Have you ever wondered why some teachers never have any tests throughout the regular semester, and only have one final test at the end of the semester? Wouldn’t it be easier to have multiple tests throughout the semester to develop better test taking skills as well as study skills? In Patrick O’Malley’s essay, he believes it would work much better to have multiple tests, and I agree with O’Malley.
O’Malley makes some very good points in his essay “More Testing, More Learning.” If you have fewer tests throughout the semester then will students study the material if they don’t have to? No, they won’t, most will only do what they have to do to get by. So, if you have more tests then students would study more because they would have a reason to study the course material. O’Malley stated, “Studies show, more tests lead to better exam scores.” This is true, because, students would be used to taking tests and wouldn’t be so nervous and stressed on the final exam.
Teachers argue that they don’t have the extra time to give tests or quizzes but they could always do short quizzes no longer than fifteen to twenty minutes long. Teachers could also do the tests and let the computer grade them so it doesn’t take up their extra time grading the tests. More tests would also help students better understand what they are learning. Also would help students to see what material they needed to go over more and study more to see what they didn’t do so well on