Formal examinations are the only effective way to assess a student's performance. Continual assessment such as coursework and projects is not a satisfactory way to do this. Do you agree or disagree?

Many

students

try to make as much contribution to their studies as possible to improve their knowledge and skills in school.

Therefore

, it is essential for educators to make responsible and fair judgements of their accomplishments.

However

, it is often argued that formal examinations are the most reliable way to do

this

than other forms of tests including coursework and projects. I totally disagree with

this

idea for the following reasons. On one hand, it is a certain truth that formal tests are the most common way to check to

understanding

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learners.

This

is because

students

' scores are easily and fairly calculated by clear criteria.

For example

, official exams, which are conducted every January in Japan, are regarded as the most trusted form of test.

Therefore

, most Japanese universities demand their applicants take

this

exam and gain a certain level of scores in different subjects.

On the other hand

, there are some negative sides to these formal examinations that concern both examinees and teachers. In fact,

students

are not always equally evaluated when they face unexpected circumstances

such

as illness and traffic accidents on test day.

In addition

, because the exam is only one important opportunity, intensive pressures are imposed on the test takers, which can lower their points.

Instead

of depending on

such

written exams, educators should put more priority on the process of their learning in the form of projects and research.

This

allows teachers not only to understand the daily efforts of

students

but

also

to judge more diverse skills like analyzing critically and cooperating with others to achieve mutual goals. In conclusion, while official examinations are widely accepted forms of evaluation in many educational institutions, they should be accompanied by projects and research to assess multiple skills and intelligence through daily work.