What are Summative Assessments?

Summative assessments are used to evaluate student learning, skill acquisition, and academic achievement at the conclusion of a defined instructional period—typically at the end of a project, module, course, semester, program, or academic year. They are often graded and are used to determine a learner’s final grade. This type of assessment is also called assessment of learning because it evaluates the results of teaching and learning.

Key Features of Summative Assessments

  • Purpose: To check if learners have met the learning outcomes.
  • Timing: Given at the end of a unit, course, or program.
  • Graded: These assessments are always graded and often have a big impact on the final grade.
  • High Stakes: They usually carry a lot of points, so they are very important for learners.

Types and Examples of Summative Assessments

The type of summative assessment depends on the learning to be measured. Click each type to see its benefits, limitations, and examples.

Examinations

Presentations

Projects

Portfolios

Summative assessments help instructors and learners understand whether the learning outcomes have been achieved. They also provide proof that learners are ready to move to the next level, such as a new course or career.


Why are Summative Assessments Important?

Summative assessments are important for both learners and instructors. Here are key reasons for their importance:

For Learners

  • Summative assessments help learners see how much they have achieved toward learning outcomes.
  • They can show learners their areas of strength and areas of growth.

For Instructors

  • They can help instructors assess the effectiveness of their teaching methods and identify opportunities for growth.
  • Results provide instructors with data to refine and inform future instructional approaches.

Getting Started

Considerations for Designing Summative Assessments

Summative assessments play a key role in measuring learner achievement and guiding instructional decisions. When designing them consider the following key factors:

Learning Outcomes Alignment

When designing summative assessments, make sure you align them with the learning outcomes. Always ask yourself:

  • What are the main learning outcomes or goals for the course?
  • How will I know if the learner has achieved the course’s learning outcomes?
  • What kinds of concepts do I want the learners to grasp in my course and to what depth?
  • What kinds of skills do I want them to acquire and at what level?
  • Is the assessment task reasonable with respect to the learners’ workload?

Class Size

  • For larger classes, instructors might require EdTech tools to streamline assessment management. Click Assessing Learning to learn about using Blackboard to create assessments.

Course Modality

  • For synchronous courses, assessments can be administered simultaneously, such as in-person paper exam or online exam using tools like Blackboard Tests, Pools, and Surveys.
  • For asynchronous courses, instructors will need to plan how to allow learners to submit authentic assessments on their own schedule, such as voice or video recording.

Authentic Assessments

  • When applicable, instructors should reflect on using authentic assessments that focus on real-world applications of learning outcomes. Instead of traditional multiple-choice or short answer questions, consider incorporating scenarios or situational questions for analysis and application.

Steps for Designing Summative Assessments

The following steps can support you in developing new or adapting current summative assessments:

  • Clearly define what learners should know, do, or demonstrate by the end of the course or module. Use action verbs (e.g., analyze, create, evaluate) aligned with Bloom’s Taxonomy. Visit Writing Learning Outcomes to learn more about how to write effective outcomes.
  • Determine which assessment format (e.g., multiple-choice, essay, project, presentation) best measures each outcome.
  • Identify the delivery format based on your mode of delivery (paper and pencil, Blackboard, EdTech tool, etc.)
  • Establish method of scoring (e.g. automatically graded by Blackboard, use printed rubrics, blind grading, etc.)
  • Check if the assessment measured the intended learning outcomes effectively.
  • Identify if the assessment worked well for all learners and was fair.
  • Evaluate if the assessment was practical and manageable to administer and grade.