Summative assessment is used at the end of a learning period to evaluate what students have learned. It often carries more grading weight than daily practice or informal checks.
Examples of summative assessment
Final exams, unit tests, major projects, performance tasks, presentations, portfolios, and end-of-course assessments can all be summative. The format depends on the subject and learning goals.
Connection to formative assessment
Good teaching usually uses formative assessment before the summative task. Students get practice, feedback, and a chance to improve before the final evaluation.
Summative assessment answers the question, "What did the student learn by the end?"