As we all know evaluation skills are high order thinking skills and play a vital role in making a grade difference. While writing commentaries or attemtping extended response questions or answering data response questions, proper evaluation done will decide whether a student will fall in the top level category or not. Here is a brief expalantion of what is actually expected from a student
Evaluation occurs when a judgment is made. It is the weighing or measuring of factors followed by an attempt to give relative weight to those factors. Questions that begin “evaluate”, “assess”,“critically assess”, “discuss” or “to what extent” require candidates to show their skills of evaluation in order to reach the highest achievement levels.
Invites candidates to make an appraisal of a situation. Candidates should weigh the nature of the evidence available and discuss the convincing aspects of an argument as well as its implications and limitations, and the less convincing elements within an argument. For example:
Evaluate alternative policies designed to reduce inflation.
There are many ways that candidates can be encouraged to improve their skills of evaluation.
- What factors such as causes, consequences or remedies are asked for, candidates should attempt to identify the most important ones and then to justify the reason for the choice.
- When advantages and disadvantages are asked for, candidates should attempt to identify the most important advantage (or disadvantage) and then justify the reason for the choice.
- When strategies are asked for, candidates should attempt to assess the short term and long term implications.
- When data is offered, candidates may question its validity, in terms of whether it is appropriate, whether it is reliable, or whether it is still relevant.
- When summarizing a theory, candidates may question its validity, in terms of whether it is appropriate, whether it is reliable, or whether it is still relevant.
