The following table outlines advantages and disadvantages of commonly used assessment approaches. Please note that how the assessment is constructed and implemented will impact its advantages and disadvantages.
| Assessment |
Advantages |
Disadvantages |
| Multiple-choice questions |
|
- Limited authenticity
- Limited assessment range
- Dependent on reading skills
|
| Essays or papers |
- Displays analytical and synthetic thinking well
- Easy to grade with a rubric
- Easy to integrate peer and self-
assessment (PSA)
|
- Limited authenticity
- Time-consuming to grade
- Dependent on writing skills
|
| Case study |
- Authentic
- Displays application, analytical, and
synthetic thinking well
|
- Time-consuming to create and grade
|
| Problem-solving |
- Authentic
- Displays application, analytical, and
synthetic thinking well
|
- Time-consuming to create and grade
|
| Verbal presentation |
- Potentially authentic
- Displays analytical and synthetic
thinking well
- Easy to grade with a rubric
- Students benefit from one another’s
learning
- Easy to integrate PSA
|
- Takes course time
- Dependent on verbal skills
|
| Debate and discussion |
- Students benefit from one another’s learning
- Easy to integrate PSA
|
- Challenging to create rubrics, given the interactive elements of the assessment
|
| Product development |
- Potentially authentic
- Students benefit from one another’s
learning
- Easy to integrate student choice
and PSA
|
- Challenging to create rubrics, given elements of personalization
- Time-consuming to grade
|
| Concept map or flow chart |
- Displays analytical and synthetic thinking well
- Easy to grade with a rubric
|
-
Dependent on visual communication skills
|
| Performance |
- Authentic
- Displays skills the best
- Easy to grade with a checklist or
rubric
- Easy to integrate PSA
|
- Time-consuming and potentially resource intensive to create
- Takes course time
|
| Team project |
- Potentially authentic
- Easy to integrate PSA
|
- Challenging to grade individuals in team setting
|
| Reflective essay |
- Displays metacognitive skills
- Easy to integrate PSA
|
- Potentially time-consuming and challenging to grade
- Dependent on writing skills
|
