Writing question: There seems to be an increasing trend towards assessing students through exams rather than continual assessment. What are the advantages and disadvantages of exams as a form of assessments?
Sample essay band 7.5
Exams are becoming more and more favored over continual assessments in academic environments. The shift offers several positive impacts, however, there are numerous drawbacks that must be put into consideration.
Regarding the trend’s disadvantages, it is clear that exams simply cannot replace reflect the whole study progress of a student in an extended period. Due to its nature as a one-time test and the grade can ultimately influence a student’s future, exams place enormous pressure on the pupils. As a matter of fact, there are numerous cases in which highly-intelligent students cracked under the exam’s pressure and ended up with a poof grade. Therefore, it may be unfair for those who performed consistently in school when exams are the only assessment method.
On the other hand, traditional exams offer a chance for students who did not concentrate on studying to redeem themselves. Furthermore, exams also cover a wider range of lessons, therefore also serve as a general revision for the term or semester. This will eliminate the possibility of students instantly forgetting lessons after class. Lastly, it is significantly easier for schools to keep track of terminal exams than continual assessment, as there are simply fewer scores to manage for each student. By relying on traditional exams, schools can lessen the number of personnel needed, therefore tightening the financial expenditure.
In conclusion, the shift provides various advantages to both the learners and the facilities that provide education, however, all of the drawbacks must be carefully considered and it depends on each school per see to decide which method fits the most.