Many people believe that formal “pen and paper” examinations are not the best method of assessing educational achievement. Discuss this view and give your own opinion.

With the ever-increasing competitiveness among university graduates, many universities are figuring out the best method to assess a student academic achievement. Some people believe that handwritten examinations are not the most effective

way

to reflect students’ academic potential, others maintain that it is actually the best

way

to reveal students’ achievement.

This

essay will discuss both views as well as why only holding written examinations are not the best

way

to do so. People who think “Pen and paper” examinations are not the best argue that it cannot test the practical skills of a student.

For instance

, students who study electrical engineering not only need to learn the

knowledge

from the textbooks, but

also

have to do some practical experiments

such

as building circuits and power supplies. Without the practical examinations, we cannot examine the practical skills of those students and whether how to apply what they have learnt into reality.

Hence

, they prefer the best

way

is examinations should be held with a right balance between written and practical.

In contrast

, some maintain that “pen and paper” assessments are the most basic requirement for students to study

further

. They claim that if a student can’t even pass a written exam, he will not have enough

knowledge

to apply practically and won’t be qualified in the future. As an example, doctors have to

first

learn the

knowledge

in the textbooks to build up their confidence. Without

knowledge

they are unable to cure the patients. Allowing a doctor who failed in his written exams to proceed a surgery would become a tragedy t

o

Suggestion

for

both sides.

Therefore

, they argue that “pen and paper” examinations are the

first

step of assessing students’ educational achievement and they are the best method.

This

essay discussed that the importance of holding a practical exam and

also

why “pen and paper” examinations are essential to assess students. In my opinion, both sides come up with a strong argument.

Although

I believe that “pen and paper” exams are necessary

,

Accept space

,

we

also

need to find a right balance between written and practical exams in order to not to create an “exam-machine” to the world.