Ideal Assessment by Cynthia

Ideal Assessment by Cynthia - June 2015 Scholarship Essay

My ideal form of assessment would be a mixture of multiple choice questions and essay questions. I believe a test in this format best tests the student's knowledge of the subject.

A multiple choice section is ideal for any assessment in any class. Multiple choice questions enable students to practice using the process of elimination when determining the answer. Not only is practing this skill beneficial for school subjects, but also for standardized tests. For instance, the ACT, SAT, and AP tests all contain multiple choice sections. Giving tests with multiple choice sections are also ideal because they allow students to focus on one certain principle within the subject. Teachers are able to test a sudent's understanding of the specific concept. Multiple choice sections allow for the teacher to determine how well the students picked up on this specific idea.

I also feel that assessments need to have an essay portion. This allows students to better their writing and communication skills while demonstrating their knowlege of the topic at hand. As human beings, we need to be able to convey our answers and thoughts to other people in real life. Essays are a way to practice these skills that are nessecary for the future. Tests with essay questions also help to prepare students for standarized tests. On the ACT, you have to prepare and write an essay, and on AP tests, there is always a free response portion. Essay questions benefit students in many ways.

In my opinion, an ideal assessment consists of both a multiple choice section and an essay section. This is the best way to tests a student's understanding of the topic. Multiple choice questions and essay questions allow to students to be better prepared for the future, that's why it is my ideal form of test.