Oral versus written assessments: a test of student performance and attitudes

Abstract

Student performance in and attitudes towards oral and written assessments were compared using quantitative and qualitative methods. Two separate cohorts of students were examined. The first larger cohort of students (n = 99) was randomly divided into 'oral' and 'written' groups, and the marks that they achieved in the same biology questions were compared. Students in the second smaller cohort (n = 29) were all examined using both written and oral questions concerning both 'scientific' and 'personal development' topics. Both cohorts showed highly significant differences in the mean marks achieved, with better performance in the oral assessment. There was no evidence of particular groups of students being disadvantaged in the oral tests. These students and also an additional cohort were asked about their attitudes to the two different assessment approaches. Although they tended to be more nervous in the face of oral assessments, many students thought oral assessments were more useful than written assessments. An important theme involved the perceived authenticity or 'professionalism' of an oral examination. This study suggests that oral assessments may be more inclusive than written ones and that they can act as powerful tools in helping students establish a 'professional identity'.

Students' perceptions of assessment in undergraduate mathematics

“…As for assessment methods which are perceived to test understanding over memory, oral examination is perceived by our students to be the method which most dominantly assesses understanding, followed by closed-book examination. Interestingly, this finding resonates with some of the research on oral assessment where this method is found to be beneficial for students in terms of engagement with the subject being studied (Huxham, Campbell and Westwood 2010), and where it is perceived by students to require deep understanding (Joughin 2007). The assessment method perceived to test understanding the least is multiple choice questions.…”

Pre-service Teachers’ Preferred Methods of Assessment: A Perspective from Saudi Arabia

“…However, these students believed that oral examinations were more important than written tests for evaluating students' achievement of learning outcomes. In a similar study that compared students' performance on and attitudes toward oral and written assessments, Huxham, Campbell, and Westwood (2012) stated that "oral assessments may be more inclusive than written ones and that they can act as powerful tools in helping students to establish a 'professional identity'" (p. 125).…”

Comparative analysis of oral and computer based types of assessment in teaching English for students of economics, business and finance

“…In addition, oral examination better performed by emotional students rather than reserved and introverted ones, as it favors 'the extravert and confident student' [17]. These requirements, along with time consumption and lack of 'abstract reasoning' [7]in taking oral exam are looked upon as drawbacks.…”

“…Oral exam is said to be old but certainly a "traditional practice in some areas of academic life" [7].…”