We compare the performance of course-work (take-home assignments, on-line quizzes and invigilated
tests) against the final examination in Econ 101 over 16 semesters (2001-8). When course-work is less
comprehensive and less intensive than the final examination, and so less challenging, completion of
coursework acts more as a signal of a student’s participation than of their ability per se. Open-book
assessment (assignments and on-line quizzes) and tests with only multiple-choice questions all proved
limited as predictors of success in the subsequent examination, though more robust as predictors of
examination failure. We found tests that required written answers were better indicators of
examination performance than tests with multiple-choice only. Coursework that does not duplicate the
scope and intensity of the final examination is not a substitute for a final examination, but is a
complement which engages students throughout the semester. Awarding marks for coursework
provides an incentive to study and reduces the crowding out of assessment by the demands of other
courses.[Show full abstract]
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