1,720,956 research outputs found
A systematic literature review of the policy and practice critiques of higher education exit exams: A global perspective
No full textBackground: Exit exams in higher education have been a subject of extensive debate, with proponents arguing that they ensure quality assurance and accountability, while critics highlight their potential negative impacts on students, educators, and institutions. This systematic literature review aims to synthesize the critiques of exit exams in higher education by analyzing 33 peer-reviewed studies published between 1994 and 2024.
Method: The review employed the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) framework and PICO (Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome) criteria to ensure a rigorous and transparent selection process. A comprehensive search was conducted across multiple databases, including PubMed, ERIC, JSTOR, and Google Scholar, using keywords such as "exit exams," "higher education," "critiques," "equity," and "student well-being." Studies were screened based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, with duplicate and irrelevant articles removed systematically. Data extraction was performed using a standardized form to capture key information, including study objectives, methodologies, geographic context, and specific critiques of exit exams. The extracted data were synthesized thematically to identify recurring patterns and trends. Key themes identified include the impact of exit exams on student stress and mental health, inequitable outcomes for marginalized populations, limitations in accurately assessing student competency, and misalignment with real-world skills.
Findings: The findings reveal that exit exams often fail to account for diverse learning styles and may disproportionately affect marginalized students, while also potentially reinforcing systemic inequities and narrowing curricula. The review concludes with recommendations for policymakers and educators to consider alternative assessment methods that balance accountability with equity and student well-being, suggesting a need to reevaluate the role of exit exams in higher education
A Systematic Review of Exit Exams in Higher Education: The Upsides and Downsides
Full text linkExit exams in higher education have both upsides and downsides. This review examines their impact using the PRISMA methodology. It analyzes 22 empirical studies published between 1994 and 2024. The search covered databases like Google Scholar, ERIC, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. A thematic narrative synthesis was used to evaluate the findings. Exit exams improve accountability and standardize assessments. They align curricula with learning goals. This ensures consistent educational quality across institutions. Students gain job-ready skills, enhancing employability. Exams also promote critical thinking and inclusivity. However, downsides exist. High-stakes exams increase student stress and anxiety. They may lead to "teaching to the test," narrowing curricula. Creativity and deeper learning can suffer. Equity concerns arise due to cultural and socioeconomic disparities. Underrepresented groups often face disadvantages. The review highlights a need for balance. While exams raise standards, their risks must be managed. Support systems can reduce student stress. Diverse assessment methods should complement exams. Equitable access to resources is crucial. Policymakers and educators must collaborate for fair practices. Ongoing research is needed. Future studies should explore long-term impacts on students. Cross-cultural comparisons can identify best practices. Alternative assessment models may offer solutions. Addressing equity gaps remains a priority. In conclusion, exit exams have clear upsides but significant downsides. A balanced approach is essential. This ensures that exams enhance education without harming students. Continuous evaluation and adaptation are key to maximizing upsides while minimizing harm.
Higher education exit exams and labor market readiness: A systematic review
Full text linkPurpose − Exit exams are a critical component of higher education systems worldwide, serving as a benchmark for assessing students' readiness for graduation and professional practice. However, the relationship between exit exams and labor market readiness remains underexplored. This systematic literature review aims to examine the role of exit exams in preparing students for the labor market, focusing on their impact on employability, skill acquisition, and career readiness.
Method − Using the PRISMA framework and PICO strategy, the researcher conducted a comprehensive search across multiple databases, identifying relevant studies published between 1994 and 2024. The PRIMA framework followed identification, screening, eligibility and inclusion stages. The PICO framework was used to structure the research questions by breaking them down into four components: Population, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcome. The review synthesizes findings from 31 studies, highlighting the dual role of exit exams as both a motivator for academic achievement and a source of labor market preparedness.
Findings − The results indicate that while exit exams can enhance educational outcomes, their impact on labor market readiness is influenced by a variety of factors, including the alignment of exam content with industry needs, the level of support provided to students, and the cultural context in which the exams are administered. The discussion section delves into the implications of these findings for educational policy and practice, suggesting strategies to enhance the labor market readiness of graduates. This review underscores the need for a balanced approach to exit exams that prioritizes both academic rigor and career preparedness
THE ROLE OF EXIT EXAMS IN HIGHER EDUCATION QUALITY ASSURANCE: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW
Full text linkHigher education exit exams have become a pivotal tool for ensuring academic quality and. This systematic literature review examines the role of exit exams in quality assurance, addressing their benefits, challenges, and evolving practices. The study employs the PRISMA framework to analyze 31 peer-reviewed articles (1994–2024) from databases including Google Scholar, Scopus, Web of Science, ERIC, PubMed, IEEE Xplore, and ProQuest. Key findings reveal that exit exams standardize assessments, align curricula with industry needs, and validate graduate competencies. However, challenges such as inequitable implementation, cultural biases, and high-stakes pressures undermine their effectiveness. Innovations like digital and competency-based exams offer potential solutions but require careful design to ensure fairness and accessibility. The study concludes that exit exams are most effective when integrated into a holistic quality assurance framework, combining rigorous assessment with faculty development and student support. 
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis
Full text linkWe provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
Dispelling the Myths Behind First-author Citation Counts
Full text linkWe conducted a full-scale evaluative citation analysis study of scholars in the XML research field to explore just how different from each other author rankings resulting from different citation counting methods actually are, and to demonstrate the capability of emerging data and tools on the Web in supporting more realistic citation counting methods. Our results contest some common arguments for the continued
use of first-author citation counts in the evaluation of scholars, such as high correlations between author rankings by first-author citation counts and other citation
counting methods, and high costs of using more realistic citation counting methods that are not well-supported by the ISI databases. It is argued that increasingly available digital full text research papers make it possible for citation analysis studies to go beyond what the ISI databases have directly supported and to employ more
sophisticated methods
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