An essay is a written assessment in which students present their personal ideas, arguments, and analyses in response to a central question or statement or topic. This format is well-suited for testing higher-order thinking skills such as analysis. Essays are especially relevant when deeper reflection or the development of a personal perspective within a discipline is required.
- Purpose of assessment
- Analysis | Application | Evaluation | Reflection | Understanding
- Mode of assessment
- Digital | Paper-based
- Assessment environment
- Non-secure setting | On campus | Remote | Secure setting
- Group size
- Small | Medium | Large
- Assessment duration
- Long| Medium| Short
Step-by-step plan
Step 1: From learning objectives to assessment
Determine whether the chosen form of assessment matches the knowledge and/or skills you aim to measure, as described in your learning objectives.
Step 2: Assessment matrix
Define clear assessment criteria (e.g., critical thinking, depth of analysis, personal reflection) and determine how they are distributed across the learning objectives. Ensure this distribution aligns with the weighting in your assessment plan. Indicate how many points each criterion is worth. Make sure the cognitive level of each criterion matches the level of the corresponding learning objective, never exceeding it. Lower-level criteria are allowed, as long as they still measure the intended learning outcomes.
Step 3: Create the rubric
Develop a grading rubric that translates assessment criteria into observable performance. Choose a type that fits the assignment and purpose (e.g., holistic, analytic, single-point). A clear rubric ensures transparency for students and consistent grading, and can be refined iteratively to align with learning objectives.
If possible, allow room for creativity or original perspectives/approaches.
Step 4: Choose the essay type
Decide on the essay type, such as a timed essay exam, a take-home assignment, a reflective essay (have a look at the different variants that are possible on this page). The type of essay you choose, depends on your learning objectives and assessment criteria.
Step 5: Formulate the assignment
Write a clear, open-ended question or statement that requires argumentation and structured reasoning. The instructions for students should be clear and complete, for example information about a deadline, use of sources (if required), wordcount and formatting guidelines should be included.
Step 6: Prepare the students for the assignment
Prepare your students for the essay by sharing the grading rubric and sharing examples of strong essays. Additionally, provide clear expectations on matters such as structure, use of sources, referencing style, wordcount, collaboration, and AI-tool use. Inform them about plagiarism checks or proctoring (if applicable).
Step 7: Evaluate and grade
When grading the essays, use the rubric. If multiple graders are involved, calibration sessions beforehand and afterward are recommended. Provide students qualitative feedback to guide future improvement.
Please be aware of different assessor effects that can play a role while grading essays.
Step 8: Reflect and improve
Collect student feedback on clarity, workload, and fairness. Review whether the essay successfully measured the intended learning outcomes.
Validity
- Link each essay prompt directly to one or more learning goals.
Reliability
- Use a detailed rubric with transparent criteria (structure, argumentation, use of sources, writing quality) and calibrate graders.
Transparancy
- Share and explain the rubric, and offer an example essay with annotations that highlight strengths and weaknesses in the essay
Practicality
- Limit essay length. Setting a reasonable word count keeps the workload manageable for both students (writing) and teachers (grading).
Engagement with (Gen)AI
- In a non-controlled environment, clearly define how AI tools may be used (e.g., for brainstorming vs. producing the final product). Consider requiring a brief process reflection to ensure authenticity, and keep in mind that you might be assessing AI use rather than the student’s independent skills.
- If the assessment takes place in an unsecured environment, have a critical look at your learning outcomes and assessment criteria. You might need to make adjustment to ensure validity of test results.
Inclusivity
- Use clear, culturally sensitive language in your instructions. Plan accommodations like extra time, and allow flexible formats (e.g., visual supplements, oral presentations, or podcasts) to demonstrate the same learning goals.
- In case writing is not a skill you want to assess, please make sure the language profiency does not impact the grade.
- Take-home essay: Longer timeline, often with emphasis on research and literature use. Being mindful on AI use is important here.
- Timed essay exam: Completed within a set period (e.g., 2–3 hours) in a controlled environment.
- Narrative essay (academic): Students write from a personal or experiential viewpoint, but linked to theory.
- Case-based essay: Application of concepts to a specific real-world or hypothetical case.
- Policy/position essay: Focused on applying theory to real-world decision-making or policy challenges.
- Comparative essay: Explicitly comparing two or more theories, models, or cases.
- Reflective essay: Focused on personal learning and professional growth.
