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Oral assessment

Get guidance and advice on best practice when designing and implementing inclusive oral assessments.

Oral assessments test students’ knowledge and skills based on their verbal responses to guided questions or tasks.  

Advantages of oral assessments

When supported by a scaffolded approach to curriculum design, oral assessments are often a good choice because they:

  • can assess depth of knowledge, critical reflection and skills, providing insight into students’ cognitive processes
  • can help students to develop communication skills authentic to their discipline, e.g., where students solve problems, demonstrate skills, and communicate using disciplinary language and scenarios
  • can develop students ability to communicate disciplinary knowledge to non-specialist audiences
  • provide the opportunity to ensure that each student understands the questions being asked
  • provide an alternative means of expression, as oral assessments may suit some students better than written demonstrations depending on their strengths and abilities
  • can prevent academic integrity issues because follow-up questions can be asked to clarify students’ thinking and understanding
  • can be marked and invigilated in the moment.

Challenges of oral assessments

When designing oral assessments, you should consider that they:

  • can take more time to administer than other types of assessment
  • can be stressful for students, especially for some students with mental health concerns, which is why it is necessary to carefully scaffold oral assessments
  • can raise issues of reliability and fairness, e.g., if students are asked different questions
  • increase potential for bias and subjective marking because students’ articulateness, shyness, gender, ethnicity, language skills, accent, etc., can influence judgments about their knowledge and skills
  • will require some reasonable adjustments.

See this Learning Matters Case Study for an example of how to mitigate these challenges.

Best practices for designing and implementing oral assessments

Steps to follow to ensure efficient, reliable, inclusive and accessible oral assessments.

  • Step 1: take a course or module-level approach

    Make sure you:

    • decide which learning outcomes should be assessed through this method. Only use oral assessment if it suitably assesses the learning outcomes of a course or module. Do not use it solely to ensure academic integrity
    • factor in how much experience your students have had with this kind of assessment during their course and the implications for assessment workloads, student support, and, ultimately, the course design
    • consider how your oral assessment will complement other assessments in your course or module. Oral assessments are best suited to probing depth of knowledge or the application of skills
    • identify what alternative assessment options or extra support will be available for students who may be disadvantaged by oral assessment (e.g., students with hearing or speech impairments, anxiety, non-native speakers)

    • plan how you will provide resit opportunities or alternative assessment options that align to course and module learning outcomes. 

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  • Step 2: design the content and structure of the assessment

    When designing the structure of the assessment and the questions, you should:

    • design appropriate questions for each learning outcome you want to assess. Include potential follow-up questions and prompts based on different types of answers
    • consider what sort and amount of structure is needed. Think about what aspects of the assessment need to be highly structured or what aspects of the assessment can be more open
    • decide on the order of questions and any tasks students must perform. Start with an easier question to ease students in
    • standardize the number of questions, difficulty of questions, and the time allotted to each assessment.
  • Step 3: create marking criteria and plan your marking

    When creating marking criteria, it's important to:

    • create a marking guide (rubric) with explicit criteria/standards, weighting, and exemplars for each question. Keep in mind that answers are not necessarily right or wrong in oral assessment but rather demonstrate different levels of mastery
    • the marking guide should be straightforward enough that markers can fill it in during the assessment
    • decide if prompting students means that points will be deducted
    • decide if students will be allowed, or even encouraged, to draw diagrams to support their answers
    • ensure the wording used in the marking criteria is inclusive and not overly specific. Instead of specifying eye contact, the rubric might stipulate that students need to demonstrate appropriate awareness of the audience. This would ensure that the criterion can be interpreted individually for each student
    • consider the assessment weighting and whether moderation is required (if not moderating at the time, oral assessments with a weighting above 30% should be recorded for moderation purposes)
    • decide whether to use multiple examiners, which can be helpful for managing time, taking notes, solving technical issues, marking reliability and moderation
    • conduct a marker meeting before and after the assessment to discuss the task, the marking criteria, and matters arising.
    • build in time after each student to finalize marks and feedback
  • Step 4: prepare students and create practice opportunities

    To prepare students for oral assessments you could:

    • provide clear information to students about the content to be covered, the process and structure of the oral assessment, the material they can bring with them to the assessment, and the marking criteria
    • share a recorded video demonstrating a typical oral assessment. Model relevant questions and answers and how they would be marked according to the rubric
    • provide opportunities for practice by using in-class strategies that require all students to speak frequently, including short presentations
    • give students a chance to practise answering and giving/receiving feedback on oral assessment questions.
  • Step 5: conduct the assessment

    When conducting the assesment, remember:

    • some students will need more encouragement as they may be shy or nervous. Shyness should not affect your perception of what the student knows.
    • to take notes during the assessment. These will support your memory at the end of the assessment when marking occurs and can be used to provide feedback.
    • you might want to make an audio or video recording of the assessment, particularly if marking alone. If a student seeks a review of their marks, a recording is essential.
  • Step 6: capture and act on things you will do differently next time

    No assessment is perfect. Good assessment design requires ongoing review and iteration.

    After completing your assessment process:

    • make notes on or plan out changes you want to make to your assessment task design and guidance the next time you use it
    • if possible, ask students for their feedback on the assessment and your proposed changes.

Types of oral activities and assessments

This list is provided as inspiration and is not exhaustive.  

  • Oral examinations

    A one-on-one or panel-based verbal examination where students respond to questions about their work, often related to dissertations or research projects. Oral examinations evaluate students' depth of knowledge, critical thinking and ability to articulate ideas under pressure. They encourage real-time problem-solving, adaptability, and effective communication skills.

    By requiring students to defend their work and respond to questions, oral examinations develop analytical skills and deepen their understanding.

    Read how how Dr Louise Newnham (Life Sciences) introduced oral examinations into their curriculum.

    Watch a video on the rationale, structure and logistics of an oral exam, used in a final year optometry course, to assess professional readiness and develop essential communication skills.

  • Interactive oral assessments

    Unlike traditional oral exams, an interactive oral assessment encourages free-flowing discussions guided by assessors' prompts, allowing students to showcase their knowledge in a less formal, dialogic setting. An interactive oral assessment focuses on professional or real-world scenarios to evaluate students' understanding, skills, and critical thinking abilities in a dynamic and interactive manner. This type of assessment minimises opportunities for academic misconduct, such as plagiarism, by assessing students' ability to respond authentically in real-time.

    See this Interactive Oral Assessment: User Guide, produced by Dublin City University in 2023. 

    Watch this short film in which Dr. Pranit Anand explains how he developed and scaffolded an interactive oral assessment into a new postgraduate course to develop students' employability skills and improve assurance of learning.

  • Vivas

    Doctoral students undertake an oral examination as the final assessment stage for a PhD.

    During the viva, the candidate defends their PhD thesis in front of a panel of experts, typically including both internal and external examiners. This process assesses the originality, rigor, and contribution of the research, as well as the candidate's understanding of their field and ability to articulate and defend their work.  

    Avoid using 'viva' as a generic term for oral assessments.

  • Presentations

    Students deliver a structured talk, individually or in groups, on a specific topic or research project, often supported by visual aids like slides.

    Oral presentations promote active learning by requiring students to research, synthesise, and present ideas clearly and confidently. Presentations encourage creativity, audience engagement and adaptability. They prepare students for professional scenarios like interviews and pitches. They can also enhance peer learning by exposing students to diverse perspectives and ideas.

    Learn how Dr Verona Ní Drisceoil changed their assessment to an oral presentation to help embed authenticity into their curriculum. 

    See the Educational Enhancement guidance on planning individual and group presentation assessments.

  • Debates

    Students are assigned positions on a topic and engage in a structured argument, often in teams, to defend their position or critique the opposing view.

    Debates foster critical thinking, argumentation, and communication skills by challenging students to analyse, evaluate, and defend positions. They promote active learning, encouraging research, evidence-based reasoning and the ability to respond dynamically to opposing views. Debates also develop teamwork, collaboration, and empathy by requiring students to consider multiple perspectives. They also enhance confidence, public speaking and audience engagement.

    Learn more about using debates in your cirriculum.

  • Panel discussions

    A panel discussion is where a group of individuals (students, experts or a mix) discuss a specific topic or issue in front of an audience.

    Each panelist presents their perspective or expertise, engages in a moderated discussion, and responds to questions from the moderator or audience. A panel discussion fosters deep learning by encouraging research critical thinking, and the synthesis of diverse perspectives.

    It develops communication, teamwork, and interpersonal skills. While a panel discussion is similar to a debate, it's aimed less at defending a specific position and focuses more on sharing insights on a topic.

    Find out more about student perceptions of panel discussions.

  • Role play

    Students assume roles in a scenario (e.g., business negotiations, mock trials or clinical consultations) to demonstrate practical application of knowledge and skills.

    Role-play activtities and assessments provide experiential learning by simulating real-world scenarios, enabling students to apply theoretical knowledge in practical contexts. They foster critical thinking, problem-solving, and adaptability, while developing communication, collaboration, and interpersonal skills. Role-play encourages empathy and perspective-taking, helping students understand diverse viewpoints. It builds confidence in professional environments and allows for creativity in addressing complex challenges. 

  • Interviews

    A one-on-one or panel interview format where students respond to targeted questions, often simulating real-world scenarios like job interviews.

    Interviews test adaptability, problem-solving, and professional communication skills. By allowing personalised interaction, interviews offer a tailored assessment of individual understanding and readiness. This method promotes confidence, professionalism, and the ability to engage in meaningful academic or professional dialogue, making it a valuable and dynamic assessment tool. 

  • Peer teaching

    Students teach and learn from each other under the guidance of an instructor.

    Students take on the role of educators, preparing and delivering lessons, leading discussions, or facilitating activities to help their peers understand a particular topic or concept. Peer teaching can be an empowering method of assessment as it encourages students to become the experts in their subject. 

  • Creative performance

    A creative performance as a form of assessment involves students expressing knowledge, skills, or concepts through artistic or imaginative means, such as drama, music, dance, storytelling, or multimedia presentations. It allows students to showcase creativity, innovation, and personal interpretation while engaging deeply with course content.

    Creative performance encourages active learning, critical thinking and collaboration. It supports diverse learning styles, fosters confidence and enhances communication and presentation skills. 

  • Podcasting

    A podcast is a digital audio or video recording that is made available online for streaming or downloading. Podcasts are typically structured around specific themes or topics and may feature a single presenter, interviews, panel discussions, or narrative storytelling. Using a podcast as a form of assessment can provide a creative and engaging way for students to demonstrate their learning, and help students showcase their learning to an audience beyond the University.

    Learn more about engaging students through podcasting.

You can combine oral actvities and assessments.

Watch Dr. Peter Neal explain how his hybrid oral assessment approach prepares students for further learning and fosters communication skills and teamwork.

References and further reading

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