Objective vs. subjective in assessment

Jaime Correia de Sousa, MD, MPH

Horizonte Family Health UnitMatosinhos Health Centre - Portugal

Health Sciences School (ECS) University of Minho, Braga - Portugal

Objectives

At the end of this session the participant will: Know the definition of assessment Name the different purposes of

assessment Identify types of assessment Distinguish the difference between

objective and subjective assessment

Definition of assessment

Assessment

the process of documenting, usually in measurable terms, knowledge, skills, attitudes and beliefs.

It is often used in an educational context (to refer, e.g., to the work of institutional researchers), but it applies to other fields as well (such as health and finance).

In: Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia

Formative and summative assessments

Summative Assessment is generally carried out at the end of a course or project.

In an educational setting, summative assessments are typically used to assign students a course grade.

Formative and summative assessments

Formative Assessment

is generally carried out throughout a course or projectFormative assessment is used to aid learning.

In an educational setting, formative assessment might be a teacher (or peer) or the learner, providing feedback on a student's work, and would not necessarily be used for grading purposes.

Purposes of assessment

Purposes of assessment

Judging mastery of essential skills and knowledge

Measuring improvements over time Ranking students Diagnosing student difficulties Evaluating the teaching methods Evaluating the effectiveness of the course Motivating students to study

Newble D, Cannon R. A Handbook for Medical Teachers, 1994

Assessment methods

The method used should have three basic requirements:

1. Validity – does it measure what it is supposed to measure?

2. Reliability – does it produce consistent results?

3. Practicability – is it practical in terms of time and resources?

Newble D, Cannon R. A Handbook for Medical Teachers, 1994

Types of assessment

1. Essay2. Short-answer3. Structured (written)4. Objective (multiple choice, true-false)5. Direct observation6. Oral7. Structured (practical / clinical)8. Self-assessment

Newble D, Cannon R. A Handbook for Medical Teachers, 1994

Objective and subjective assessment

Objective assessment is a form of questioning which has a single correct answer.

Objective and subjective assessment

Subjective assessment is a form of questioning which may have more than one current answer (or more than one way of expressing the correct answer).

Methods that are more Subjective

Essay Short-answer Direct observation

• Checklists

• Rating forms

Oral

Newble D, Cannon R. A Handbook for Medical Teachers, 1994

Methods that are more Objective

Structured (written)• Patient management problem (PMP)• Modified essay question (MEQ)

Objective tests• Multiple-choice questions (MCQ)• True-false, matching

OSCE

Newble D, Cannon R. A Handbook for Medical Teachers, 1994

The Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE)

The aim of the OSCE is to test clinical and communication skills

It is designed so that an examiner can observe the student / learner putting these skills into practice.

The Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE)

It is an assessment tool in which the components of clinical competence such as

history taking physical examination simple procedures interpretation of lab results patient management problems communication attitude

are tested using agreed check lists and rotating the student round a number of stations some which have observers with cheek lists.

Morrison, J. BMJ 2003;326:385-387

Conclusion

A combination of subjective and objective assessment tools can be used

Formative assessment can use more subjective methods that facilitate teacher-learner interaction

Summative assessment requires more objective tests.