Development of first-year students’ conceptions of essay writing
21 Feb
Introduction
Coursework essays have traditionally been one of the most important methods used to evaluate students’ understanding of their subject area. Although there has recently been an upsurge in innovative methods of assessment, essay writing is still used in many contexts. Both coursework and examination essays appear to be more likely to promote deep approaches to learning when
compared with fact-oriented multiple choice tests (Thomas and Bain 1984; Scouller 1998). Writing essays ideally requires students to engage actively with material, to examine ideas in depth, to integrate and critically evaluate what they read, and to state their understanding clearly – which often means that they develop their understanding further (Applebee 1984; Hounsell 1997). (more…)
