There seems to be an increasing trend towards assessing students through exams rather than through continual assessment. What are the advantages and disadvantages of exams as a form os assessment?

In recent years, there has been a growing reliance on examinations to assess
students
Use synonyms
' performance rather than on continual assessment. Whilst
this
Linking Words
trend has certain advantages, I firmly believe that its disadvantages far outweigh the benefits. On the one hand, evaluating
students
Use synonyms
through
exams
Use synonyms
alone has some advantages. Schools can assess examinees not only using standardised and objective questions but
also
Linking Words
under the same timed conditions, which promotes fairness.
For example
Linking Words
, numerous educational institutions depend on international tests,
such
Linking Words
as IELTS, TOEFL, and SAT, because they offer a consistent measure of academic ability within a fixed time frame.
Moreover
Linking Words
, examinations test
students
Use synonyms
' abilities to answer a wide range of questions under time pressure, which might consolidate their knowledge and build resilience
On the other hand
Linking Words
, reliance only on
exams
Use synonyms
has significant drawbacks.
Firstly
Linking Words
,
exams
Use synonyms
tend to assess memory and exam-taking strategies rather than comprehension, creativity, and teamwork skills, which are essential in the workplace.
Secondly
Linking Words
,
exams
Use synonyms
often create a high level of stress and anxiety, which may hinder performance and negatively impact mental health.
For instance
Linking Words
, a 2021 study in the United States reported that exam-related stress was one of the leading contributors to depression among undergraduates.
In contrast
Linking Words
, continuous assessment, including team projects, oral presentations, and assignments, allows
students
Use synonyms
to demonstrate their abilities over a whole semester, encouraging a consistent effort
while
Linking Words
providing opportunities for feedback and improvement.
To conclude
Linking Words
,
although
Linking Words
examinations have merits, I am convinced that it is a negative trend to depend solely on
exams
Use synonyms
rather than combining them with continuous assessment. Testing learners exclusively can elevate stress and,
as a result
Linking Words
, lead to a substantial decline in
overall
Linking Words
performance.

Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site's author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Writing9 with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

task response
Your stance is clear. Add more strong links between points and give one extra specific example to show how exams and continual work affect learning.
coherence cohesion
Use simple words and short phrases in each paragraph. Start with the point, then give a small example, then say why it matters.
task response
Clear view on the topic with balanced discussion.
coherence cohesion
Good flow of ideas with linking words.
Topic Vocabulary:
  • exam
  • test
  • assessment
  • advantage
  • disadvantage
  • benefit
  • drawback
  • fair
  • unfair
  • stress
  • fear
  • score
  • grade
  • result
  • memory
  • recall
  • understanding
  • idea
  • plan
  • practice
  • feedback
  • time
  • pace
  • cheating
  • honesty
  • progress
  • equality
  • conditions
  • learning
  • measure
  • mark
  • criteria
What to do next:
Look at other essays: