Criterion and construct validation analyses support the use of both retrospective questions in lieu of a pretest and a methodological innovation to compensate for the absence of a control group in a program evaluation that calls for an unavailable experimental design. The findings obtained with this method present evidence that study abroad…

This paper reports on research conducted at the University of Sussex and examines whether female students have a particular preference for coursework, and whether such a preference is a key factor in their current undergraduate success. The performances of 638 students on courses whose assessment modes comprised both coursework and examinations…

The purpose of this study was to get more insight in the effects of written assessment tasks integrated in a problem-based learning environment. Both the influence on students' performances and students' perceptions were investigated. Students' final exam results were used to find out whether students who make the assessment tasks do better than…

While a large amount of interest has been shown in the use of peer and self-assessment, few studies have considered the effect of stress on the students involved. None have considered whether the resultant stress itself might account for any noticeable improvements in student performance. The research presented in this paper addresses this…

Examiners seeking guidance on multiple-choice and true/false tests are likely to encounter various faulty or questionable ideas. Twelve of these are discussed in detail, having to do mainly with the effects on test reliability of test length, guessing and scoring method (i.e. number-right scoring or negative marking). Some misunderstandings could…

Peer assessment provides a useful mechanism to develop many positive qualities in students studying in higher education (HE). Potential influences on peer-awarded marks include student qualities such as gender, HE background (e.g. university affiliation) and participation in the development of the assessment criteria. Many studies that have…

This study investigated whether students' approaches to learning were influenced by the design of university courses. Pre- and post-evaluations of the approaches to learning of the same group of students concurrently enrolled in a conventional course (lectures and tutorials) and an action learning-based course (project work, learning groups) were…

Self-assessment is argued to be valuable educationally and is being advocated through policies for wider adoption within medical practice. However, students are often reluctant to self-assess and little research has examined the reasons for this. This study explored the perceptions of trainees and postgraduates on assessment and self-assessment of…

A model intended to explain the incidence of plagiarism among undergraduates in the Business Studies department of a post-1992 university was constructed and tested on a sample of 249 students completing Business Studies units at a post-1992 university in Greater London. It was hypothesised that the occurrence of plagiarism could be predicted via…

The increasing use of criteria-based approaches to assessment and grading in higher education is a consequence of its sound theoretical rationale and its educational effectiveness. This article is based on a review of the most common grading policies that purport to be criteria-based. The analysis shows that there is no common understanding of…

This paper considers efforts made in evaluating a distance-learning course, which was intended to prepare students for working on an undergraduate dissertation in business and economic areas. Course delivery had stressed a tutorial approach with an emphasis on individual mentor-student exchanges. Given the nature of the learning approach and the…

The present study attempts to discover organizing principles in college students' evaluations of their formal and informal educational programs. The study was conducted during the 1998-99 academic year. The data consisted of 14,344 assessment sheets completed by students at the Jordan Valley Regional College in Israel. Each assessment sheet…

This paper reports the results of a study which investigated whether there is a common understanding of the terms plagiarism and collusion between students and staff. Participants made judgements on scenarios describing student behaviour in assessments. The results suggest that although plagiarism is well understood, the same can not be said of…

This article explores some specific issues involved in online learning and assessment. It draws on data from a postgraduate course for professional educators, delivered globally online, and highlights the relationship between students' online discussion and their written assessed work, arguing that we need to focus on both of these in terms of the…

This paper aims to encourage teachers in higher education to reflect on the criteria they apply when assessing students' academic writing. Grounding its arguments in readings of postgraduate students' texts, the paper identifies complexities that evaded the teachers' assessments. These complexities are made visible by the development of particular…