similarities of essay and objective test

13. Use at least four alternatives for each item to lower the probability of getting the item correct by guessing.

14. Randomly distribute the correct response among the alternative positions throughout the test having approximately the same proportion of alternatives a, b, c, d and e as the correct response.

15. Use the alternatives "none of the above" and "all of the above" sparingly. When used, such alternatives should occasionally be used as the correct response.

A true-false item can be written in one of three forms: simple, complex, or compound. Answers can consist of only two choices (simple), more than two choices (complex), or two choices plus a conditional completion response (compound). An example of each type of true-false item follows:

Sample True-False Item: Simple

Sample True-False Item: Complex

Sample true-false item: compound.

Advantages In Using True-False Items

True-False items can provide...

• the widest sampling of content or objectives per unit of testing time.
• an objective measurement of student achievement or ability.

Limitations In Using True-False Items

True-false items...

• incorporate an extremely high guessing factor. For simple true-false items, each student has a 50/50 chance of correctly answering the item without any knowledge of the item's content.
• can often lead an instructor to write ambiguous statements due to the difficulty of writing statements which are unequivocally true or false.
• do not discriminate between students of varying ability as well as other item types.
• can often include more irrelevant clues than do other item types.
• can often lead an instructor to favor testing of trivial knowledge.

Suggestions For Writing True-False Test Items

In general, matching items consist of a column of stimuli presented on the left side of the exam page and a column of responses placed on the right side of the page. Students are required to match the response associated with a given stimulus. For example:

Sample Matching Test Item

Advantages In Using Matching Items

Matching items...

• require short periods of reading and response time, allowing you to cover more content.
• provide objective measurement of student achievement or ability.
• provide highly reliable test scores.
• provide scoring efficiency and accuracy.

Limitations in Using Matching Items

• have difficulty measuring learning objectives requiring more than simple recall of information.
• are difficult to construct due to the problem of selecting a common set of stimuli and responses.

Suggestions for Writing Matching Test Items

5.  Keep matching items brief, limiting the list of stimuli to under 10.

6.  Include more responses than stimuli to help prevent answering through the process of elimination.

7.  When possible, reduce the amount of reading time by including only short phrases or single words in the response list.

The completion item requires the student to answer a question or to finish an incomplete statement by filling in a blank with the correct word or phrase. For example,

Sample Completion Item

According to Freud, personality is made up of three major systems, the _________, the ________ and the ________.

Advantages in Using Completion Items

Completion items...

• can provide a wide sampling of content.
• can efficiently measure lower levels of cognitive ability.
• can minimize guessing as compared to multiple-choice or true-false items.
• can usually provide an objective measure of student achievement or ability.

Limitations of Using Completion Items

• are difficult to construct so that the desired response is clearly indicated.
• are more time consuming to score when compared to multiple-choice or true-false items.
• are more difficult to score since more than one answer may have to be considered correct if the item was not properly prepared.

Suggestions for Writing Completion Test Items

7.  Avoid lifting statements directly from the text, lecture or other sources.

8.  Limit the required response to a single word or phrase.

The essay test is probably the most popular of all types of teacher-made tests. In general, a classroom essay test consists of a small number of questions to which the student is expected to demonstrate his/her ability to (a) recall factual knowledge, (b) organize this knowledge and (c) present the knowledge in a logical, integrated answer to the question. An essay test item can be classified as either an extended-response essay item or a short-answer essay item. The latter calls for a more restricted or limited answer in terms of form or scope. An example of each type of essay item follows.

Sample Extended-Response Essay Item

Explain the difference between the S-R (Stimulus-Response) and the S-O-R (Stimulus-Organism-Response) theories of personality. Include in your answer (a) brief descriptions of both theories, (b) supporters of both theories and (c) research methods used to study each of the two theories. (10 pts.  20 minutes)

Sample Short-Answer Essay Item

Identify research methods used to study the S-R (Stimulus-Response) and S-O-R (Stimulus-Organism-Response) theories of personality. (5 pts.  10 minutes)

Advantages In Using Essay Items

Essay items...

• are easier and less time consuming to construct than are most other item types.
• provide a means for testing student's ability to compose an answer and present it in a logical manner.
• can efficiently measure higher order cognitive objectives (e.g., analysis, synthesis, evaluation).

Limitations In Using Essay Items

• cannot measure a large amount of content or objectives.
• generally provide low test and test scorer reliability.
• require an extensive amount of instructor's time to read and grade.
• generally do not provide an objective measure of student achievement or ability (subject to bias on the part of the grader).

Suggestions for Writing Essay Test Items

4.  Ask questions that will elicit responses on which experts could agree that one answer is better than another.

5.  Avoid giving the student a choice among optional items as this greatly reduces the reliability of the test.

6.  It is generally recommended for classroom examinations to administer several short-answer items rather than only one or two extended-response items.

Suggestions for Scoring Essay Items

Examples Essay Item and Grading Models

"Americans are a mixed-up people with no sense of ethical values. Everyone knows that baseball is far less necessary than food and steel, yet they pay ball players a lot more than farmers and steelworkers."

WHY? Use 3-4 sentences to indicate how an economist would explain the above situation.

Analytical Scoring

Global Quality

Assign scores or grades on the overall quality of the written response as compared to an ideal answer. Or, compare the overall quality of a response to other student responses by sorting the papers into three stacks:

Read and sort each stack again divide into three more stacks

In total, nine discriminations can be used to assign test grades in this manner. The number of stacks or discriminations can vary to meet your needs.

• Try not to allow factors which are irrelevant to the learning outcomes being measured affect your grading (i.e., handwriting, spelling, neatness).
• Read and grade all class answers to one item before going on to the next item.
• Read and grade the answers without looking at the students' names to avoid possible preferential treatment.
• Occasionally shuffle papers during the reading of answers to help avoid any systematic order effects (i.e., Sally's "B" work always followed Jim's "A" work thus it looked more like "C" work).
• When possible, ask another instructor to read and grade your students' responses.

Another form of a subjective test item is the problem solving or computational exam question. Such items present the student with a problem situation or task and require a demonstration of work procedures and a correct solution, or just a correct solution. This kind of test item is classified as a subjective type of item due to the procedures used to score item responses. Instructors can assign full or partial credit to either correct or incorrect solutions depending on the quality and kind of work procedures presented. An example of a problem solving test item follows.

Example Problem Solving Test Item

It was calculated that 75 men could complete a strip on a new highway in 70 days. When work was scheduled to commence, it was found necessary to send 25 men on another road project. How many days longer will it take to complete the strip? Show your work for full or partial credit.

Advantages In Using Problem Solving Items

Problem solving items...

• minimize guessing by requiring the students to provide an original response rather than to select from several alternatives.
• are easier to construct than are multiple-choice or matching items.
• can most appropriately measure learning objectives which focus on the ability to apply skills or knowledge in the solution of problems.
• can measure an extensive amount of content or objectives.

Limitations in Using Problem Solving Items

• require an extensive amount of instructor time to read and grade.
• generally do not provide an objective measure of student achievement or ability (subject to bias on the part of the grader when partial credit is given).

Suggestions For Writing Problem Solving Test Items

6.  Ask questions that elicit responses on which experts could agree that one solution and one or more work procedures are better than others.

7.  Work through each problem before classroom administration to double-check accuracy.

A performance test item is designed to assess the ability of a student to perform correctly in a simulated situation (i.e., a situation in which the student will be ultimately expected to apply his/her learning). The concept of simulation is central in performance testing; a performance test will simulate to some degree a real life situation to accomplish the assessment. In theory, a performance test could be constructed for any skill and real life situation. In practice, most performance tests have been developed for the assessment of vocational, managerial, administrative, leadership, communication, interpersonal and physical education skills in various simulated situations. An illustrative example of a performance test item is provided below.

Sample Performance Test Item

Assume that some of the instructional objectives of an urban planning course include the development of the student's ability to effectively use the principles covered in the course in various "real life" situations common for an urban planning professional. A performance test item could measure this development by presenting the student with a specific situation which represents a "real life" situation. For example,

An urban planning board makes a last minute request for the professional to act as consultant and critique a written proposal which is to be considered in a board meeting that very evening. The professional arrives before the meeting and has one hour to analyze the written proposal and prepare his critique. The critique presentation is then made verbally during the board meeting; reactions of members of the board or the audience include requests for explanation of specific points or informed attacks on the positions taken by the professional.

The performance test designed to simulate this situation would require that the student to be tested role play the professional's part, while students or faculty act the other roles in the situation. Various aspects of the "professional's" performance would then be observed and rated by several judges with the necessary background. The ratings could then be used both to provide the student with a diagnosis of his/her strengths and weaknesses and to contribute to an overall summary evaluation of the student's abilities.

Advantages In Using Performance Test Items

Performance test items...

• can most appropriately measure learning objectives which focus on the ability of the students to apply skills or knowledge in real life situations.
• usually provide a degree of test validity not possible with standard paper and pencil test items.
• are useful for measuring learning objectives in the psychomotor domain.

Limitations In Using Performance Test Items

• are difficult and time consuming to construct.
• are primarily used for testing students individually and not for testing groups. Consequently, they are relatively costly, time consuming, and inconvenient forms of testing.
• generally do not provide an objective measure of student achievement or ability (subject to bias on the part of the observer/grader).

Suggestions For Writing Performance Test Items

• Prepare items that elicit the type of behavior you want to measure.
• Clearly identify and explain the simulated situation to the student.
• Make the simulated situation as "life-like" as possible.
• Provide directions which clearly inform the students of the type of response called for.
• When appropriate, clearly state time and activity limitations in the directions.
• Adequately train the observer(s)/scorer(s) to ensure that they are fair in scoring the appropriate behaviors.

III. TWO METHODS FOR ASSESSING TEST ITEM QUALITY

This section presents two methods for collecting feedback on the quality of your test items. The two methods include using self-review checklists and student evaluation of test item quality. You can use the information gathered from either method to identify strengths and weaknesses in your item writing. 

Checklist for Evaluating Test Items

EVALUATE YOUR TEST ITEMS BY CHECKING THE SUGGESTIONS WHICH YOU FEEL YOU HAVE FOLLOWED.  

Grading Essay Test Items

STUDENT EVALUATION OF TEST ITEM QUALITY 

Using ices questionnaire items to assess your test item quality .

The following set of ICES (Instructor and Course Evaluation System) questionnaire items can be used to assess the quality of your test items. The items are presented with their original ICES catalogue number. You are encouraged to include one or more of the items on the ICES evaluation form in order to collect student opinion of your item writing quality.

IV. ASSISTANCE OFFERED BY THE CENTER FOR INNOVATION IN TEACHING AND LEARNING (CITL)

The information on this page is intended for self-instruction. However, CITL staff members will consult with faculty who wish to analyze and improve their test item writing. The staff can also consult with faculty about other instructional problems. Instructors wishing to acquire CITL assistance can contact [email protected] . 

V. REFERENCES FOR FURTHER READING

Ebel, R. L. (1965). Measuring educational achievement . Prentice-Hall. Ebel, R. L. (1972). Essentials of educational measurement . Prentice-Hall. Gronlund, N. E. (1976). Measurement and evaluation in teaching (3rd ed.). Macmillan. Mehrens W. A. & Lehmann I. J. (1973). Measurement and evaluation in education and psychology . Holt, Rinehart & Winston. Nelson, C. H. (1970). Measurement and evaluation in the classroom . Macmillan. Payne, D. A. (1974).  The assessment of learning: Cognitive and affective . D.C. Heath & Co. Scannell, D. P., & Tracy D. B. (1975). Testing and measurement in the classroom . Houghton Mifflin. Thorndike, R. L. (1971). Educational measurement (2nd ed.). American Council on Education.

Center for Innovation in Teaching & Learning

249 Armory Building 505 East Armory Avenue Champaign, IL 61820

217 333-1462

Email: [email protected]

Office of the Provost

Thank you for your interest in ExamSoft! Please click the icon below that best describes you:

I want to schedule a demo

I'm an exam-taker or student using Examplify

I'm a current ExamSoft client

The Difference Between Subjective and Objective Assessments

To design effective exams, educators need a strong understanding of the difference between objective and subjective assessments. Each of these styles has specific attributes that make them better suited for certain subjects and learning outcomes. Knowing when to use objective instead of subjective assessments, as well as identifying resources that can help increase the overall fairness of exams, is essential to educators’ efforts to accurately gauge the academic progress of their students.

Subjective Assessment

According to EnglishPost.org , “Subjective tests aim to assess areas of students’ performance that are complex and qualitative, using questioning which may have more than one correct answer or more ways to express it.” Subjective assessments are popular because they typically take less time for teachers to develop, and they offer students the ability to be creative or critical in constructing their answers. Some examples of subjective assessment questions include asking students to:

• Respond with short answers.
• Craft their answers in the form of an essay.
• Define a term, concept, or significant event.
• Respond with a critically thought-out or factually supported opinion.
• Respond to a theoretical scenario.

Subjective assessments are excellent for subjects like writing, reading, art/art history, philosophy, political science, or literature. More specifically, any subject that encourages debate, critical thinking, interpretation of art forms or policies, or applying specific knowledge to real-world scenarios is well-suited for subjective assessment.

Objective Assessment

Objective assessment, on the other hand, is far more exact and subsequently less open to the students’ interpretation of concepts or theories. Edulytic defines objective assessment as “a way of examining in which questions asked has a single correct answer.” Mathematics, geography, science, engineering, and computer science are all subjects that rely heavily on objective exams. Some of the most common item types for this style of assessment include:

• Multiple-choice
• True / false
• Fill in the Blank
• Assertion and reason

Which Kinds of Programs Use Which Exam Types?

Objective assessments are popular options for programs with curricula structured around absolutes or definite right and wrong answers; the sciences are a good example. If there are specific industry standards or best practices that professionals must follow at all times, objective assessments are an effective way to gauge students’ mastery of the requisite techniques or knowledge. Such programs might include:

• Engineering

Subjective assessments, on the other hand, lend themselves to programs where students are asked to apply what they’ve learned according to specific scenarios. Any field of study that emphasizes creativity, critical thinking, or problem-solving may place a high value on the qualitative aspects of subjective assessments. These could include:

• Arbitration

How Can Educators Make Their Assessments More Objective?

Creating objective assessments is key to accurately measuring students’ mastery of subject matter. Educators should consider creating a blueprint for their exams to maximize the objectivity of their questions. It can be easier to write objective items when using an exam blueprint. Building an exam blueprint allows teachers to track how each question applies to course learning objectives and specific content sections, as well as the corresponding level of cognition being assessed.

Once educators have carefully planned out their exams, they can begin writing questions. Carnegie Mellon University’s guide to creating exams offers the following suggestions to ensure test writers are composing objective questions.

• Write questions with only one correct answer.
• Compose questions carefully to avoid grammatical clues that could inadvertently signify the correct answer.
• Make sure that the wrong answer choices are actually plausible.
• Avoid “all of the above” or “none of the above” answers as much as possible.
• Do not write overly complex questions. (Avoid double negatives, idioms, etc.)
• Write questions that assess only a single idea or concept.

ExamSoft Can Help Improve the Objectivity of Your Exams

One important, and frequently overlooked, aspect of creating objective assessments is the manner in which those assessments are scored. How can teachers ensure that essay or short-answer questions are all evaluated in the same manner, especially when they are responsible for scoring a substantial number of exams? According to an ExamSoft blog titled “ How to Objectively Evaluate Student Assignments ,” “a rubric that lists the specific requirements needed to master the assignment helps educators provide clear and concise expectations to students, stay focused on whether those requirements have been met, and then communicate how well they were met.” Using rubric and assessment programs offers the following benefits for educators:

• Electronically link rubrics to learning objectives and outcomes or accreditation standards.
• Generate comprehensive reports on student or class performance.
• Share assessment data with students to improve self-assessment.
• Gain a more complete understanding of student performance, no matter the evaluation method.

Ultimately, employing rubric and assessment software gives both instructors and students a clearer picture of exam performance as it pertains to specific assignments or learning outcomes. This knowledge is instrumental to educators’ attempt to improve teaching methods, exam creation, grading — and students’ ability to refine their study habits.

Creating objective assessments will always be an important aspect of an educator’s job. Using all the tools at their disposal is the most effective way to ensure that all assessments objectively measure what students have learned, even when the content is subjective.

Learn more about ExamSoft’s rubric solution .

EnglishPost.org: What Are Subjective and Objective Tests?

Edulytic: Importance of Objective Assessment

Carnegie Mellon University: Creating Exams

ExamSoft: How to Objectively Evaluate Student Assignments

Related Resources

How to Objectively Evaluate Student Assignments

Often we associate the idea of student assessment solely with the use of traditional multiple-choice question exams. However, these exams should be only a portion of the assessment methods used to understand student c...

ExamSCORE: Student-Centered Objective Rubrics Evaluation

ExamSCORE enables educators to develop objective criteria for subjective assessments to improve scoring and student feedback. Simplify planning, administration, and grading of OSCEs and ensure that evaluation day runs...

How to Use Rubrics in Health Sciences Education

Being tasked with training the people who will provide crucial medical care to ill and injured patients is an important job. Your students will go on to tackle jobs that have the highest possible stakes—their decision...

• Submit A Post
• EdTech Trainers and Consultants
• Your Campus EdTech
• Your EdTech Product
• Your Feedback
• Your Love for Us
• EdTech Product Reviews

ETR Resources

• Mission/Vision
• Testimonials
• Our Clients
• Press Release

Objective vs. Subjective Test: Choosing the Right Assessment Method for Your Needs

Tests are a key tool in education for assessing students’ learning progress and knowledge acquisition. Teachers can employ several types of tests to measure students’ understanding of a topic or subject, ranging from multiple-choice exams to essay questions. One of the most important concerns in education is whether objective or subjective tests are more appropriate for this goal. Objective tests often feature questions with a single correct answer, while subjective assessments encourage students to demonstrate their understanding in their own words. So, Objective vs. Subjective Test, which is the right choice?

In this post, we will look at the strength and limitations of these objective and subjective types of examinations and their impact on teaching and learning.

Let’s look at what they are first:

Objective tests are the most basic assessment methods that feature questions with a single correct response to evaluate foundation and knowledge of the learners.

Objective tests aim to evaluate areas of student achievement that are complex and qualitative, using questions that may have one or more correct answers and may have more than one way of expressing it.

These assessments (either objective or subjective) are often categorized as summative (this form of assessment aims to evaluate student learning at the end of an instructional unit by comparing it against some standard or benchmark) or formative (It monitors student learning to provide ongoing feedback that can be used by instructors to improve their teaching and by students to improve their learning.)

Which is better, Objective or Subjective tests?

Objective Tests

An objective test is a method of evaluation in which questions asked have a single correct answer. Objective questions typically include true/false, multiple choice, and matching questions. Objective assessment is crucial as it can effectively measure each level of a student’s ability, from basic recall to complex synthesis.

It is far more precise, leaving less room for the pupils to interpret hypotheses or concepts. Objective assessment is a method of examination where each question has a single right answer. Subjects that rely largely on objective tests include geography, mathematics, physics, engineering, and computer science.

Types of Objective Tests

• Multiple-Choice
• Fill in the Blank
• Assertion and Reason

Features of Objectives Tests

Objective testing lends itself to specific tasks since these questions are designed to be answered fast; they also allow teachers to test students on various topics. Furthermore, statistical student, cohort, and question performance analysis are possible.

The ability of objective tests to assess a wide variety of learning is often underestimated. Objective tests examine fact-finding, knowledge, application of terms, and questions requiring short or numerical answers.

One common concern is that objective tests cannot measure learning beyond basic understanding.

However, questions built with imagination can challenge students and test higher levels of learning. For example, students can receive case studies or data collection and be invited to provide analysis by responding to questions.

Problem-solving can also be evaluated with the proper type of questions.

Another concern is that objective tests translate into inflated scores because of conjecture. However, the effects of guessing may be eliminated by a combination of question design and rating techniques. It becomes irrelevant mainly with the right amount of questions and distractions. If not, there is an opportunity to encourage and measure the value of this skill.

There are, however, limitations in what objective tests can assess. They cannot test the ability to communicate, the ability to build arguments, or the ability to give initial responses. Tests must be carefully constructed to avoid the decontextualization of knowledge (Paxton 1998). It is always wise to use objective testing as only one of a variety of assessment methods within a module. However, in times of increasing student numbers and declining resources, objective tests can complement the assessments available to teachers or lecturers.

Strengths of Objective Tests

Reliability: Objective tests are more trustworthy than subjective tests since they do not allow for human bias or interpretation.

Efficiency: Machines can swiftly and efficiently evaluate objective assessments, saving instructors time and effort.

Objectivity: Objective tests provide an accurate and objective assessment of a student’s performance and knowledge.

Validity: When well-designed, objective examinations can accurately evaluate specific knowledge or skills. Objective examinations can be standardized, which means that all students are given the same questions with the same answer alternatives, ensuring fairness and equity in the evaluation process.

Flexibility: Objective assessments can evaluate various information and skills, from basic recall to higher-order thinking abilities.

Limitations of Objective Tests

The higher-order thinking skills evaluation is limited: Objective exams could be more effective in measuring higher-order thinking skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity. These abilities necessitate complicated responses that subjective inquiries cannot convey.

Content coverage is limited: Objective tests are only helpful in assessing knowledge that can be quantified and examined objectively. This limits their ability to examine more comprehensive concepts that require interpretation and analysis.

Student attitudes and values are not assessed objectively: Objective tests do not examine attitudes and values, which are vital components of a student’s overall development. They can only assess what pupils know, not how they feel about what they know.

Potential for guessing: Objective examinations are prone to guessing because students can occasionally predict the correct answer by eliminating possibilities or making an educated guess. This can have an impact on the validity of the test results.

Limited Feedback: Objective assessments provide students with limited feedback because they objective assessment reprocess do not let students provide information about the reasons behind the correct answer or how to improve. As a result, pupils may not fully comprehend the material and may be unable to enhance their performance.

Subjective Tests

EnglishPost.org defines “Subjective tests aim to assess areas of students’ performance that are complex and qualitative, using questions which may have more than one correct answer or more ways to express it.” Subjective assessments are popular because they typically take less time for teachers to develop and allow students to be creative or critical in constructing their answers.

Simply put, a subjective test is one in which the answer is not customarily predefined. A subjective test is assessed via an opinion. Also, students must assess their intended audience when preparing to write subjectively.

Types of Subjective Tests

• Short Answer Type
• Long Answer Type
• Conversation or Problem-Solving

Features of Subjective Tests

This assessment is excellent for writing, reading, art/art history, philosophy, political science, or literature. Specifically, subjects encouraging critical thinking, debate, and applying thorough knowledge to real-world scenarios are most suited for interpreting art forms.

Strengths of Subjective Tests

Flexibility: In terms of the types of responses allowed, subjective tests tend to be more versatile than objective tests. They can measure various abilities and characteristics, such as creativity, problem-solving, communication skills, and critical thinking.

Insight: Subjective tests can provide useful information about how people approach and solve challenges. Subjective exams can provide a more complete and nuanced view of an individual’s talents by studying the mental processes and rationale behind their responses.

Real-world relevance: Many subjective exams are meant to imitate real-world events, making them more relevant to the skills and talents required in specific jobs or situations.

Personalization: Subjective exams can be customized to the individual, making it easier to identify areas of strength and weakness. This personalization can also motivate students to participate in the testing procedure.

Subjective assessments frequently allow for open-ended responses, which can provide a more thorough view of an individual’s abilities and mental processes. This is especially beneficial for measuring sophisticated or subtle skills.

Limitations of Subjective Tests

Potential for bias: Because subjective tests rely on a person’s judgement or a group of individuals, bias approach can impact the outcomes. This bias can be caused by personal opinions, preferences, or other variables unrelated to the skills or talents being examined.

Limited objectivity: Unlike objective examinations, which rely on specific, measurable criteria, subjective assessments are frequently more susceptible to interpretation. This can make it difficult to compare results across individuals or groups or to assess the testing method’s dependability.

Time-consuming: Subjective assessments can take longer to conduct and evaluate than objective tests, especially if they entail open-ended responses or require individualized assessment.

Lack of standardization: Because subjective tests rely on one’s judgement, there is frequently a need for more standardization in terms of testing techniques and criteria utilized. This can make it challenging to assure consistency and reliability across multiple testing scenarios.

Difficulty in generalizing results: Subjective assessments frequently focus on specific, context-dependent skills or talents, making it difficult to generalize results to different contexts or circumstances.

Effects of objective tests and subjective on the teaching and learning process:

As explained in Englishpost.org , the washback or backwash effect refers to the effect testing has on teaching and learning processes, which can be good or negative. However, the testing system’s legality can impact the course material and how it is communicated to administrators, teachers, students, and parents, either favourably or unfavourably.

The washback effect becomes negative when a mismatch between abilities or content is taught and tested. A multiple-choice examination, for example, hinders attempts to teach valuable skills such as speaking and writing in the classroom. On the flip side, the washback effect has a beneficial influence on students’ and teachers’ attitudes towards practising productive skills in the classroom if the accomplishment test contains both spoken and written portions.

Subjective tests are far more complicated and costly to plan, administer, and analyze properly, but they can be more valid. Writing aptitude exams are often subjective because they ask a reviewer to rate the level of writing, which involves subjective assessment. For example, when students are required to generate a comprehensive paragraph, such as a complaint letter, they must consider their target audience and make decisions about the content, register, and format. Teachers can assist students by emphasizing the significance of analyzing the problem and pinpointing crucial elements in the content, register, and format.

Objective tests provide answers that are either correct or incorrect and can be scored objectively. In contrast, subjective tests are evaluated using predetermined criteria and involve a certain degree of judgement on the part of the evaluator. Objective tests can include text-based true/false questions, multiple-choice questions, and fill-in-the-blank questions.

Marking objective tests together in the classroom is an effective strategy to enhance their use. This strategy allows students to discuss answers, justify their decisions, and assist one another in understanding the material.

Here’s a short yet easily understandable and well-elaborated difference by Byju’s:

To summarise, while objective and subjective assessments have advantages, it is critical to assess their relative strengths and weaknesses in the context of the learning goals and objectives. Subjective tests provide a broader view of a student’s learning abilities and can help to build critical thinking and writing skills, but objective tests are useful for measuring knowledge of facts and can be administered and graded swiftly. Ultimately, the test format should be determined by the unique learning objectives and the desired outcomes.

Latest EdTech News To Your Inbox

Stay connected.

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address

Remember Me

The difference between subjective and objective assessments

By completing this form, you agree to Turnitin's Privacy Policy . Turnitin uses the information you provide to contact you with relevant information. You may unsubscribe from these communications at any time.

Understanding subjective and objective assessments, and the difference between the two, is central to designing effective exams. Educators need a strong understanding of both types to accurately assess student learning. Each of these styles has specific attributes that make them better suited for certain subjects and learning outcomes. Knowing when to use subjective instead of objective assessments, and vice versa, as well as identifying resources that can help increase the overall fairness of exams, is essential to educators’ efforts in accurately gauging the academic progress of their students.

Let’s take a closer look at subjective and objective assessments, how they are measured, and the ways in which they can be used effectively to evaluate student knowledge.

According to EnglishPost.org , “Subjective tests aim to assess areas of students’ performance that are complex and qualitative, using questioning that may have more than one correct answer or more ways to express it.” Subjective assessments are popular because they typically take less time for teachers to develop, and they offer students the ability to be creative or critical in constructing their answers. Some examples of subjective assessment questions include asking students to:

• Respond with short answers
• Craft their answers in the form of an essay
• Define a term, concept, or significant event
• Respond with a critically thought-out or factually-supported opinion
• Respond to a theoretical scenario

Subjective assessments are excellent for subjects like writing, reading, art/art history, philosophy, political science, or literature. More specifically, any subject that encourages debate, critical thinking, interpretation of art forms or policies, or applying specific knowledge to real-world scenarios is well-suited for subjective assessment. These include long-form essays, debates, interpretations, definitions of terms, concepts, and events as well as responding to theoretical scenarios, defending opinions, and other responses.

Objective assessment, on the other hand, is far more exact and subsequently less open to the students’ interpretation of concepts or theories. Edulytic defines objective assessment as “a way of examining in which questions asked has [sic] a single correct answer.” Mathematics, geography, science, engineering, and computer science are all subjects that rely heavily on objective exams. Some of the most common item types for this style of assessment include:

• Multiple-choice
• True / false
• Fill in the blank
• Assertion and reason

Assessments measure and evaluate student knowledge; to that end, grading is involved with doing so. Just as subjective and objective assessment differ, so do ways in which educators measure them.

Subjective performance measurements are dependent on the observer or grader and involve interpretation. A creative work might be the most clear example for which subjective measurement might apply; while grammar and syntax, of course, are necessary to express ideas, the quality of creative work is subject to human judgment. Opinion essays are also a subjective measurement, as there is no one right answer and are evaluated based on persuasion skills; the flow of logic or writing style, in addition to the content of an answer, can influence a person marking student work.

In brief, subjective measurement involves more than one correct answer and assesses qualitative or analytic thinking.

On the other hand, objective measurement is conducted independent of opinion. One extreme example is feeding a multiple-choice exam into a Scantron machine, which provides zero feedback and simply marks an answer wrong or correct. Even when a human being grades objective assessment and provides feedback, answers are not for interpretation when it comes to objective measurement. Other examples of objective measurement include mathematics problems with one correct answer that is unquestionable and again, independent of the grader’s opinion ( Jackson, retrieved 2023 ).

In sum, objective measurement is implicitly consistent, impartial, and usually quantifiable.

That said, measurement of assessments, whether subjective or objective, is a spectrum.

While a creative work may be graded almost entirely subjectively, a personal or opinion essay, while subjective in nature, may fall towards the middle of the spectrum. An analytical essay, for instance, can offer objective measurements like grammar, structure, primary or secondary sources , and citation. Of course, on the objective end of the spectrum are multiple-choice questions like mathematics problems. But even mathematics can fall towards the middle; for example, when students work on proofs and theorems to demonstrate logic and analytical thinking. In the case of a proof, a grader has to interpret how deeply a student understands the concept and might even grant partial credit.

The word “subjective” has often become a pejorative term when it comes to assessment and grading, while the word “objective” is elevated as a paragon of fairness. But the reality is that both subjective and objective assessments are effective ways to measure learning, when they are designed well and used appropriately.

Subjective and objective assessments are effective when they show reliability and validity .

An assessment is reliable when it consistently measures student learning. Reliability involves the correct answer every time, with no variation from student to student, making scores trustworthy; many standardized tests like those used for licensing or certification, for instance, are deemed highly reliable. In the case of subjective assessment, rubrics can provide increased reliability .

An assessment is valid when it measures what it was intended to measure. Validity accurately measures understanding, whether it is the evaluation of analytic thinking or factual knowledge.

You wouldn’t ask a nursing student to write an opinion essay on differential diagnosis and pharmaceutical treatment; at the same time, you wouldn’t ask graduate students of English literature to answer true/false questions about the works of Shakespeare. Providing the right kind of assessment to assess appropriate levels of knowledge and learning is critical.

The first step towards effective exam design is to consider the purpose of the assessment and uphold validity.

When an instructor wants to measure critical thinking skills, a student’s ability to come up with their own original ideas, or even how they arrived at their response, subjective assessment is the best fit. When an instructor wants to evaluate a student’s knowledge of facts, for instance, objective measurement is called for. Of course, exams can offer a variety of formats to measure both critical thinking and breadth of knowledge; many assessments benefit from the inclusion of both subjective and objective assessment questions. Subjective assessments lend themselves to programs where students are asked to apply what they’ve learned according to specific scenarios. Any field of study that emphasizes creativity, critical thinking, or problem-solving may place a high value on the qualitative aspects of subjective assessments. These could include:

• Arbitration

Objective assessments are popular options for programs with curricula structured around absolutes or definite right and wrong answers; the sciences are a good example. If there are specific industry standards or best practices that professionals must follow at all times, objective assessments are an effective way to gauge students’ mastery of the requisite techniques or knowledge. Such programs might include:

• Engineering

Creating reliable and valid assessments is key to accurately measuring students’ mastery of subject matter. Educators should consider creating a blueprint for their exams to maximize the reliability and validity of their questions. It can be easier to write assessments when using an exam blueprint. Building an exam blueprint allows teachers to track how each question applies to course learning objectives and specific content sections, as well as the corresponding level of cognition being assessed.

Once educators have carefully planned out their exams, they can begin writing questions. Carnegie Mellon University’s guide to creating exams offers the following suggestions to ensure test writers are composing objective questions:

• Write questions with only one correct answer.
• Compose questions carefully to avoid grammatical clues that could inadvertently signify the correct answer.
• Make sure that the wrong answer choices are actually plausible.
• Avoid “all of the above” or “none of the above” answers as much as possible.
• Do not write overly complex questions. (Avoid double negatives, idioms, etc.)
• Write questions that assess only a single idea or concept.

Subjectivity often feels like a “bad word” in the world of assessment and grading, but it is not. It just needs to be appropriate–that is, used in the right place and at the right time. In the Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization , researchers Méndez and Jahedi report, “Our results indicate that general subjective measures can effectively capture changes in both the explicit and the implicit components of the variable being measured and, therefore, that they can be better suited for the study of broadly defined concepts than objective measures.” Subjective assessments have a place in presenting knowledge of concepts, particularly in expressing an original opinion, thought, or discourse that does not have a singular answer.

What is “bad,” however, is bias, whether unconscious or conscious, in assessment design or grading. Bias is an unfair partiality for or against something, largely based on opinion and resistance to facts.

Subjective assessments are more vulnerable to bias and it’s important to ensure that the questions address what is supposed to be measured (upholding validity) and that any grader bias is mitigated with rubrics to bolster marking consistency (thereby upholding reliability). Other ways to mitigate bias include grading by question and not by student as well as employing name-blind grading.

Subjective and objective assessment efficacy is influenced by reliability, validity, and bias. Wherever, whenever possible, it is important to bolster reliability (consistency) and validity (accuracy) while reducing bias (unfair partiality). While reliability and validity are upheld during the design and execution of assessments, ensuring that questions align with learning expectations and course content and are fair, bias can interfere with the grading process.

One important, and frequently overlooked, aspect of creating reliable and valid assessments is the manner in which those assessments are scored by removing bias. How can teachers ensure that essay or short-answer questions are all evaluated in the same manner, especially when they are responsible for scoring a substantial number of exams?

• A rubric that lists the specific requirements needed to master the assignment, helps educators provide clear and concise expectations to students, stay focused on whether those requirements have been met, and then communicate how well they were met. Using rubrics also increases consistency and decreases time spent grading. (upholds reliability, mitigates bias)
• Name-blind grading is a key component to unbiased grading; by removing the affiliation of the student’s name to the assessment, any question of prejudice is removed. It can be enabled in grading software or via folding down the corner of pages with names on them. (mitigates bias)
• Grading by question instead of by student—grading all of one question first before moving on to the others—makes sure you’re grading to the same standard and not influenced by answers to a previous question ( Aldrich, 2017 ). (upholds reliability, mitigates bias)
• Student data insights can transform grading into learning . By conducting item analysis or, in other words, formally examining student responses and patterns, instructors can pinpoint whether or not assessments are accurately assessing student knowledge. Item analysis is a way for instructors to receive feedback on their instruction and makes learning visible. (upholds validity)
• Offer a variety of assessment formats to include different learning styles and measure different components of learning. Objective assessments like multiple-choice exams can assess a large breadth of knowledge in a short amount of time. Subjective assessments like short- and long-answer questions can test whether or not students have a deep conceptual understanding of subjects by asking students to explain their approach or thinking. Using a combination of formats within the same exam can also bolster reliability and validity. (upholds reliability, upholds validity)
• And finally, consider eliminating grading on a curve ( Calsamiglia & Loviglio, 2019 ). When students are graded on a curve, the act of adjusting student grades so that they’re relative to the grades of their peers, there is an implicit message that students compete with each other—including those who might be cheating. According to research, “moving away from curving sets the expectation that all students have the opportunity to achieve the highest possible grade” ( Schinske & Tanner, 2014 ). (upholds reliability, upholds validity, mitigates bias)

Using assessment tools offer the following benefits for educators:

• Electronically link rubrics to learning objectives and outcomes or accreditation standards.
• Generate comprehensive reports on student or class performance.
• Share assessment data with students to improve self-assessment.
• Gain a more complete understanding of student performance, no matter the evaluation method.

Ultimately, employing rubric and assessment software tools like ExamSoft and Gradescope gives both instructors and students a clearer picture of exam performance as it pertains to specific assignments or learning outcomes. This knowledge is instrumental to educators’ attempt to improve teaching methods, exam creation, grading—and students’ ability to refine their study habits.

Creating reliable and valid assessments with unbiased measurement will always be an important aspect of an educator’s job. Using all the tools at their disposal is the most effective way to ensure that all assessments—whether subjective or objective— accurately measure what students have learned.

• Page Content
• Sidebar Content
• Main Navigation
• Quick links

• All TIP Sheets
• Taking Lecture Notes
• Study Tips for Biology Classes
• How to Study for Tests
• Working Successfully with a Study Group
• Avoiding Test Anxiety

Multiple Choice and Other Objective Tests

• Essay Tests
• Take-Home and Open-Book Tests
• Plan Ahead: Studying for Finals

TIP Sheet MULTIPLE CHOICE AND OTHER OBJECTIVE TESTS

General Statements about Objective Tests

• Objective tests require recognition and recall of subject matter.
• The forms vary: questions of fact, sentence completion, true-false, analogy, multiple-choice, and matching.
• They tend to cover more material than essay tests.
• They have one, and only one, correct answer to each question.
• They may require strict preparation like memorization.

Before Answering

• Listen carefully to oral directions.
• Notice if there is a penalty for guessing.
• Glance quickly through the entire test.
• Observe point values of different sections.
• Budget your time.
• Read the instructions and follow them.
• Write your name on each page of the test.

While Answering

• Read all directions carefully.
• Read each question carefully.
• If allowed to, underline key words.
• Answer the easy questions first.
• Skip questions that stump you. Mark them to come back later.
• If you have time at the end, go back to the questions you marked.
• Do not go back over every question. Reread only the ones that you were unsure of.
• Do not second-guess yourself. Change an answer only if you are absolutely sure your first answer was wrong. The odds are in your favor that your first answer was right.
• Make sure you have answered all the questions.
• If you have no idea of the answer, guess!

STRATEGIES FOR TAKING OBJECTIVE EXAMS

Prepare thoroughly for all of your exams. There is no real substitute for studying. Start studying for your final exam the first day of class.

Use a variety of study strategies. Know your preferred learning style and take advantage of it!

Pay no attention to students who finish early. Do not automatically presume that students who finish early did well on the test (they often leave early because they didn't study enough!)

Plan on being the last one to leave. That way you can relax and make the most of your time.

Ignore what other students are saying before and after the exam.

Consider all alternatives in a multiple choice question before making your decision.

Always guess if there is no penalty for guessing.

Do not guess if there is a penalty for guessing and you have no basis on which to make a good choice.

Eliminate options which are known to be incorrect and choose from the remaining options.

Look for information in test items that will help you answer other questions.

Pay close attention to key words on True-False Tests.

a. Closed words (such as never , only , always , all , none , and most ) are often (but not always) indicators of a false statement because they restrict possibilities.

b. Open words (such as usually , frequently , mostly , may , and generally ) are often (but not always) found in true statements.

STEPS TO REMEMBER

To help you score as high as possible on all exams we have devised a plan of attack called SCORER. Each letter in the word stands for an important rule in test-taking. SCORER is based on the experience of many teachers and students and on research findings -- it might work for you!

S - Schedule your time.

C - Clue words help.

O - Omit the difficult questions.

R - Read carefully.

E - Estimate your answers.

R - Review your work.

S - The first letter in SCORER reminds you to SCHEDULE your time.

Consider the exam as a whole. How long is it? How many sections? How many questions? Are there especially easy or very difficult sections or questions? Estimate roughly the time needed for each section. Schedule your time.

For example, in a 50-minute test containing 20 questions you can spend about 50 divided by 20 or 21 minutes on each question. If you start at 9 AM you should be one-third finished by 9:17 halfway by 9:25 working on question 16 by 9:40. If you lag much behind these times you will run out of time before you finish the test.

C - The second letter in SCORER reminds you to watch for CLUE WORDS.

Almost every question has built-in clues to what is wanted. In a true-false test the Instructor must make up questions that are absolutely true or absolutely false. If he asks: "An unhappy childhood produces a neurotic adult. (True or False?)," he has a question he cannot grade. The more you know about psychology the more difficult this question is to answer. It is sometimes true, sometimes not: true for some people, false for others.

"An unhappy childhood always produces a neurotic adult." Vs. "An unhappy childhood never produces a neurotic adult." Vs. "An unhappy childhood sometimes produces a neurotic adult."

The first two are clearly false and the last is clearly true. The words always, never, and sometimes are called clue words.

"All men are taller than all women." "Some men are taller than women." "Men are never taller than women." "Men are usually taller than women." "Men are sometimes taller than women."

Answers: False, True, False, True, True

The clue words are all, some, never, usually, sometimes. These words are a key to answering objective test questions.

Some clue words such as all, every, none, exactly, always, and never indicate that the statement is absolutely true. Exceptions are not allowed. If they appear in a statement it must be true in every case to be true at all. For example:

"All squares have four equal sides." (That's a definition.)

"Every insect has six legs." (if it has more or less than six it is not an insect.)

"Politicians are invariably dishonest." (That means there has never been an honest politician. We're not certain, but we think this is false.)

Other clue words such as many, most, some, usually, few, or often are qualifiers. They indicate a limited range of truth.

"Some apples are green." (Sure, some apples are also yellow, pink, and even red.)

All clue words are red lights for test takers. When you see one, STOP and learn what it is telling you.

O - The third letter in SCORER reminds you to OMIT the DIFFICULT QUESTIONS.

A test is not the sort of semi-fatal illness you fall into; it is a battle to be planned, fought, and won. You size up the enemy, look at the terrain, check out his artillery, develop your strategy, and attack at the place you have the best chance of success. The 0 rule in SCORER says that to score high on tests you should find the easiest questions and answer them first. Omit or postpone the more difficult ones later.

The procedure for an objective exam is the following:

• Move rapidly through the test.
• When you find an easy question or one you are certain of, answer it.
• Omit the difficult ones on this first pass.
• When you skip a question, make a mark in the margin. (Do not use a red pencil or pen. Your marks could get confused with the grader's marks).
• Keep moving. Never erase. Don't dawdle. Jot brief notes in the margin for later use if you need to.
• When you have finished the easy ones return to those with marks, and try again.
• Mark again those answers you are still not sure of.
• In your review (that's the last R on SCORER) you will go over all the questions if time permits.

R - The fourth letter of SCORER reminds you to READ CAREFULLY.

• As we have already explained, it is very important that you read the directions carefully before you begin. It is also very important that you read each question completely and with care.
• Read all of the questions. Many students, because they are careless or rushed for time, read only part of the question and answer it on the basis of that part. For example, consider the statement "Supreme Court decisions are very effective in influencing attitudes." If you disagree with some Supreme Court decisions you may mark it false after reading the first six words. The political scientist knows it is true. He is not asking you whether the Court is doing a good job, only what the effects of its decisions are.
• Read the question as it is. Be careful to interpret the question as the instructor intended. Don't let your bias or expectation lure you into a false reading. For example, the statement "Once an American, always an American." may be marked true by a super-patriot who believes it should be true. Legally, it is not true.
• Read it logically. If the statement has several parts, all parts must be true if the statement is to be true. The statement, "George Washington was elected president because he was a famous film star." is false. (Not in 1776. Today it might be possible.) The statement, "Chlorine gas is a greenish, poisonous, foul-smelling, very rare gas used in water purification," is false. (It is not rare.)

E - The E in SCORER reminds you to ESTIMATE.

Your instructor may never admit it, but you can go a long way on an objective exam by guessing.

On most true-false or multiple-choice tests, your final score is simply the number you answer correctly. Wrong answers are ignored. There is not a penalty for guessing. On some tests you may have points subtracted from your score for wrong answers. Be certain you know how the test will be scored. If the test directions do not make it perfectly clear, ask your instructor.

• If there is no penalty for guessing, be certain you answer every question even if you must guess.
• If you have plenty of time, proceed as we have already outlined: omit or postpone the difficult questions, answer the easy ones first, return to the difficult ones later. Guess on any you do not know. (But be careful. Your instructor may be upset if you start flipping a dime and shouting "Heads" and "Tails" during the exam.)
• If the test is a long one and you are pressed for time, answer the easy ones, guess at the difficult ones.
• If guessing is penalized, then do not guess on true-false questions and make an educated guess on multiple-choice questions only if you can narrow the possibilities down to two. Guess at completion or fill-in questions if you have any idea of what the answer is. Part of a correct answer may earn some credit.
• "Guesstimating" is an important part of test-taking.

R - The last letter in SCORER is a reminder to REVIEW your work.

• Use every minute that is available to you. Anyone who leaves the exam room early is either very foolish or super-confident. Review everything you have done.
• Return to the double-checked, difficult questions. Reread them. Look for clue words. Look for new hints. Then go to the checked questions and finally to the unmarked ones if there is still time.
• Don't be too eager to change answers. Change only if you have a good reason for changing.
• Be certain you have considered all questions.

It is most important to build up your knowledge and understanding of the subject through systematic study, reading, and class work. SCORER is designed to help you do you best with what you know.

__________________________________________

More on Multiple Choice Tests

Following are additional specific strategies that can be used when taking multiple choice tests:

There are three major reasons that multiple-choice questions appear on many college tests.

• They can be used to test all aspects of students, knowledge and their ability to reason with information that they have learned.
• If students have difficulty expressing their thoughts in writing, poor writing ability will not lower their grades on multiple-choice tests.
• When answers are recorded on answer sheet, multiple choice tests are easy to grade.

Because of these advantages, you will answer many multiple choice questions on the tests you take during your college career.

Stems, Options, and Distractors

Multiple-choice questions are usually either incomplete statements followed by possible ways the statements may be completed or they are questions followed by possible answers. The following question is an incomplete statement followed by possible ways the statement may be completed.

 In this country, the ultimate legal responsibility for the education of children belongs to:

a. parents. b. states. c. the federal government. d. local school boards.

The first part of a multiple-choice question is called the stem. The stem of the above example is:

" In this country, the ultimate legal responsibility for the education of children belongs to "

The choices that are given for answers are called options. These are the options in the example:

parents; states; the federal government; local school boards

Options are written so that one is the correct answer and the others are distractors. The correct answer to this question is option b; options a, c, and d are distractors. Correct answers are supposed to be selected by students who know correct answers. Other students are supposed to be distracted and select one of the other options -- one of the distractors.

• Eliminate the distractors

The basic strategy for answering a multiple choice question is to eliminate the distractors and to select as the correct answer the option that is not a distractor. One way to locate distractors is to analyze a multiple choice question as though it is a series of true-false questions. The following questions about American history may be analyzed in this way.

Centers for early gold rushes were in the present-day states of:

a. Oklahoma and Texas. b. California and New Mexico. c. Kansas and Nebraska. d. Nevada and Colorado.

This question, like most multiple-choice questions, is actually a series of true-false questions, only one of which is true. All the options are false except d.

When you answer a multiple-choice question, indicate with an X or a check mark the options that you decide are distractors. For example:

Oklahoma and Texas. X

California and New Mexico .

Kansas and Nebraska. X

Nevada and California .

In this example, a student has decided that option a and option c are distractors. She/He will eventually cross out option b and decide that option d is correct, or she will cross out option d and decide that option b is correct. The correct answer is option d.

• Use common sense and sound reasoning

You may sometimes be able to select the correct answer to a multiple-choice question by using common sense, sound reasoning, experience you have had, and information you know. For instance, since you have been or have known many male adolescents, you can probably use your experience to answer the following question correctly.

Which of the following is not a secondary sex characteristic of normal male adolescents?

a. Their voices deepen. b. They grow facial hair. c. Their subcutaneous fat increases. d. Their muscles develop noticeably.

Even if you do not know what a secondary sex characteristic is, you do know that options a, b, and d state facts about male adolescents. You might, therefore, conclude that option c does not state a fact about young men. Option c is the correct answer; it describes female adolescents.

Sometimes you may know information that will help you to select a correct answer. For instance, you may know that the word intrinsic refers to "that which is within." If you know the meaning of intrinsic, you should be able to answer the following question correctly.

Which of the following is an example of an intrinsic reward?

a. food b. money c. praise d. self-approval

If you know the meaning of intrinsic , you should select option d as the correct answer. Self-approval is an intrinsic reward – it comes from within a person. Food, money, and praise, on the other hand, are extrinsic rewards – they come from outside a person.

Summary for Multiple Choice Questions

When you answer a multiple-choice question:

1. Cross out the distractors and select as the correct answer the option that is not a distractor.

2. Use common sense, sound reasoning, experiences you have had, and information you know to select correct answers.

When necessary, make your best guess:

Although no specific techniques can be applied to all multiple choice tests, the following are frequently means of getting points out of questions for which you don't really know the answers.

Occasionally, testers overlook some of the faults described below. It is important to use the following techniques with care to determine if they are applicable.

I. AT TIMES THE LONGEST ANSWER IS THE CORRECT ONE. Example:

The results of research on a sample drawn form the 9th grade students who have failed Algebra will:

a. have no specific significance. b. yield important data for all high schools. c. generalize for the narrow population, but may carry implications for similar populations.

The answer is c, mainly because it is the longest and most complete. Usually a test writer makes up a multiple choice test by leafing through the material to be tested. He may come upon a statement that seems to provide a question and answer, and he bases the multiple choice item on this. Test writers in a hurry write as few words as they can get away with. Therefore, they skimp when they are writing incorrect choices on a multiple choice test. The best way to determine length is to compare the number of words used in the answer. The physical length is less important. Usually the choice containing the most words is the right answer.

II. IN A CARELESSLY WRITTEN TEST, ONE OR MORE OF THE POSSIBLE ANSWERS MAY BE ELIMINATED ON GRAMMATICAL GROUNDS. Examples:

Which of the following are the best source of information concerning the interior structure of the earth?

a. barogram b. seismograms c. thermogram d. hygrogram

The question asks for a plural answer. ("Which of the following are....") Only b is a plural answer, so that is the correct one.

Shakespeare's reference to clocks in "Julius Caesar" is an example of an:

a. anachronism b. antiquareanisms c. poetic licence d. ignorance

Grammatical grounds eliminate option c since the question calls for an answer beginning with a vowel " example of an ...." Answer a and b begin with the same syllable, so it is probably one of these two: b is plural, and the question asks for singular answer. The best choice is a.

III. IF TWO CHOICES BEGIN WITH THE SAME SOUND OR CONTAIN DISTINCTIVE SOUNDS OR SPELLING, THE CORRECT ANSWER TENDS TO BE ONE OF THESE TWO CHOICES.

Often a test writer will think it smart to include among the wrong answers a distractor similar to the right answer. This is done to ensure that the student is more than just vaguely familiar with what might be the correct answer.

The functional unit of the kidney is:

a. the pelvis b. the nephron c. the neuron d. the medulla

Options b and c are very similar in spelling, so one of those is probably the answer. After this there are no clues, so that a student must use knowledge or guess. Option b is the correct answer.

The water bearing layer of an artesian formation is most likely composed of:

a. limestone b. sand c. granite d. sandstone

The work "sand" is repeated in b and d, and "stone" occurs in a and d. Answer d has both repeated elements. The best guess could be d.

IV. AVOID ANSWERS THAT REPEAT IMPORTANT WORDS GIVEN IN THE QUESTION.

Many test writers routinely include wrong answers that repeat terms of the question just to distract wild guessers.

An important commercial source of ammonia is:

a. ammonia water b. coal tar c. soft coal d. petroleum

The repetition of " ammonia " in answer a potentially eliminates that as the correct choice.

"Coal" in both b and b suggests one of these answers, and c is the correct one.

Test questions are often taken directly from the textbook. Watch for "unusual" or "catchy" statements. Watch for dates, definitions, or statements of facts.

V. ASK, before you take the test, if you are penalized for guessing. If so, don't guess. The instructor may subtract the number wrong for the number right. Then you may pay twice for every wrong answer.

VI. UNDERSTAND precisely how to indicate the answers. (Do you put your "x" by the right one or the wrong one?)

VII. WATCH your numbers. It's easy to get mixed up.

VIII. WATCH for special words.

Statements with never or always are likely to be false.

Moderate statements are often true.

An answer that is "almost, but not quite true" is still false.

Extreme statements are almost always false.

Read through each question quickly and answer the ones you are fairly sure of first. Spend little time on the questions, and skip the ones you don't know. These can be analyzed when you can come back to them. Remember that these test techniques alone will not help you do well on a test. Your knowledge of the subject matter is the main determinant of how well you will do!

Home | Calendars | Library | Bookstore | Directory | Apply Now | Search for Classes | Register | Online Classes  | MyBC Portal MyBC -->

Butte College | 3536 Butte Campus Drive, Oroville CA 95965 | General Information (530) 895-2511

Have a language expert improve your writing

Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, generate accurate citations for free.

• Knowledge Base
• Comparing and contrasting in an essay | Tips & examples

Comparing and Contrasting in an Essay | Tips & Examples

Published on August 6, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.

Comparing and contrasting is an important skill in academic writing . It involves taking two or more subjects and analyzing the differences and similarities between them.

Instantly correct all language mistakes in your text

Upload your document to correct all your mistakes in minutes

Table of contents

When should i compare and contrast, making effective comparisons, comparing and contrasting as a brainstorming tool, structuring your comparisons, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about comparing and contrasting.

Many assignments will invite you to make comparisons quite explicitly, as in these prompts.

• Compare the treatment of the theme of beauty in the poetry of William Wordsworth and John Keats.
• Compare and contrast in-class and distance learning. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each approach?

Some other prompts may not directly ask you to compare and contrast, but present you with a topic where comparing and contrasting could be a good approach.

One way to approach this essay might be to contrast the situation before the Great Depression with the situation during it, to highlight how large a difference it made.

Comparing and contrasting is also used in all kinds of academic contexts where it’s not explicitly prompted. For example, a literature review involves comparing and contrasting different studies on your topic, and an argumentative essay may involve weighing up the pros and cons of different arguments.

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

As the name suggests, comparing and contrasting is about identifying both similarities and differences. You might focus on contrasting quite different subjects or comparing subjects with a lot in common—but there must be some grounds for comparison in the first place.

For example, you might contrast French society before and after the French Revolution; you’d likely find many differences, but there would be a valid basis for comparison. However, if you contrasted pre-revolutionary France with Han-dynasty China, your reader might wonder why you chose to compare these two societies.

This is why it’s important to clarify the point of your comparisons by writing a focused thesis statement . Every element of an essay should serve your central argument in some way. Consider what you’re trying to accomplish with any comparisons you make, and be sure to make this clear to the reader.

Comparing and contrasting can be a useful tool to help organize your thoughts before you begin writing any type of academic text. You might use it to compare different theories and approaches you’ve encountered in your preliminary research, for example.

Let’s say your research involves the competing psychological approaches of behaviorism and cognitive psychology. You might make a table to summarize the key differences between them.

Or say you’re writing about the major global conflicts of the twentieth century. You might visualize the key similarities and differences in a Venn diagram.

These visualizations wouldn’t make it into your actual writing, so they don’t have to be very formal in terms of phrasing or presentation. The point of comparing and contrasting at this stage is to help you organize and shape your ideas to aid you in structuring your arguments.

When comparing and contrasting in an essay, there are two main ways to structure your comparisons: the alternating method and the block method.

The alternating method

In the alternating method, you structure your text according to what aspect you’re comparing. You cover both your subjects side by side in terms of a specific point of comparison. Your text is structured like this:

Mouse over the example paragraph below to see how this approach works.

One challenge teachers face is identifying and assisting students who are struggling without disrupting the rest of the class. In a traditional classroom environment, the teacher can easily identify when a student is struggling based on their demeanor in class or simply by regularly checking on students during exercises. They can then offer assistance quietly during the exercise or discuss it further after class. Meanwhile, in a Zoom-based class, the lack of physical presence makes it more difficult to pay attention to individual students’ responses and notice frustrations, and there is less flexibility to speak with students privately to offer assistance. In this case, therefore, the traditional classroom environment holds the advantage, although it appears likely that aiding students in a virtual classroom environment will become easier as the technology, and teachers’ familiarity with it, improves.

The block method

In the block method, you cover each of the overall subjects you’re comparing in a block. You say everything you have to say about your first subject, then discuss your second subject, making comparisons and contrasts back to the things you’ve already said about the first. Your text is structured like this:

• Point of comparison A
• Point of comparison B

The most commonly cited advantage of distance learning is the flexibility and accessibility it offers. Rather than being required to travel to a specific location every week (and to live near enough to feasibly do so), students can participate from anywhere with an internet connection. This allows not only for a wider geographical spread of students but for the possibility of studying while travelling. However, distance learning presents its own accessibility challenges; not all students have a stable internet connection and a computer or other device with which to participate in online classes, and less technologically literate students and teachers may struggle with the technical aspects of class participation. Furthermore, discomfort and distractions can hinder an individual student’s ability to engage with the class from home, creating divergent learning experiences for different students. Distance learning, then, seems to improve accessibility in some ways while representing a step backwards in others.

Note that these two methods can be combined; these two example paragraphs could both be part of the same essay, but it’s wise to use an essay outline to plan out which approach you’re taking in each paragraph.

Here's why students love Scribbr's proofreading services

Discover proofreading & editing

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

• Ad hominem fallacy
• Post hoc fallacy
• Appeal to authority fallacy
• False cause fallacy
• Sunk cost fallacy

College essays

• Choosing Essay Topic
• Write a College Essay
• Write a Diversity Essay
• College Essay Format & Structure
• Comparing and Contrasting in an Essay

 (AI) Tools

• Grammar Checker
• Paraphrasing Tool
• Text Summarizer
• AI Detector
• Plagiarism Checker
• Citation Generator

Some essay prompts include the keywords “compare” and/or “contrast.” In these cases, an essay structured around comparing and contrasting is the appropriate response.

Comparing and contrasting is also a useful approach in all kinds of academic writing : You might compare different studies in a literature review , weigh up different arguments in an argumentative essay , or consider different theoretical approaches in a theoretical framework .

Your subjects might be very different or quite similar, but it’s important that there be meaningful grounds for comparison . You can probably describe many differences between a cat and a bicycle, but there isn’t really any connection between them to justify the comparison.

You’ll have to write a thesis statement explaining the central point you want to make in your essay , so be sure to know in advance what connects your subjects and makes them worth comparing.

Comparisons in essays are generally structured in one of two ways:

• The alternating method, where you compare your subjects side by side according to one specific aspect at a time.
• The block method, where you cover each subject separately in its entirety.

It’s also possible to combine both methods, for example by writing a full paragraph on each of your topics and then a final paragraph contrasting the two according to a specific metric.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Caulfield, J. (2023, July 23). Comparing and Contrasting in an Essay | Tips & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved June 24, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/academic-essay/compare-and-contrast/

Is this article helpful?

Jack Caulfield

Other students also liked, how to write an expository essay, how to write an argumentative essay | examples & tips, academic paragraph structure | step-by-step guide & examples, get unlimited documents corrected.

✔ Free APA citation check included ✔ Unlimited document corrections ✔ Specialized in correcting academic texts

• Corpus ID: 231065654

A comparison between Objective and subjective tests

• Abdulhamid Shaban
• Published 2014
• Linguistics

6 Citations

Students’ perceptions on difficult reading question types, objective assessment in java programming language using rubrics, automatic question generation and answer assessment: a survey, automatic generation of fill‐in‐the‐blank question with corpus‐based distractors for e‐assessment to enhance learning, automatic question generation and answer assessment for subjective examination, perceptions of (un)successful pet results at a private university in mexico, 4 references, related papers.

Showing 1 through 3 of 0 Related Papers

Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

10.7 Comparison and Contrast

Learning objectives.

• Determine the purpose and structure of comparison and contrast in writing.
• Explain organizational methods used when comparing and contrasting.
• Understand how to write a compare-and-contrast essay.

The Purpose of Comparison and Contrast in Writing

Comparison in writing discusses elements that are similar, while contrast in writing discusses elements that are different. A compare-and-contrast essay , then, analyzes two subjects by comparing them, contrasting them, or both.

The key to a good compare-and-contrast essay is to choose two or more subjects that connect in a meaningful way. The purpose of conducting the comparison or contrast is not to state the obvious but rather to illuminate subtle differences or unexpected similarities. For example, if you wanted to focus on contrasting two subjects you would not pick apples and oranges; rather, you might choose to compare and contrast two types of oranges or two types of apples to highlight subtle differences. For example, Red Delicious apples are sweet, while Granny Smiths are tart and acidic. Drawing distinctions between elements in a similar category will increase the audience’s understanding of that category, which is the purpose of the compare-and-contrast essay.

Similarly, to focus on comparison, choose two subjects that seem at first to be unrelated. For a comparison essay, you likely would not choose two apples or two oranges because they share so many of the same properties already. Rather, you might try to compare how apples and oranges are quite similar. The more divergent the two subjects initially seem, the more interesting a comparison essay will be.

Writing at Work

Comparing and contrasting is also an evaluative tool. In order to make accurate evaluations about a given topic, you must first know the critical points of similarity and difference. Comparing and contrasting is a primary tool for many workplace assessments. You have likely compared and contrasted yourself to other colleagues. Employee advancements, pay raises, hiring, and firing are typically conducted using comparison and contrast. Comparison and contrast could be used to evaluate companies, departments, or individuals.

Brainstorm an essay that leans toward contrast. Choose one of the following three categories. Pick two examples from each. Then come up with one similarity and three differences between the examples.

• Romantic comedies
• Internet search engines
• Cell phones

Brainstorm an essay that leans toward comparison. Choose one of the following three items. Then come up with one difference and three similarities.

• Department stores and discount retail stores
• Fast food chains and fine dining restaurants
• Dogs and cats

The Structure of a Comparison and Contrast Essay

The compare-and-contrast essay starts with a thesis that clearly states the two subjects that are to be compared, contrasted, or both and the reason for doing so. The thesis could lean more toward comparing, contrasting, or both. Remember, the point of comparing and contrasting is to provide useful knowledge to the reader. Take the following thesis as an example that leans more toward contrasting.

Thesis statement: Organic vegetables may cost more than those that are conventionally grown, but when put to the test, they are definitely worth every extra penny.

Here the thesis sets up the two subjects to be compared and contrasted (organic versus conventional vegetables), and it makes a claim about the results that might prove useful to the reader.

You may organize compare-and-contrast essays in one of the following two ways:

• According to the subjects themselves, discussing one then the other
• According to individual points, discussing each subject in relation to each point

See Figure 10.1 “Comparison and Contrast Diagram” , which diagrams the ways to organize our organic versus conventional vegetables thesis.

Figure 10.1 Comparison and Contrast Diagram

The organizational structure you choose depends on the nature of the topic, your purpose, and your audience.

Given that compare-and-contrast essays analyze the relationship between two subjects, it is helpful to have some phrases on hand that will cue the reader to such analysis. See Table 10.3 “Phrases of Comparison and Contrast” for examples.

Table 10.3 Phrases of Comparison and Contrast

Create an outline for each of the items you chose in Note 10.72 “Exercise 1” and Note 10.73 “Exercise 2” . Use the point-by-point organizing strategy for one of them, and use the subject organizing strategy for the other.

Writing a Comparison and Contrast Essay

First choose whether you want to compare seemingly disparate subjects, contrast seemingly similar subjects, or compare and contrast subjects. Once you have decided on a topic, introduce it with an engaging opening paragraph. Your thesis should come at the end of the introduction, and it should establish the subjects you will compare, contrast, or both as well as state what can be learned from doing so.

The body of the essay can be organized in one of two ways: by subject or by individual points. The organizing strategy that you choose will depend on, as always, your audience and your purpose. You may also consider your particular approach to the subjects as well as the nature of the subjects themselves; some subjects might better lend themselves to one structure or the other. Make sure to use comparison and contrast phrases to cue the reader to the ways in which you are analyzing the relationship between the subjects.

After you finish analyzing the subjects, write a conclusion that summarizes the main points of the essay and reinforces your thesis. See Chapter 15 “Readings: Examples of Essays” to read a sample compare-and-contrast essay.

Many business presentations are conducted using comparison and contrast. The organizing strategies—by subject or individual points—could also be used for organizing a presentation. Keep this in mind as a way of organizing your content the next time you or a colleague have to present something at work.

Choose one of the outlines you created in Note 10.75 “Exercise 3” , and write a full compare-and-contrast essay. Be sure to include an engaging introduction, a clear thesis, well-defined and detailed paragraphs, and a fitting conclusion that ties everything together.

Key Takeaways

• A compare-and-contrast essay analyzes two subjects by either comparing them, contrasting them, or both.
• The purpose of writing a comparison or contrast essay is not to state the obvious but rather to illuminate subtle differences or unexpected similarities between two subjects.
• The thesis should clearly state the subjects that are to be compared, contrasted, or both, and it should state what is to be learned from doing so.

There are two main organizing strategies for compare-and-contrast essays.

• Organize by the subjects themselves, one then the other.
• Organize by individual points, in which you discuss each subject in relation to each point.
• Use phrases of comparison or phrases of contrast to signal to readers how exactly the two subjects are being analyzed.

Writing for Success Copyright © 2015 by University of Minnesota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

• Writing for Success: Compare/Contrast

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

This section will help you determine the purpose and structure of comparison/contrast in writing.

The Purpose of Compare/Contrast in Writing

Comparison in writing discusses elements that are similar, while contrast in writing discusses elements that are different. A compare-and-contrast essay, then, analyzes two subjects by comparing them, contrasting them, or both.

The key to a good compare-and-contrast essay is to choose two or more subjects that connect in a meaningful way. The purpose of conducting the comparison or contrast is not to state the obvious but rather to illuminate subtle differences or unexpected similarities. For example, if you wanted to focus on contrasting two subjects you would not pick apples and oranges; rather, you might choose to compare and contrast two types of oranges or two types of apples to highlight subtle differences. For example, Red Delicious apples are sweet, while Granny Smiths are tart and acidic. Drawing distinctions between elements in a similar category will increase the audience’s understanding of that category, which is the purpose of the compare-and-contrast essay.

Similarly, to focus on comparison, choose two subjects that seem at first to be unrelated. For a comparison essay, you likely would not choose two apples or two oranges because they share so many of the same properties already. Rather, you might try to compare how apples and oranges are quite similar. The more divergent the two subjects initially seem, the more interesting a comparison essay will be.

The Structure of a Compare/Contrast Essay

The compare-and-contrast essay starts with a thesis that clearly states the two subjects that are to be compared, contrasted, or both and the reason for doing so. The thesis could lean more toward comparing, contrasting, or both. Remember, the point of comparing and contrasting is to provide useful knowledge to the reader. Take the following thesis as an example that leans more toward contrasting:

Thesis Statement: Organic vegetables may cost more than those that are conventionally grown, but when put to the test, they are definitely worth every extra penny.

Here the thesis sets up the two subjects to be compared and contrasted (organic versus conventional vegetables), and it makes a claim about the results that might prove useful to the reader.

You may organize compare-and-contrast essays in one of the following two ways:

• According to the subjects themselves, discussing one then the other
• According to individual points, discussing each subject in relation to each point

The organizational structure you choose depends on the nature of the topic, your purpose, and your audience.

Given that compare-and-contrast essays analyze the relationship between two subjects, it is helpful to have some phrases on hand that will cue the reader to such analysis.

Phrases of Comparison and Contrast

Writing an Compare/Contrast Essay

First choose whether you want to compare seemingly disparate subjects, contrast seemingly similar subjects, or compare and contrast subjects. Once you have decided on a topic, introduce it with an engaging opening paragraph. Your thesis should come at the end of the introduction, and it should establish the subjects you will compare, contrast, or both as well as state what can be learned from doing so.

The body of the essay can be organized in one of two ways: by subject or by individual points. The organizing strategy that you choose will depend on, as always, your audience and your purpose. You may also consider your particular approach to the subjects as well as the nature of the subjects themselves; some subjects might better lend themselves to one structure or the other. Make sure to use comparison and contrast phrases to cue the reader to the ways in which you are analyzing the relationship between the subjects.

After you finish analyzing the subjects, write a conclusion that summarizes the main points of the essay and reinforces your thesis.

Compare/Contrast Essay Example

Comparing and Contrasting London and Washington, DC

By Scott McLean in Writing for Success

Both Washington, DC, and London are capital cities of English-speaking countries, and yet they offer vastly different experiences to their residents and visitors. Comparing and contrasting the two cities based on their history, their culture, and their residents show how different and similar the two are.

Both cities are rich in world and national history, though they developed on very different time lines. London, for example, has a history that dates back over two thousand years. It was part of the Roman Empire and known by the similar name, Londinium. It was not only one of the northernmost points of the Roman Empire but also the epicenter of the British Empire where it held significant global influence from the early sixteenth century on through the early twentieth century. Washington, DC, on the other hand, has only formally existed since the late eighteenth century. Though Native Americans inhabited the land several thousand years earlier, and settlers inhabited the land as early as the sixteenth century, the city did not become the capital of the United States until the 1790s. From that point onward to today, however, Washington, DC, has increasingly maintained significant global influence. Even though both cities have different histories, they have both held, and continue to hold, significant social influence in the economic and cultural global spheres.

Both Washington, DC, and London offer a wide array of museums that harbor many of the world’s most prized treasures. While Washington, DC, has the National Gallery of Art and several other Smithsonian galleries, London’s art scene and galleries have a definite edge in this category. From the Tate Modern to the British National Gallery, London’s art ranks among the world’s best. This difference and advantage has much to do with London and Britain’s historical depth compared to that of the United States. London has a much richer past than Washington, DC, and consequently has a lot more material to pull from when arranging its collections. Both cities have thriving theater districts, but again, London wins this comparison, too, both in quantity and quality of theater choices. With regard to other cultural places like restaurants, pubs, and bars, both cities are very comparable. Both have a wide selection of expensive, elegant restaurants as well as a similar amount of global and national chains. While London may be better known for its pubs and taste in beer, DC offers a different bar-going experience. With clubs and pubs that tend to stay open later than their British counterparts, the DC night life tend to be less reserved overall.

Both cities also share and differ in cultural diversity and cost of living. Both cities share a very expensive cost of living—both in terms of housing and shopping. A downtown one-bedroom apartment in DC can easily cost $1,800 per month, and a similar “flat” in London may double that amount. These high costs create socioeconomic disparity among the residents. Although both cities’ residents are predominantly wealthy, both have a significantly large population of poor and homeless. Perhaps the most significant difference between the resident demographics is the racial makeup. Washington, DC, is a “minority majority” city, which means the majority of its citizens are races other than white. In 2009, according to the US Census, 55 percent of DC residents were classified as “Black or African American” and 35 percent of its residents were classified as “white.” London, by contrast, has very few minorities—in 2006, 70 percent of its population was “white,” while only 10 percent was “black.” The racial demographic differences between the cities is drastic.

Even though Washington, DC, and London are major capital cities of English-speaking countries in the Western world, they have many differences along with their similarities. They have vastly different histories, art cultures, and racial demographics, but they remain similar in their cost of living and socioeconomic disparity.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• A compare-and-contrast essay analyzes two subjects by either comparing them, contrasting them, or both.
• The purpose of writing a comparison or contrast essay is not to state the obvious but rather to illuminate subtle differences or unexpected similarities between two subjects.
• The thesis should clearly state the subjects that are to be compared, contrasted, or both, and it should state what is to be learned from doing so.
• There are two main organizing strategies for compare-and-contrast essays.
• Organize by the subjects themselves, one then the other.
• Organize by individual points, in which you discuss each subject in relation to each point.
• Use phrases of comparison or phrases of contrast to signal to readers how exactly the two subjects are being analyzed.
• Provided by : Lumen Learning. Located at : http://lumenlearning.com/ . License : CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
• Successful Writing. Provided by : Anonymous. Located at : http://2012books.lardbucket.org/books/successful-writing/s14-07-comparison-and-contrast.html . License : CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
• Comparing and Contrasting London and Washington, DC. Authored by : Scott McLean. Located at : http://2012books.lardbucket.org/books/successful-writing/s14-07-comparison-and-contrast.html . License : CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
• Table of Contents

Instructor Resources (Access Requires Login)

• Overview of Instructor Resources

An Overview of the Writing Process

• Introduction to the Writing Process
• Introduction to Writing
• Your Role as a Learner
• What is an Essay?
• Reading to Write
• Defining the Writing Process
• Videos: Prewriting Techniques
• Thesis Statements
• Organizing an Essay
• Creating Paragraphs
• Conclusions
• Editing and Proofreading
• Matters of Grammar, Mechanics, and Style
• Peer Review Checklist
• Comparative Chart of Writing Strategies

Using Sources

• Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Avoiding Plagiarism
• Formatting the Works Cited Page (MLA)
• Citing Paraphrases and Summaries (APA)
• APA Citation Style, 6th edition: General Style Guidelines

Definition Essay

• Definitional Argument Essay
• How to Write a Definition Essay
• Critical Thinking
• Video: Thesis Explained
• Effective Thesis Statements
• Student Sample: Definition Essay

Narrative Essay

• Introduction to Narrative Essay
• Student Sample: Narrative Essay
• "Shooting an Elephant" by George Orwell
• "Sixty-nine Cents" by Gary Shteyngart
• Video: The Danger of a Single Story
• How to Write an Annotation
• How to Write a Summary
• Writing for Success: Narration

Illustration/Example Essay

• Introduction to Illustration/Example Essay
• "She's Your Basic L.O.L. in N.A.D" by Perri Klass
• "April & Paris" by David Sedaris
• Writing for Success: Illustration/Example
• Student Sample: Illustration/Example Essay

Compare/Contrast Essay

• Introduction to Compare/Contrast Essay
• "Disability" by Nancy Mairs
• "Friending, Ancient or Otherwise" by Alex Wright
• "A South African Storm" by Allison Howard
• Student Sample: Compare/Contrast Essay

Cause-and-Effect Essay

• Introduction to Cause-and-Effect Essay
• "Cultural Baggage" by Barbara Ehrenreich
• "Women in Science" by K.C. Cole
• Writing for Success: Cause and Effect
• Student Sample: Cause-and-Effect Essay

Argument Essay

• Introduction to Argument Essay
• Rogerian Argument
• "The Case Against Torture," by Alisa Soloman
• "The Case for Torture" by Michael Levin
• How to Write a Summary by Paraphrasing Source Material
• Writing for Success: Argument
• Student Sample: Argument Essay
• Grammar/Mechanics Mini-lessons
• Mini-lesson: Subjects and Verbs, Irregular Verbs, Subject Verb Agreement
• Mini-lesson: Sentence Types
• Mini-lesson: Fragments I
• Mini-lesson: Run-ons and Comma Splices I
• Mini-lesson: Comma Usage
• Mini-lesson: Parallelism
• Mini-lesson: The Apostrophe
• Mini-lesson: Capital Letters
• Grammar Practice - Interactive Quizzes
• De Copia - Demonstration of the Variety of Language
• Style Exercise: Voice