College Assessment

There are two means of assessment for students in colleges and universities: examinations and papers. An examination requires students to concentrate on knowledge in the textbook, while a term paper can show students ’ academic ability. Each of them has pros and cons.

Some students hold that they should review the textbook intensively under the instruction of their teachers to pass the examination. They have to attend every class and sometimes memorize a lot of things. However, they may overlook their personal comprehensions and opinions on the textbook. On the contrary, other students claim writing a paper needs independent and critical thinking on the topic, but the basic knowledge on the textbook may be underestimated.

Judging from the arguments above, we may draw the conclusion that both examinations and papers are indispensable for students’ assessment. So, it is reasonable to combine the two means of assessment.