose
Knight (2002)
Assessors
Dochy, Segers and Sluijsmans (1999)
Desirable Features
Race, Brown and Smith (2005)
Formative
Summative
Essays
Reviews and annotated bibliographies
Reports
Practical work
Portfolios
Open-book
Dissertations and theses
Work-based learning
Presentations
Exams
Structured (i.e. multiple choice)
Open-note
Traditional (i.e. unseen, time-constrained)
Vivas – oral exams
Student projects
Poster-displays and exhibitions
Self
Tutor
Peers
Valid
Fair
Reliable
Transparent
Authentic
Motivates students to learn
Promotes deep learning
Efficient and manageable
Equitable
Formative, even when the main purpose is summative
Formative assessment starts early in course
Timely
Incremental
Redeemable (i.e. opportunity to rectify when things go wrong)
Demanding (i.e. passing is not automatic)
Allows students to demonstrate excellence
Judge achievement
Bench mark performance/employability
Test engagement with curriculum
Feedback
Aid further learning
Individual or group work
Collaborative
Dochy, F., Segers, M.  Sluijsmans, D., 'The use of self-, peer and co-assessment in higher education: A review', Studies in Higher Education, pp (1999).
Knight, P. T., 'Summative Assessment in Higher Education: practices in disarray', Studies in Higher Education, pp (2002).
Race, P., Designing assessment to improve Physical Sciences learning, Hull: Higher Education Academy, 2009.
Race, P., Brown, S., Smith, B., 500 Tips on Assessment: 2nd ed, London, Routledge, 2005.
By Daniel J. Belton. Adapted from Daniel J. Belton PGCert Reflective Commentary Licensed
under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.