There are many ways to assess students' mastery of material besides multiple choice

examinations. What follows are some examples of alternative assessments that you might
consider.

1. Open book exams. Because students can use books and notes, open book exams
encourage students to learn to apply knowledge rather than memorize material. They are
usually somewhat less anxiety-provoking than regular tests.

2. Crib Sheets. Allowing students to bring some notes provides the same advantages as an
open book exam. The process of deciding what to include in the notes, putting concepts in your
own words, etc., is also a good learning experience for the students. The instructor can provide
appropriate parameters and guidance.

3. Take home exams. Take home exams allow instructors to give students problems which
will take longer than a class period to manage and/or require the students to use a variety of
references. However, they limit student studying to only the material related to the questions
asked and instructors do not know if students received help in answering the questions.

4. Collaborative testing. Some instructors have students take multiple choice tests in pairs
or small groups. This approach which allows students to discuss the materials and ‘teach each
other’ usually increases the students’ grasp of the material. There are several alternative ways
to use collaborative testing. Some instructors allow students to discuss the test with their
group, but ask each student to turn in his/her own answer sheet; group members do not need
to agree on answers. Others require the group to come to an agreement on answers; each
group hands in one answer sheet and each group member receives the same grade. A third
option is a combination of the two: Class members first take the test individually and hand in
their answers to receive an individual grade. Then they take the same test (or portion of the
test) as a group and individuals are assigned bonus points based on the group’s performance
(e.g., for group tests of 95% or better, individuals receive 3 bonus points, 89-94% receive 2
points, etc.). If tests are to be taken collaboratively, test items should be written at the higher
levels of the taxonomy.

5. Student portfolios. Instructors in many classes ask students to prepare a collection of

class assignments. These are most often collections of written work, but could also include
computer programs, drawings, video tapes, or problem solving. Because portfolios contain a
collection of student work, they often provide a more accurate picture of a student’s
achievement than a single test or project could.

6. Performance Tests. In a performance test students are required to perform a complex

skill or procedure, or create a product to demonstrate that they can apply the knowledge and
skills they have learned while the instructor observes and evaluates the process. These tests are
time consuming and often difficult to grade, but are much more appropriate for certain courses
 than a pencil-and-paper test. For this type of test to be reliable, an instructor should have a
scoring guide which specifies the criteria for each grade.

7. Retake policies. Providing students with the opportunity to repeat an exam (using an

alternative form of the exam) benefits most students. It decreases student anxiety and provides
the opportunity for students to learn from their mistakes. However, this policy demands a large
bank of test items and additional instructor time for grading the exams. One professor at this
university cuts down on grading time by bringing answer keys to class and having students
correct their own tests, in the presence of the instructor, as soon as they finish. This has the
added benefit of immediate feedback to the students.

8. Adding the option of explanation to an M-C test. Sometimes students feel that a

multiple choice question can be interpreted in more than one way with one interpretation
leading them to choose one answer while an alternative interpretation leads to another.
Allowing students to explain an answer decreases student anxiety and often prevents
penalizing the ‘good’ student for interpreting the question at a deeper level than was intended.
This entails slightly more grading time for the professor, but those using this option report that
students rarely include an explanation for more than one or two questions.

9. Replacing tests with summaries. Some instructors, rather than testing, require students
to regularly write summaries of the class readings and lectures which include the main points, a
critical reaction to the ideas, and a discussion of what’s most important. This requires a great
deal of reading on the part of the instructor, but students report that they prefer the
summaries over tests. They feel it is less stressful than taking a test and that they learn more
and retain it longer.