Essay Undergraduate 651 words

Why Universities Are Moving Beyond Final Exams

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Abstract

This paper examines a growing trend in higher education: the move away from traditional final examinations as the primary measure of student performance. Drawing on evidence from education researchers and a notable university policy change, the paper argues that examinations measure only a narrow range of student abilities and can produce counterproductive stress. It discusses alternative assessment methods — including papers, projects, and application-based tasks — while acknowledging criticism of the shift. The paper concludes that a more diverse assessment landscape better honors varied learning styles and more accurately reflects a student's true knowledge and capabilities.

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What makes this paper effective

The paper opens with a concrete, newsworthy policy change to anchor its argument, giving the reader an immediate real-world context for the discussion.
It balances advocacy for alternative assessment with a fair acknowledgment of counterarguments, lending credibility to the overall position.
The writing maintains a clear, readable progression from problem identification to proposed solutions to a measured conclusion.

Key academic technique demonstrated

The paper demonstrates effective use of a policy case as a springboard for a broader argument. By opening with the university's institutional decision, then supporting it with research citations, the author moves from the specific to the general — a classic rhetorical strategy that grounds abstract claims in observable events. This technique helps readers accept the argument's legitimacy before encountering the supporting evidence.

Structure breakdown

The paper follows a problem–solution–objection–conclusion structure common in persuasive academic writing. It introduces the issue with a real-world example, develops the argument with cited evidence, presents alternative approaches, and then addresses opposing views before closing with a brief synthesis. At roughly 450 words, it is a concise, well-organized short essay suitable as an undergraduate argumentative piece.

Introduction: A Shift in University Assessment Policy

Recently, professors at a major university ceased giving final exams as part of their overall assessment of student performance (Strauss, 2010). In a radical transformation of official college policy, the Faculty of Arts and Sciences voted to eliminate exams and require professors who wish to administer them to file an application form. The reverse used to be true: exams were the norm, and professors wishing to opt out would have to ask for permission.

What has caused this startling turn of events? Evidence, for one. In Test Problems: Seven Reasons Why Standardized Tests Are Not Working, Sadker & Zittleman (n.d.) outline empirical evidence supporting a shift away from examinations as the primary measure of student success. Examinations do measure a certain type of achievement, but they should not be used as the only method of gauging student progress and performance. One of the core reasons cited by Sadker & Zittleman (n.d.) is student stress.

Problems With Examinations as the Sole Measure of Achievement

Examinations measure a narrow bandwidth of student achievement. These tests show how well some students perform under pressure, but they fail to account for individual differences in the psychological experience of a one-shot, high-stakes evaluation. When an examination has a strong bearing on the final grade, a certain degree of stress can override the actual retention and acquisition of knowledge that has taken place. Some students might perform better with a more nuanced approach to assessment, which is one reason why examinations are being phased out of schools and universities.

As researchers have noted, standardized testing captures only a limited picture of what a student knows and can do. The pressure of a timed, single-occasion exam introduces variables that have little to do with genuine learning, making such tests an incomplete and sometimes misleading measure of academic achievement.

Alternative Forms of Assessment

"We know that the typical multiple-choice and short-answer tests aren't the only way, or necessarily the best way, to gauge a student's knowledge and abilities" ("How Should We Measure Student Learning? The Many Forms of Assessment," n.d.). Application-based assessments are one alternative to examinations. Papers and creative projects are other types of end-of-year assessments that can replace examinations as the primary means of evaluation. Formal examinations, including multiple choice and short answer tests, are becoming just one of a broad range of ways educators practice educational assessment.

2 Locked Sections · 155 words remaining

The Continued Importance of Assessment · 55 words

"Assessment remains essential for students and teachers"

Criticism and the Broader Debate · 100 words

"Critics defend exams for standardization and accountability"

Conclusion

The changing face of education reflects a more diverse landscape in which multiple styles of learning and achievement are honored. After all, a test score does not predict student success or the ability to apply knowledge to a real-world scenario.

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Key Concepts in This Paper

Final Exams Alternative Assessment Student Stress Standardized Testing Higher Education Policy Learning Outcomes Academic Performance Multiple Choice Tests Assessment Methods University Reform