A Challenge to Established Assessment Practice

The article looks back 35 years to a challenge on examination practices, based on common assumptions at the time. It notes that many – although not all – of these assumptions are still accepted in much of current practice, although some have been examined by researchers and found wanting extensively in the intervening time. The particular assumptions investigated relate to the distribution, recording and use of examination results, the demand for uniformity of treatment, the comparability of degrees, the assessment of imponderables and the use and value of external examiners.