Sunday, January 23, 2022

IELTS Task 2 - Q2: Formal Examinations vs. continuous assessment

WRITING TASK 2

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Only formal examinations, written or practical, can give a clear picture of a student's knowledge and ability at university level. Continuous assessment such as course work and projects are poor measures of checking a student's ability.


How far do you agree with the latter statement?


Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant example from your own knowledge or experience.


Introduction/First paragraph

As the saying goes, "Education is the backbone of a successful career." At the university level, a student learns about his strengths and weaknesses through assessment. But, whether formal examinations give a clear picture of their knowledge or do continuous assessments benefit more is still debatable.

Points for the second paragraph

  • Continuous assessment keeps students on their toes and keeps them studying throughout the year.
  • Assignments and projects are fun and creative ways to learn. It also helps a student perform all the theories practically; however, students may plagiarize projects and assignments from various sources, thus defeating the overall purpose.

Points for the third paragraph

  • Formal examinations check all that a student has learned throughout the academic year.
  • Generally, formal examinations at the university level are held under strict invigilation, thus ensuring that a student's actual knowledge is checked and not the 'knowledge' copied from somewhere else.
  • However, formal examinations may be affected if a student is not well during the exams or faces other internal or external issues. This, in turn could affect their overall grades.

Conclusion

Hence, to conclude, I feel both formal examinations and continuous assessment can benefit a student. Standard tests can show a clear picture of the knowledge, and constant evaluation can enable students to learn practically.

IELTS Task 1 (Graphs) Sample Solutions

IELTS Task 2 (Essays) Sample Solutions