Argues for a diverse response to the issues and objectives concerning assessment. Highlights a wide variety of assessment procedures from foreign schools, each one relevant to the local culture and educational objectives. Discusses the inherent dangers in overemphasizing, as well as underemphasizing, assessment. (MJP)

An Australian study investigated the structure of a master's program in education and examiners' concerns about theses, focusing on the most common criticisms. The study was based on information about 125 part-time students' theses over a 4-year period. The examiners' criticisms raised questions about the thesis supervisor's role. (MSE)

A study of grading of 375 third-year medical students and their 121 preceptors after a required 1-month ambulatory care clerkship examined patterns in student gender, preceptor gender, and student-preceptor gender pairs. Results indicate female students received higher clinical grades, especially when the preceptor was male. (Author/MSE)

A survey of 120 law schools investigated grading practices for different course types, use of different kinds of grading curves to standardize assessment at several instructional levels, and recent experience with institutional changes in grading systems. (MSE)

Asserts that evaluating cooperative learning experiences is both traditional in the tools used and innovative in the way the results benefit students and teachers. Provides suggestions for encouraging interdependence, grading group projects, and evaluating both academic achievement and group process skills. (CFR)

Effects of frequent ungraded tests on graded unit tests, instructional strategy preference, and student ratings of course and instructor were studied with 82 undergraduates. Mean performance on unit tests did not differ for experimental (formative) and control groups, but formative students expressed a preference for the ungraded tests. (SLD)

The level of confidence in pass/fail decisions obtained with computerized adaptive tests and paper-and-pencil tests was greater for 645 medical technology students when the computer adaptive test implemented a 90 percent confidence stopping rule than for paper-and-pencil tests of comparable length. (SLD)

Argues that criteria for grading essay questions in geography examinations must be explicit and must reflect the kinds of knowledge and abilities sought after in British undergraduate geography courses. Proposes evaluative criteria designed to encourage and assess critical thinking. Enjoins other geographers to further the debate. (CH)

Describes an assessment procedure that allows the students to share in the responsibility and judgment of evaluating their own learning and achievement. As applied in an introductory biochemistry course at the University of Sao Paulo, the method consists primarily of a double, independent correction procedures for the students' examinations. (JJK)

Asserts that, although portfolios are used frequently to evaluate art students, the potential of the portfolio as an intellectual, creative, and comprehensive test of artistic performance needs further exploration. Discusses the portfolio process as having three major components: (1) idea; (2) process; and (3) product. (CFR)

Special problems in assessing how college students use technology and the products they create with it are discussed using the examples of listserv discussions (student participation, quality and coherence of discussion, selection of postings) and a computer-based data analysis in a graduate statistics course. Rubrics for evaluating each are…

Researchers have found three consistent effects of stressing letter or number grades. Grades reduce students' interest in learning, preference for challenging tasks, and thinking quality. Grades distort curriculum, waste time, encourage cheating, and spoil interpersonal relationships. Invisible grading is a compromise. Authentic assessment opens…

Grading practices of middle and high school teachers were studied through surveys completed by 307 teachers and 8664 students. Substantial majorities of teachers reported "hodgepodge" grading practices mixing attitude, effort, and achievement, and students largely supported these practices. Results are contrasted with recommended grading…

This paper describes Test Analysis, an alternative assessment method which shifts the responsibility for learning and grading to the student. Students perform a written analysis of their corrected tests, especially errors, prior to receiving a final grade. Improvements in student attitudes toward tests and performance on them are reported from…

Examines the role of assessment in middle schools. Describes characteristics of authentic assessment and benefits of product, performance, and portfolio assessment. Discusses effective grading methods, listing advantages and disadvantages of grading. Presents guidelines for designing tests and describes four unusual testing formats: (1) Bloom…