Which statement best distinguishes formative assessment from summative assessment? Include an example for each.

• A. Formative assessment provides ongoing feedback during learning (e.g., skill checklists); summative assessment evaluates mastery at the end (e.g., written test or live demonstration.)
• B. Formative assessment is only for grading; summative is just attendance
• C. Formative is used at the end; summative is continuous
• D. Formative is optional; summative is mandatory

Answer: (A)

Formative assessment focuses on guiding learning as it happens. It provides ongoing feedback that students can use to adjust their study strategies and that teachers can use to tailor instruction. The goal is improvement during the learning process, not a final judgment. An example is a skill checklist used while practicing a technique; it shows what’s been learned and where more work is needed, shaping the next steps.

Summative assessment, on the other hand, evaluates what has been mastered after a learning period. It serves as a final measure of achievement. An example is a written test or a live demonstration that determines whether the overall goal was met.

The other descriptions mix up timing and purpose. They imply formative is only for grading or is tied to attendance, or flip the order of when each type occurs, or treat one as optional while the other is mandatory. Those do not align with how formative feedback and final mastery assessments function in practice.