What is the difference between assessment and evaluation?
Assessment and evaluation have a close meaning hence many people find a problem on how to use them. These two terms are commonly used in academics and even teachers make mistakes when using them.
The lesson provides the difference between assessment and evaluation in tabular form to break it down for easy understanding. Let’s find out
What Is an Assessment?
Assessment is a systematic way of acquiring, reviewing, and using information about something to make an improvement.
The terms can be used in various ways such as educational, psychological, financial, taxation, and human resource among many areas.
It normally entails the assessor and assessee. The assessor is responsible for assessing the performance based on certain standards while assessing is someone being assessed.
What Is an Evaluation?
Evaluation is the process of making a judgment based on the skills, quality, and importance of something. Generally, evaluation refers to the usefulness of something.
The core function of evaluation is to systematically and objectively measure something before making conclusions. It is responsible for gauging the performance of something.
The evaluation involved qualitative and quantitative analysis of data. It also helps to ascertain if the goals or standards set are met on time.
Comparison Chart: Assessment Vs Evaluation
| Basic Terms | Assessment | Evaluation |
| Meaning | Review data about something to make improvement in performance as compared to the current | Refers to judge the performance on the basis of existing standards |
| Nature | Diagnostic | Judgmental |
| Purpose | Formative | Summative |
| Orientation | Process Oriented | Product Oriented |
| Measurement Standards | Absolute | Comparative |
| Relationship between parties | Reflective | Prescriptive |
| Grade | Tend to be graded | Not graded |
| Outcome | Constructive feedback. | Show shortcomings. |
| Criteria | Set by both the parties jointly. | Set by the evaluator |
| Core function | Provides feedback on performance and areas of improvement. | Determines the extent to which objectives are achieved |
Core Difference Between Assessment and Evaluation
- Assessment is graded while evaluation is not graded
- The outcome of assessment has constructive feedback while that of evaluation show shortcomings
- The orientation of assessment is process-oriented while that of evaluation is product-oriented
- Evaluation is done against set standards while assessment is an individual process.
- The main purpose of assessment is to improve performance while evaluation is to judge the performance
- The relationship between two parties in assessment is reflective while that of evaluation is perspective.
- Criteria for assessment is mutual understanding among parties while evaluation is by the evaluator.
- The measure of standards in assessment is absolute while that of evaluation is comparative.
- The nature of assessment is diagnostic while that of evaluation is judgmental.
- Assessment is the process of reviewing, analyzing, and using data to improve the performance while evaluation is the process of passing judgment on the already set standards.
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Comparison Video
Summary
The discussion above outline that assessment and evaluation are quite different. I hope the difference between assessment and evaluation listed above will help to shade more light when using them. Good luck.
More Sources and References
- Moving from Evaluation to Assessment. NCBI
- Assessment and Evaluation. Manitoba