Final exams vs continuous assessment: IELTS Writing Task 2 sample answer

In many education systems, including Bangladesh's, a student's future often depends on a few hours of public examinations such as the HSC. While some people defend this approach, others argue that assessing students continuously through coursework and projects is fairer. In my view, the best system combines the two.

Supporters of examinations argue that they are the most objective way to compare large numbers of students. Everyone answers the same questions under the same conditions and within the same time limit, so it is difficult to cheat or to receive help from parents or tutors. Exams also test whether students can recall knowledge and apply it under pressure, which is required in many professions, from medicine to air traffic control.

On the other hand, those who favour continuous assessment point out that a single exam can be an unreliable measure. A capable student may perform badly because of illness or anxiety on the day, while another may succeed simply by learning to memorise answers without real understanding. Coursework and projects reward steady effort over a longer period and allow students to show skills that exams cannot measure, such as research, teamwork and independent thinking. The main weakness, however, is that coursework is easier to copy, and the growth of online essay services and AI tools has made plagiarism a serious concern.

Personally, I believe neither method is sufficient on its own. A combination, in which perhaps half of the final grade comes from supervised examinations and half from coursework, would reduce the pressure of a single test while maintaining fairness. Teachers could also ask students to explain their projects orally to check that the work is genuinely their own.

In conclusion, although examinations offer objectivity and continuous assessment gives a broader picture of ability, I think a balanced mixture of both would provide the fairest and most accurate evaluation of students.