There has been much debate on the purposes and methods of assessment over the last couple of years. This book gathers together the latest thinking and looks at how assessment can be used to promote or inhibit learning. It offers a user-friendly introduction to what needs to be done and how. It draws on a range of examples to illustrate how learners can be helped to understand what is expected of them and what kind of assessment and feedback best helps them to progress. The central arguments of recent research findings are illustrated by examples of effective assessment practice. Issues discussed include: how assessment can erode self-esteem and motivation how skills of reflection, self-evaluation and personal target setting can impact on learning how far learners of all ages understand what they are required to learn how far students are able to evaluate their own performance how is feedback to promote learning best applied what schools can do in the short, medium and long-term to use assessment to promote more effective learning.