Sommative

Sommative is a term sometimes encountered as a spelling variant of summative, used to describe a type of assessment in education. In common usage, summative or summative assessment refers to evaluating what a learner has achieved at the end of an instructional period, such as a course, unit, or term. The purpose is typically to determine mastery of learning objectives and to assign final grades or make progression decisions.

Key characteristics of sommative (summative) assessment include its end-point timing, its evaluative nature, and its emphasis on summing up learning rather than guiding it during instruction. Such assessments often cover broader content, may be high-stakes, and can be delivered through exams, final projects, portfolios, or standardized tests. They are frequently used for accountability, credentialing, and program evaluation.

Sommative assessment stands in contrast to formative assessment, which is ongoing and aimed at improving learning through feedback during instruction. While formative practices emphasize growth and adaptation, summative practices focus on conclusions about what has been learned after instruction has concluded.

Usage notes: the standard and widely accepted English spelling is summative. Sommative appears infrequently and is generally seen as a misspelling or a nonstandard variant in English-language education literature. When documenting assessment practices, most authors favor the term summative and clarify any regional or linguistic variations if needed.

See also: formative assessment, summative assessment, assessment design, rubrics.