ABSTRACT
There are two basic types of assessments: summative and formative. Each type of assessment has a distinct purpose and is used for different reasons. Summative assessments are typically given at the end of a unit or lesson to determine whether a student has mastered a concept or the degree to which he or she has understood the lesson. State assessments to meet the requirements of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act are considered summative because they are given once a year and are used to determine whether students meet state-determined criteria. Summative assessments are not given very often and typically are not used to inform instructional decisions; rather, they are used to determine whether learning has actually taken place. They are considered the culminating experience of instruction. Formative assessments, on the other hand, are used more often to determine strengths and weaknesses of a student's understanding. They are used to diagnose student learning needs before, during, and after instruction takes place. Formative assessments provide teachers and students with information that can be used to tailor instructional efforts based on need.
