Final projects are more engaging than final exams

by ELLI CUSSON

Staff Writer

Now that students are back from the Thanksgiving holiday, final projects and exams are underway. With that comes hours of studying and preparation to achieve a passing grade. Except that projects are debatably more intense and informative than final exams. This is because of the time students spent and their articulation of the covered material.

There’s a saying that you should be able to give an explanation to someone else to prove you fully understand the taught concepts. Because of this, professors incorporate final projects to provide students with the opportunity to show their comprehension of the subject being taught. It requires students to set aside more time to flesh out ideas, conduct research and synthesize findings into something cohesive. 

Since UMW offers a variety of classes, not all projects are the same. There are essays, group assignments, presentations, art projects and more, whereas the average test will be multiple-choice with a list of what you should study beforehand. Projects have students apply various skill sets to relay parts of the class in unique ways, which can lead to better retention. They also enhance creativity by acting as a platform to practice executing an idea. Final assignments such as these are similar to tasks some might complete in their future work field, compared to how little testing might appear.

Depending on the class you’re in that gives final exams, the test will be made up of cumulative questions from the whole semester, or from the most recently covered content. When studying for them, you’ll most likely review notes, slides and recorded lectures. However, you’re not challenged to present the information in your own way. Therefore, those who participate in final projects might have a more complex understanding of class material. 

Additionally, when it comes to tests, some students put little to no effort into studying and still achieve a passing grade. Projects force students to spend time on an assignment and leave no room for wasting time. For this reason, there’s a demographic of students who prefer this final exam method. They realize that less time is necessary. 

For final projects, your knowledge will be put to the test. Especially if it has to do with research. You must provide a claim that can withstand opposing arguments with evidence. Only that way will you have shown that you’ve taken other ideas into consideration. Multiple-choice tests rely on information that does not require students to search for an argument. You will give an answer, but it doesn’t need to be explicitly supported. The answer will be right or wrong depending on the pre-written choices that have been provided.

In my experience, when finished tests are handed back to the class, not all professors will supply the answers to the mistakes you’ve made. I argue that you should be able to understand your mistakes rather than to frankly be told yes or no. With projects, professors provide feedback that informs students of possible criticisms or clarification. The feedback gives an explanation to students to comprehend their mistakes while challenging their improvement.

Additionally, there’s the issue of test anxiety. A portion of students struggle with the implications of a time limit and unexpected questions. It can impact their performance, even if they know what’s being tested. Although some projects require a presentation, there’s still time to rehearse and perfect what they like to say before the due date. 

With projects, students acquaint themselves with the information they’ve been taught and become confident in what they are sure of. Since projects are assigned with a rubric to follow, we can use our time wisely. Having a guideline allows students to follow what their professor actually wants them to commit to memory. You could spend hours studying for a test, focusing on multiple concepts, only to have them not be included on the exam. That’s a waste of time that could’ve been spent elsewhere.

In conclusion, final projects offer alternative ways to engage students with their classes. They require more time and effort to finish, but provide students the chance to display comprehension compared to the stressful circumstances of an exam. It is harder to forget weeks of continuous effort than an all-nighter of studying.