Homework is the most common form of educational assessment. Many teachers employ this tool on a day-to-day basis to ensure that the students practice what they are learning and to assess students' progress in understanding important topics. Homework can be assigned in nearly any class or topic. Some examples include math problems from a textbook or handout, short-answer questions and reading assignments.
Administering exams and quizzes is another way to assess learning. Exams and quizzes often are given as a culmination of homework. They also can be administered when no previous homework has been assigned as long as the teacher's instruction in the topics to be tested on was adequate and no further practicing was necessary for students.
Standardized tests are designed so that the questions, administering conditions, interpretations and scoring are consistent across all test takers. The tests can be useful in assessing student proficiency in broad, general areas such as math and writing. Some standardized tests include the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills for kindergarten through eighth grade, the High School Proficiency Exam (HSPE) for high school students, the SAT and the ACT for students going on to college, and the GRE and the LSAT for students going on to graduate school.
Essays and written reports are useful in assessing students' writing skills. Essays, in particular, allow instructors to observe students' proficiency in organizing information, defining a thesis statement and logically transitioning from paragraph to paragraph, among other skills. Written reports include lab write-ups, and so can serve the dual purpose of assessing writing skills and understanding of scientific concepts.
Oral presentations assess students on several educational features. To successfully complete a verbal presentation, the student must first locate, organize and structure all information to be presented, and then present it, typically in front of a class full of peers. Verbal presentations are especially useful for their purpose in assessing students' ability to articulate knowledge about a subject.
Group projects allow students to practice and directly apply what they have learned in class. Group projects are particularly beneficial because they offer students a chance to learn teamwork skills in an academic setting. Some examples of projects include creating posterboards and collaborative presentations.