Which statement best distinguishes formative and summative assessments?

• A. Formative = ongoing checks (exit tickets, quizzes); Summative = end-of-unit tests, final projects.
• B. Formative = end-of-unit tests; Summative = ongoing checks.
• C. Formative = final projects; Summative = quizzes.
• D. Formative = static, one-time; Summative = flexible.

Answer: (A)

The main distinction is how the assessment is used in the learning process: formative assessments are ongoing checks during instruction that help you see progress and guide what to teach next, while summative assessments occur after instruction to evaluate what you’ve learned, usually for a final grade. Saying that exit tickets and quizzes are formative and end-of-unit tests or final projects are summative matches this idea, because the former are used to inform learning as it happens and the latter to measure learning after instruction. The other options mix up timing or purpose, reversing the roles or labeling high-stakes tasks as formative.