As the 2021-2022 academic year comes to an end, The Outlook editors sat down to reflect on their semester and to discuss their perspectives on the ever-daunting season of finals.
“I think finals are an odd concept. While I understand the need for students to showcase proficiency in a topic, expecting them to do so all at once across multiple topics is unrealistic,” began the first editor.
Another editor agreed, saying, “Cumulative finals are especially stressful, and I am not sure it reinforces what was learned throughout the semester; rather, I feel it causes students unnecessary levels of stress.”
However, as it is common to see among students of various disciplines, finals can take different formats. For example, one editor remarked, “I have 4 exams next week and am extremely stressed. I am not a big fan of tests, so I prefer to do projects or papers. I think students should be allowed the option of choosing how they want their final to look.”
A fourth editor felt similarly to the aforementioned one, grateful for the way finals were looking this semester. “Most of my finals are essays or projects, which I’m wildly thankful for. I do not enjoy final exams when they’re given in the traditional test format and I have to sit down and study for hours just to memorize information that I’m going to forget within a few days.”
The second editor mentioned has a combination of what the last two editors described, “My finals are a mix between paper, project, and exams, depending on the class. It can be confusing since I struggle to differentiate where my time is most needed.”
Upon discussing their schedules and views on finals, the editors asked each other whether they felt a better alternative to finals existed. One editor said, “I think that finals are necessary, but professors who still give traditional final exams should take a step back and consider whether or not that’s actually doing anything to benefit students in the long run.”
The same editor added, “Personally, I feel as though I learn more when I have to apply content from a course into a bigger project or essay rather than memorizing material to be tested on.”
A different editor noted that it’s not the concept of finals he/she has a problem with, but the weight in which finals have in a student’s overall grades. “I think a final project or test is still a smart way of testing the student’s comprehension of the course material, but I do feel that they have an uneven contribution to the course grade which makes them a source of stress for many students.”
Generally, all the editors agreed that there is a space and need for finals on a collegiate level; however, they explored ways in which it can be made less stressful on students and enhance their learning experience as the semester draws to an end.
On the topic whether finals should stay or go, one editor stated, “I think that they (faculty) could continue to use finals, but decrease their weight within any given course.”
Another editor continued, “I think that finals should remain in place, but that there should be more strict guidelines regarding their formatting so that they truly benefit students.” The same editor explained, “Suitable alternative would be projects, essays, and other hands-on assignments that ask students to apply information to show their understanding of the content rather than asking them to memorize it all.”
A different editor agreed, saying that “A paper or PowerPoint on a specific topic that relates to the class can better demonstrate the wide variety of skills or topics the class would teach.”
According to The Outlook editors, finals are a necessary “evil,” and we wish you good luck as you finish up your semester!
