Conceptions of assessment: Understanding what assessment means to teachers and students

Brown, G. T. L. (2008). Conceptions of assessment: Understanding what assessment means to teachers and students. New York: Nova Science Publishers.

Contemporary educational assessment: Practices, principles, and policies.

now available

Brown, G. T. L., & Ngan, M. Y. (2010). Contemporary educational assessment: Practices, principles, and policies. Singapore: Pearson Education South Asia.

The reliability of essay scores: The necessity of rubrics and moderation

Chapter in L. H. Meyer, S. Davidson, H. Anderson, R. Fletcher, P. M. Johnston & M. Rees (Eds.), Tertiary assessment and higher education student outcomes: Policy, practice and research (pp. 40-48). Wellington, NZ: Ako Aotearoa.

The use of essays is a well-established means of evaluating student learning in higher education. The accuracy of scoring essays is estimated with three means (i.e., consensus, consistency, and measurement estimates). Evidence is consistent that inter-and intra-marker rating of essays is unreliable. The nature of essay tasks and marker behavior has been shown to contribute significantly to the error component in essay scores. Scoring guides or rubrics to guide scoring and multiple marking or moderation of essays are necessary requirements of reliable essay scores. While essays may be valid, their usage depends on accuracy of scoring and if this cannot be established alternative assessment approaches should be considered.

Student perspectives on assessment: What students can tell us about improving school outcomes.

in press

McInerney, D. M., Brown, G. T. L., & Liem, G. A. D. (Eds.). (in press). Student perspectives on assessment: What students can tell us about improving school outcomes. Greenwich, CT: Information Age Press.

An Introduction to Educational Assessment, Measurement, and Evaluation: Improving the Quality of Teacher-Based Assessment (2nd ed).

Brown, G. T. L., Irving, S. E., & Keegan, P. J. (2008). An Introduction to Educational Assessment, Measurement, and Evaluation: Improving the Quality of Teacher-Based Assessment (2nd ed). Auckland, NZ: Pearson Education NZ.