Unseen examination

In the United Kingdom, an '''unseen examination''' is an essay test in school or college, where the student does not know what questions are going to be asked in advance.<ref name="Spencer">{{cite book | last=Heffernan | first=T.M. | title=The Student's Guide to Studying Psychology | publisher=Taylor & Francis | year=2015 | isbn=978-1-317-90986-6 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Q4_wCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA150 | access-date=6 May 2024 | page=150}}</ref><ref>{{cite book | last1=Spencer | first1=M. | last2=Spencer | first2=J. | title=Concentrate Questions and Answers Evidence: Law Q&a Revision and Study Guide | publisher=Oxford University Press | series=Concentrate Law Questions and Answers Series | year=2016 | isbn=978-0-19-871579-5 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=v0-1DAAAQBAJ&pg=PA2 | access-date=6 May 2024 | page=2}}</ref> The student is required to answer questions based upon what they have learned over the course of their academic study.

In contrast, in a '''seen examination''' the questions have been made available to the student prior to examination.<ref name="Lincoln">{{cite web | title=Traditional Timed 'Unseen'/'Seen' Exam | website=Office of Quality, Standards and Partnerships | date=17 May 2019 | url=https://oqsp.blogs.lincoln.ac.uk/traditional-timed-unseen-seen-exam/ | access-date=6 May 2024}}</ref><ref name="Spencer"/> A study by Joseph K. Wireko (2015) at Ghana Technology University College found that students felt more confident and less stressed when preparing for seen exams compared to traditional unseen exams. This reduction in anxiety led to better performance and a more positive learning experience.<ref> Wireko, J. K. (2015). Does seen examination promote “deep” or “surface” learning? Pedagogical reflections on using seen examinations for student learning feedback. The Business and Management Review, 6(5), 60-67.</ref>

The vast majority of UK undergraduate exams in all fields, such as law<ref>{{cite book | last=Webley | first=L. | title=Legal Writing | publisher=Taylor & Francis | year=2016 | isbn=978-1-317-55499-8 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=H0N-CwAAQBAJ&pg=PT145 | access-date=6 May 2024 | page=145}}</ref> and psychology,<ref name="Spencer"/> are unseen examinations. Unseen examinations are favoured for their inherent protection against plagiarism,<ref name="Booth"/> and their potential to develop students' ability to handle pressure and time constraints.<ref>{{cite book | last1=Bach | first1=S. | last2=Haynes | first2=P. | last3=Lewis Smith | first3=J. | title=Online Learning And Teaching In Higher Education | publisher=McGraw-Hill Education | year=2006 | isbn=978-0-335-21829-5 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oH9edLz16UoC&pg=PA142 | access-date=6 May 2024 | page=142}}</ref> However, they have been criticised for causing anxiety and stress in students,<ref name="Booth">{{cite book | last=Booth | first=A. | title=Teaching History at University: Enhancing Learning and Understanding | publisher=Taylor & Francis | year=2013 | isbn=978-1-134-40540-4 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ybTWAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA132 | access-date=6 May 2024 | page=132}}</ref><ref>{{cite book | last1=Bach | first1=S. | last2=Haynes | first2=P. | last3=Smith | first3=J.L. | title=Online Learning and Teaching in Higher Education | publisher=McGraw-Hill Education | series=UK Higher Education OUP Humanities & Social Sciences Higher Education OUP | year=2006 | isbn=978-0-335-22948-2 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uESoQv-p8yUC&pg=PA141 | access-date=6 May 2024 | page=141}}</ref> for negatively impacting motivation and the depth of learning experiences,<ref name="Brown">{{cite book | last1=Brown | first1=S. | last2=Glasner | first2=A. | title=Assessment Matters in Higher Education | publisher=McGraw-Hill Education | series=UK Higher Education OUP Humanities & Social Sciences Higher Education OUP | year=1999 | isbn=978-0-335-23100-3 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=B3NEBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA62 | access-date=6 May 2024 | page=62}}</ref> and for unfairly favouring students who happen to be particularly skilled at unseen written exams as opposed to other assessment methods.<ref name="Brown"/>

==References== {{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Unseen Examination}} Category:School examinations