Assessment Using ConcepTests

What is a ConcepTest?

A ConcepTest is a technique used often in a lecture setting. The instructor presents one or more questions during class along with several possible answers. Students in the class indicate which answer they think is correct. This could be done by a show of hands, for example. If many of the students do not give the correct answer, students are given a short time in lecture to try to persuade their neighbor that their answer is correct. The question is asked a second time to gauge class mastery. The technique can be particularly useful in large classes.

• For an overview, see ConcepTest from the Pedagogy in Action site.
• Classroom Assessment Techniques: ConcepTests ( This site may be offline. ) from the Field-Tested Learning Assessment Guide.

Example ConcepTest Questions

• Example ConcepTest Questions contains a browseable collection of over 300 conceptest questions. The collection may be searched by topic.

Example ConcepTest question

At which location in the diagram below would the waves break closer to the beach?

a. A
b. B
c. C

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Geoscience Example:

• Using Conceptests to Assess and Improve Student Conceptual Understanding in Introductory Geoscience Courses David McConnell et al., 2006, Journal of Geoscience Education v54 n1 p. 61-68.
• "Conceptests and Peer Instruction: a simple way to assess teaching and learning in geoscience courses" Dave Steer and David McConnell, Poster from the Understanding What Our Geoscience Students Are Learning: Observing and Assessing Workshop.

Additional Resources

• Additional Concept Test Information Search our collection of conceptest information. This link will take you to a listing of information about conceptests. You can browse the collection or search it using keywords.
• The Geoscience Concept Inventory WebCenter includes a collection of questions you can use for diagnostic and formative assessment.