Using Locally Developed Comprehensive Exams for Majors to Assess and Improve Academic Program Quality

This paper briefly presents a history of comprehensive examinations in higher education in the United States, characteristics of comprehensive exams, and the use of such exams in assessing program quality. This paper then focuses on the experience of 11 program faculties at the University of Tennessee (Knoxville), that developed and used exit exams for majors as one component of a comprehensive program evaluation process. The purpose for test development is discussed, as well as test development procedures: (1) faculty involvement; (2) initial steps; (3) item types; (4) test length; (5) consultants; and (6) test revisions. The preparation of students, test administration and scoring are described, as is the post-administration evaluation of the tests through student reaction, faculty reaction, item analysis, test revision, and test security. The use of test results, future test use, and faculty reaction to the test development process are presented. Faculty involvement in the test development and a review of students' performance stimulated a variety of improvements, including increases in curricular structure, more consistency among faculty teaching core courses, stronger linkages between lower- and upper-division coursework, and more opportunities for students to apply knowledge learned in classes. (PN)