For a clearer picture of what the student knows, most teachers use another kind of examination in addition to objective tests. They use “essay” tests, which require students to write long answers to broad, general questions such as the following: “mention several ways in which Benjamin Franklin has influenced the thinking of people in his own country and in other parts of the world.”
One advantage of the essay test is that it reduces the element of luck. The students can’t get a high score just by making a lucky guess. Another advantage is that it shows the examiner more about the student’s ability to put facts together into a meaningful whole. It should show how deeply he has thought about the subject. Sometimes, though, essay tests have disadvantages, too. Some students are able to write rather good answers without really knowing much about the subject, while other students who actually know the material have trouble expressing their ideas in the essay form.
Besides, in an essay test the student’s score may depend upon the examiner’s feelings at the time of reading the answer. If he is feeling tired or bored, the student may receive a lower score than he should. Another examiner reading the same answer might give it much higher mark. Because of this, the objective test gives each student a fairer chance, and of course it is easier and quicker to score.
Whether an objective test or an essay test is used, problems arise. When some objective questions are used along with some essay questions, however, a fairly clear picture of the student’s knowledge can usually be obtained