Reports in University Assessment - Coursework Example

Name : xxxxxxxxxxx Institution : xxxxxxxxxxx Tutor : xxxxxxxxxxx Title : Reports in University Assessment Course : xxxxxxxxxxx @2009 Introduction Universities have the responsibility of generating information and preparing graduates for future responsibilities in the society. In order to attain these objectives, they regularly test student progress through assessments. Assessments help to show whether the students have acquired the necessary skills that they are supposed to. One of the ways through which this is done is the assigning of individual and group projects after which students submit reports (Lee-Davis & Bailey 2006). Although they have a few shortcomings, reports remain to be an effective way of assessing student progress. This paper offers a critical analysis of reports as a component of assessment in universities. Reports in University Assessment According to Brown (1997), reports are official documents that provide information. In universities, they are therefore supposed to be as accurate and clear-cut as possible. A good report needs to reflect knowledge, professionalism, attentiveness and writing proficiency. There are various kinds of reports that may be required in university assessment. These include progress reports, feasibility reports and site reports. The reports are usually divided into three sections. These are the preliminary part, the body and supplementary sections. Preliminary includes the cover page, abstract, contents list and illustrations list while supplementary incorporates appendices and references. Research reports attempt to provide justification for the information that they present. Students are therefore required to stick to clarity, content and organization as ideals. They should provide introductions that articulate whatever is to be discussed and its scope. Students are also expected to clearly state their exact quantitative tools. In sciences, the writing needs to fully correspond with the discipline and investigation line. In order to present a report on empirical findings, the report generally uses the format of a typical scientific report, showing technique, conclusions and fallouts. When reports are required in undergraduate studies in scientific disciplines, the procedures are always mandatory. In writing reports, students should not to forget to use subheadings and headings so that they may guide any reader while going through the work. Statistical evidence is expected to be placed as graphs and tables as part of appendices (Jeffs 1990). Effective Report Writing In addition to following the scientific procedure, assessments check on the extent to which ideas presented are clear, accurate and concise. A good report should reflect a high degree of skill and technique application. Students need to invest a lot in preparatory work, while ensuring the maintenance of the best possible final look of the document. The report needs to have a proper structure and format. This is made up of the cover page, table of contents, an executive summary, an introduction or background, the method, result, observations and conclusion of the report (Pyrczak & Bruce 2007). Goodman (2006) notes that the body is the most significant component of the document and is made up of the introduction, method applied, findings, discussion, conclusion and recommendations offered. To have an effective report, the student needs to ensure that the style used is as much as possible objective, clear, brief and accurate in nature. Because of variation in length requirements for reports, there is always the need for clarification of the specific departmental requirements relating to the length of reports. Reports may be presented either by individuals or groups. Through giving projects and looking at reports, course instructors are able to assess the ways in which they organize their time, generate problems and provide solutions to the problems. When done in groups, it is possible to assess the extent to which students are able to interact with one another and the way that they are able to participate as members of groups. To ensure success in student assessment, instructors need to give clear deadlines and instructions. Benefits and Weaknesses of Reports Reports are at times required from groups. There are a number of reasons why such group activities are preferred as a way of learning in universities. Group activity enhances student understanding. Students get a chance to learn from each other and benefit from the chance to show skills in clarifying and testing their knowledge. Groups give them opportunities for clarification and refinement of their concept understanding by means of concepts in a process of rehearsal and discussion with peers (Lichtenberger & Kaufman 2004). When there is proper allocation of group activity and assignment of report tasks to students, instructors should also ensure the development of appropriate group management measures, clear guidelines for assessment and appropriate communication. With such conditions and fair and valid processes for grading, there are higher levels of student satisfaction and positive learning outcomes. When students are unable to properly understand report writing objectives, are not sure of what is expected of them or feel that reports as an assessment method is not valid or is unfair, the eventual educational benefits derived become lower and tension may be produced. The conditions in which group or even individual reporting and presentation is done helps in determining the level of success that will be achieved in the end. When done under ideal conditions, it boosts learning and inter-group support. Various studies that have been conducted in the past have validated the value of reports as an assessment and learning process enhancer. In inappropriate conditions, it can be a cause for uncertainty and fear (Rowntree 2007). A majority of students are aware of how important their self development and assessments of individual work as part of a group are. Group work for students, aimed at benefiting the entire group has a motivating effect on the students. Being assessed as group members helps a large number of students to have some feeling of responsibility. This is because it makes each to fear letting the others down. Reports that are produced are the eventual products of the cooperative activities that are achieved through group work (Langan 2007). According to Pyrczak & Bruce (2007), universities generally have the objective of providing their products with a capacity to successfully function in workplace teams. There has therefore been a new trend in which institutions add generic skills into the traditional knowledge which is expected from learning processes for universities. The process of developing a project report usually enhances time management and organizational skills. It also promotes collaborative skills where it involves several people as it necessitates conflict management, acceptance of intellectual criticism and negotiation in academic activity. It also promotes cognitive and analytical skills for instance critical analysis of materials and evaluation of the knowledge generated by other interested scholars. Reports offer a means of expressing and presenting of ideas. Academic work involves the search for information and production of knowledge. Members of the university community are expected to play a big role in this process. The information that they gather has to be presented in a systematic and conventional way. Reports offer a framework for this formal presentation. Report writing is an effective way of assessing students. This is because unlike the other forms of assessment such as examinations, they offer adequate time to ensure quality and utilization of individual skills. Reports are therefore immune to the possibility of momentary failure. Short term measures may in contrast be affected by tension, lack of confidence and environmental factors. Reports are popular as a form of university assessment because they offer recommendations that help to implement new strategies (Rowntree 2007). Although effective however, report writing requires discipline in students (McMillan & Weyers 2006). One of the most common mistakes committed by students is failure to manage their time wisely. There is therefore the need to develop a schedule that will ensure a step by step gathering of information in order to avoid being overtaken by time. There are also a number of dangers posed by the reliance on reports as a means of student assessment. These include the ease of plagiarism by the student. This is because there tends to be undue emphasis on certain criteria for instance style and grammar. There is also the likelihood of inadequate participation in the case of group projects. Some group members may not take part in writing the report but end up being graded equally with those that gave major inputs as this may not be easy to prove. The allocation of tasks within the group is rarely reflected in the eventual report (Langan 2007). Conclusion Reports are an appropriate assessment method for university students. This is because they promote individual and group working skills. Although this is a positive thing however, there should be careful consideration of factors before settling for it as the main assessment method. Institutions should carefully select the method as students are likely to have unique individual reactions to differently means of assessment. They should ensure that there is variety in their assessments in order to minimize the disadvantage that usually arises from over-reliance on a single assessment method. In order to promote learning, instructors have the responsibility of providing opportunities for students to write and encourage those that try to write. They should also pursue the promotion of successful writing by students. This may be achieved through a careful monitoring process of students' writing so that there will be the assessment of weaknesses and strengths, being able to teach specific strategies and skills as a response to identified student needs and providing careful feedback which reinforces newly acquired skills while correcting recurrent problems. The responsibilities indicate that assessment remains a major component of proper instruction. Because university education is about developing analytical and presentation skills for academic issues, reports become a significant aspect of day to day learning in the institutions. Bibliography Brown, G., 1997, Assessing Student Learning In Higher Education, Routledge, New York Goodman, D., 2006, Report it in Writing, Penguin Books, London Jeffs, R, 1990, Report Writing Skills, Prentice Hall, New York Langan, J., 2007, College Writing Skills, McGraw-Hill, New York Lee-Davis., L & Bailey, S, 2006, Developing Work and Study Skills, Greenwood press, Westport Lichtenberger, E., Mather, N. & Kaufman, A., 2004, Essentials of Assessment Report Writing, Hauthon Publishers, Ontario McMillan, K & Weyers, J., 2006, The Smarter Student: Skills and Strategies for Success at University, Pearson Prentice Hall, New York Pyrczak, F., & Bruce, R., 2007, Writing Empirical Research Reports: A Basic Guide for Students of the Social and Behavioral Sciences, University of Michigan Press, Detroit Rowntree, D., 1987, Assessing Students: How Shall We Know Them? Kogan Page, London Read More