This article provides a conceptual framework for and a brief update on commonly used and emerging methods of assessment. The article also discusses the strengths and limitations of each method, and identifies several challenges in the assessment of physicians’ professional competence and performance.

Hattie, J. (2009). The Black Box of Tertiary Assessment. In L. H. Meyer, S. Davidson, H. Anderson, R. Fletcher, P. M. Johnston & M. Rees (Eds.), Tertiary Assessment & Higher Education Student Outcomes: Policy, Practice & Research (pp. 79-90). Wellington: Ako Aotearoa.

There has been a formative assessment revolution that has swept our compulsory schooling, and is about to descend on higher education. It has the potential to make major changes as to how assessment is undertaken, with more emphasis on “feedback from assessment” or “assessment for learning” (alongside the traditional “assessment of learning”), using assessment to improve and change what and how we teach. Students familiar with the power of this assessment model in high school (especially since the introduction of NCEA) will expect and demand different forms of feedback from assessment from their lecturers.

Hesketh‌, E. A., & Laidlaw‌, J. M. (2002). Developing the Teaching Instinct, 1: Feedback. Medical Teacher, 24(3), 245-248.

This is a very brief article on providing effective formal and informal feedback. It's useful if you want a high level overview of some of the challenges and ways of meeting those challenges.

Hossam, H. (2006). Blueprinting for the Assessment of Health Care Professionals. The Clinical Teacher, 3(3), 175-179.

This article discusses the "blueprint approach" to assessment construction.

Krathwohl, D. R. (2002). A Revision of Bloom’s Taxonomy: An Overview. Theory into Practice, 41(4), 212-218.

This article looks at Bloom's original framework and presents and explains a revised framework.

Leinster, S. J. (2009). Workplace-Based Assessment as an Educational Tool: Guide Supplement 31.2 - Viewpoint. Medical Teacher, 31(11), 1032-1032.

This guide provides a starting point for addressing the challenges of conducting workplace based assessment and setting up effective feedback systems in clinical settings.

Miller, G. E. (1990). The assessment of clinical skills/competence/performance. Academic Medicine, 65(9), S63-67.

This is the article with Miller's Triangle for the assessment of clinical practice.

Norcini, J., & Burch, V. (2007). Workplace-Based Assessment as an Educational Tool: AMEE Guide No. 31. Medical Teacher, 29(9), 855 - 871.

This article reviews some of the literature on the efficacy and prevalence of formative feedback, describes the common formative assessment methods, characterises the nature of feedback, examines the effect of faculty development on its quality, and summarises the challenges still faced.

Price, M., Handley, K., Millar, J., & O'Donovan, B. (2010). Feedback : All That Effort, But What Is the Effect? Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 35(3), 277 - 289.

Drawing on findings from a three-year study focused on student engagement with feedback, this paper reveals the limited extent to which effectiveness can be accurately measured and challenges many of the assumptions and beliefs about effectiveness of feedback practices.

Vickery, A. W., & Lake, F. R. (2005). Teaching on the Run Tips 10: Giving Feedback. Medical Journal of Australia, 183(5), 267-268.

This brief article provides practice tips for giving feedback in a clinical setting. Useful if you want a quick "how to" guide.

How To Give Feedback, The London Deanery

This module offers some suggestions on how you can improve the feedback you give so that you are better able to help motivate and develop learners’ knowledge, skills and behaviours.

Workplace Based Assessment, The London Deanery

This is an online module that provides theoretical and practical advice on carrying out workplace based assessments.

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