ABSTRACT
Summative assessments form the basis for grades, particularly those used to compute a final grade for the report card. According to Larry Ainsworth and Donald Viegut, there are four types of summative assessments: norm-referenced assessment, criterion-referenced assessment, selected-response assessment, and constructed-response assessment. The norm-referenced assessment and criterion-referenced assessment are typically used as standardized tests at the district, state, or national level. Selected-response assessments require students to select one response from a list provided by the teacher. Constructed-response assessments include short-answer and essay questions. Summative assessments are either forced-choice tests such as matching, true-false, fill-in-the-blank, or multiple-choice questions, or constructed-response tests such as short-answer or essay questions. Each type has advantages and disadvantages; the key is to choose the one(s) that best meet teacher's purpose. Although more challenging to grade than matching, true–false, fill-in-the-blank, and multiple-choice questions, they are simpler than assessing essay questions.
