THE KNOWLEDGE RETENTION AND WRITING PERFORMANCE OF ESL UNDERGRADUATES IN A PRIVATE UNIVERSITY: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF FINAL EXAMINATIONS AND CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENTS

Abstract

Assessment plays a crucial role in higher education by guiding teaching and learning processes. Two primary forms of assessment are Final Examination (FE) and Continuous Assessment (CA). This study compares their effectiveness in fostering knowledge retention and writing achievement among ESL undergraduates at a private university. A mixed-method, convergent parallel design was employed with 14 purposively selected participants divided into two groups. Group A (N=8) completed a timed, invigilated FE, while Group B (N=6) undertook a take-home CA, both based on the topic of Alternate Ethical Paradigms. Data were collected through written assessments and follow-up semi-structured interviews. Grounded in the Multi-Store Memory Model (Atkinson & Shiffrin, 1968) and the Yerkes-Dodson Law (1908), the study examined differences in knowledge retention and writing performance. Results showed that FE participants experienced a 56.1% decline in retained knowledge after one week, compared to a 50.3% decline in the CA group, indicating better retention under CA. Writing performance also differed significantly, with Group A scoring an average of 56.88% (C+) and Group B achieving 77.5% (A-). Thematic analysis further revealed that participants perceived CA as more effective in assessing understanding and less stressful than FE. Overall, the findings suggest that CA provides a more supportive and effective approach for enhancing both retention and writing performance, offering implications for assessment practices in higher education.