The most common form of achievement tests are the standardized ones. They gauge students' knowledge base in comparison with a large portion of the student population. The test can evaluate what knowledge a student has achieved and how far is still left to go. The standardized achievement tests are known for their reliability With a few exceptions, such as essay portions, standardized tests are primarily computer graded. This minimizes the chance of human error and provides a universally fair grading system. The questions remain unchanged regardless of where the test is being administered, ensuring that all areas of the country maintain the same learning requirements.
On the downside, however, since standardized achievement tests are not created by the student's primary teacher, the test may not accurately reflect the objectives the test taker was learning, and therefore provide an inaccurate presumption of the test taker's intelligence. Additionally, the multiple choice format that these tests most often take forces the test taker to choose an answer, limiting creativity in subjects such as English or reading, where there may in fact be another option.
Locally developed achievement exams come with their own advantages and drawbacks. The locally developed test would be much more accurate in determining if a student learned the specific curriculum of a given class, since some information may have been emphasized more than other information. Also, this form of achievement test lends itself to flexibility in formatting and does not limit itself to multiple choice.
On the downside, a locally developed test is often more controversial since it is not universally accepted and there may be no standard for comparison. Also, a unique and locally developed test requires time and money to develop, making it much more difficult to administer. A locally developed test may also cause disagreement among faculty who emphasize different areas of learning, which again prevents the test from being completely accepted.