ABSTRACT
Oral examinations have an older history than written examinations. However, outside of graduate comprehensives, dissertation defenses, seminar presentations, and laboratory practica, they have disappeared from university classrooms in North America. The pedagogical theory behind oral exams was to challenge the students’ recall of the knowledge base. Students asked specific questions about the information in the course were expected to immediately and accurately recall the important details and distinctions. Faculty evaluated poise and speed of recall as
much accuracy and detail. This time consuming style of exam still persists in some European systems. In North America, written exam forms, such as essay, true-false, multiple choice, and short answer dominate.
