Not The Right Answer, But A Right Answer by Jade

Not The Right Answer, But A Right Answer by Jade - June 2015 Scholarship Essay

You ask what the ideal form of assessment is, but I suppose the real question lies in what you seek to assess. While it can be argued that the objective of assessments is to test a student’s knowledge base, to test the facts, perhaps a more valuable use of assessments is in testing the ability to reason and develop an argument. More critical than the arrival at the correct answer is the path taken to get there and the critical thinking skills developed during the process. For this reason, the essay, more specifically, the in-class essay, is the best form of assessment, as it prioritizes the development of thought, encourages critical thinking, and forces a deeper understanding of the content under examination. As an assessment, in-class essay writing offers the fullest measure of understanding, invokes critical thinking skills, and overcomes the obstacle of plagiarism. Most importantly, the essay as assessment allows for thought to be praised over mere memorization and regurgitation, thus encouraging true learning.
Not only does the essay offer the opportunity to provide an answer, it forces students to truly show their work, prove their understanding, and explore the process that led them to the correct answer. As an essay cannot be memorized and regurgitated, students must engage with the material under examination thoroughly enough to be able to synthesize during the test. Unlike the mere filling in of a bubble, essay writing forces students to explain their understanding of the material, addressing the content from several angles, identifying the key themes and concepts, and developing an argument from the disparate pieces of information. Essay writing not only allows students to prove their knowledge base, but also allows for learning to take place during the assessment process. A mediocre understanding of the material leaves students with an insufficient arsenal with which to defend their argument, proving the efficacy of the essay to test knowledge base, therefore, in forcing students to show their reasoning, the writing process allows students to engage critically with the material, facilitating a deeper understanding of the content to be reached. Since grade-school math teachers have engrained in students the importance of “showing their work.” This process forces students to be methodical and logical in their thinking, and allows the teacher to follow along and identify errors in understanding. Why should this axiom be restricted to math problems? In forcing students to show their thought process, teachers are able to track their thinking, giving the educators the opportunity to identify areas of individual need and gaps in understanding. Furthermore, essay writing helps students to assess the validity and cohesion of their own thoughts and allows them to practice crafting logical arguments. Rather than highlighting the arrival at the right answer above all else, the essay as assessment sends students the message that any answer can be correct as long as it can be defended methodically and logically.
By assessing the ability to connect different concepts and ideas, the essay forces students to think critically on the spot and engage deeply with the material under examination. Not only must students be able to identify features and facts about the content, they must make a claim, an arguable point, proving their ability to analyze and synthesize information. In constructing a thesis statement, students learn how to develop a well-constructed argument, while packaging their thoughts in a coherent statement. In constructing such a statement on the spot, students prove both their ability to process quickly and their understanding of the content. It is key that critical thinking becomes a skill that teachers seek to assess early on in students’ education, as it is a skill that translates between classrooms, and beyond academic endeavors. In assigning essay assessments, teachers will be able to begin assessing these skills early on and will covey the importance of process over product to students. In raising the standard of assessment to prioritize thought over memorization, students will similarly begin to model the prioritization of their learning likewise. As a result, the allure of cheating and plagiarism will decrease, as it is not the answer that the instructor seeks, but the thought behind the answer, and the thought process cannot be stolen, only learned. Furthermore, by assigning the essay to be written in class, instructors avoid the issue of plagiarism altogether, as in the moments students must rely on nothing more than their knowledge and ability to think and reason.
In conclusion, while a well-balanced education system must employ a gamut of assessment types, I am of the opinion that the essay, primarily the in-class essay, proves the most effective in assessing both skill and knowledge at a deeper level. Not only does the essay offer students and teachers alike the chance to reflect on and learn from students’ thought processes, the essay encourages critical thinking and prioritizes the process over the product. In rewarding students who come to the test with a deep and solid understanding of the material and with a mind primed for creative thought, the essay proves the ultimate assessment. The essay as assessment reflects the priorities of education, shaping the way students learn and the way they approach their education. Rather than emphasizing the right answer, the essay emphasizes the skills used to create a right answer.