Formal examinations are the only effective way to assess a student's performance. Continual assessment, such as course work and projects, is not a satisfactory way to do this. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

There is a view that formal examinations are the best method to use in order to appropriately evaluate students’ performances since continuous assessments,

such

as projects and coursework, are not effective enough. I partly agree with

this

statement because formal

exams

can often be better in terms of determining the appropriate score for a student but can

also

be too stressful which at times impacts the performance of a candidate.

Also

, some types of continuous

assessment

do teach specific skills. Mostly, formal

exams

,

such

as written tests, are the most suitable way to assess the student’s performance. During

such

tests, candidates are given similar conditions, and it is difficult to cheat because of the invigilator’s presence.

For instance

, IELTS

exams

are an effective method to demonstrate non-native speakers’ English level since tests take place in a specific venue under strict policies.

However

, it is

also

true that

such

exams

can be too stressful for certain candidates who find it difficult to perform well under pressure.

Nevertheless

,

such

exams

seem to be fair most of the time. Frequently, continuous

assessment

can be ineffective because

such

a style of academic

assessment

can be easy to cheat on or easier to prepare for. To be specific, coursework,

such

as a written assignment, can be submitted with the help of AI tools

such

as ChatGPT, which means universities are not evaluating the student but the software

instead

. As for preparation, course works and different projects often have a certain deadline

that is

easier to beat, which is why numerous students only start preparing a few days or even hours before the deadline.

However

, it must

also

be noted that a few methods of continual

assessment

may be beneficial for students’ development. One example is a presentation that may assist a candidate in terms of improving communication skills, which could be critical for prospective lawyers and businesspeople. In conclusion, I do agree that formal examinations can be more effective, but they are not always the best choice. The suggested examples show when alternative ways to assess students can be better.