Formative and Summative

Formative Assessment

Formative assessments are ongoing checks for understanding that occur during the learning process. They help your lecturers to monitor your comprehension of the material and adapt their instruction accordingly. The goal is to give you, the student, feedback that can help you improve and solidify your understanding before a final assessment. Examples of formative assessments include quizzes, class discussions, homework assignments, and drafts of papers.

Formative assessments serve two main purposes:

1. Immediate Feedback: They provide immediate feedback about your learning progress, which can help identify areas of strength and areas where further work is needed.

2. Teaching Adaptation: They allow professors to adjust teaching methods to better suit your learning needs.

Remember, formative assessments are not primarily about grading but about learning. They are tools used to guide your learning journey and help you succeed.

Summative Assessment

Summative assessments occur at the end of a learning period, like a semester or a specific instructional unit. They are designed to evaluate your mastery of the course material after instruction is complete. Examples of summative assessments include final exams, end-of-semester projects, or a final paper or presentation.

Summative assessments serve two main purposes:

1. Evaluate Learning: They measure your understanding of a subject, providing a clear picture of what you've learned at the end of a specific learning period.

2. Grading: They usually carry a significant weight in your final grade, reflecting your overall performance in the course.

While formative assessments focus on your ongoing learning, summative assessments focus on the end result of that learning. 

Both types of assessments are critical to the educational process as they serve complementary roles in helping you learn and grow academically.