The six steps approach to standardize assessment system in faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University was successfully applied in two courses. This trial pave the way to be replicated in all courses offered in the current educational program, especially with the well designed exam work sheet. Over the next few years, there will be annual data about implementing this approach that offer the chance for comparison and evaluating the intended outcomes.

"Assessment Drives Learning" This classic statement by George E. Miller (1919-1998) encapsulates in a single phrase the central role of assessment in any form of education. Assessment is an essential and integral part of any educational process, we can't separate it from learning and teaching. Assessment entails the systematic gathering of evidence to judge a student’s demonstration of learning.

      Effective student assessment only can derive learning, to ensue effective assessment, rigorous and continuous steps must be followed. A six steps approach is designed to enhance the effectiveness of student assessment in faculty of Medicine at King – Abdulaziz university.

A Six Steps Approach Towards Effective Student Assessment

1-Identifying the purpose of the test.
2-Analyzing the course contents
3-Identifying the learning objectives.
4- Designing test blueprint Using a designed computer program.
5- Constructing test items according to the test blueprint and applying the test.
6- Evaluation of test items using item Analysis .

Staff training for applying the six steps approach was done through a series of mini workshop with the module committee. Parallel to these workshops, a series of three workshops were conducted in the centre of teaching and learning development for the same purpose. For all groups a pre/post test was applied. A course evaluation questionnaires were given to participants at the last day of the course.

     To implement the six steps approach, an exam worksheet was designed, that included the six steps for standardizing assessment system in Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University. The exam worksheet are six pages sheet, that includes in its first page, the data related to the exam as the course, year, number and types of questions, the second page is a checklist for evaluating the quality of the concerned course learning objectives, the third page contains the test blueprint for the exam, the fourth and fifth page are a checklist for evaluating the quality of Multiple Choice Questions and the third page contains standardized criteria for interpretation of item analysis data.

      Students satisfaction towards their methods of assessment was evaluated through the course evaluation questionnaires. The statistical analysis of the results was carried out according to the conventional standard statistical procedures using computed statistical analysis by SPSS, version 10.0 for Microsoft Windows XP.

Although this project was done in College of Medicine in King abdulaziz University, but it has the potential to be replicated in any medical school. The exam work sheet which is the main product of this work is available and could be used by any department. I welcome sending it to any intersted one just communicate with me on my e.mail: mohammedhassanien700@yahoo.com

   Table (1)Percentage Improvement of   Assessment Knowledge in Group 1

I'd like to thank all people who helped me to accomplish my CMCL FAIMER project especially, Prof Abdulmoneam Al-Hayani the vice dean for Basic Medical Science, college of medicine, King abdulaziz University. All my colleagues in Medical Education Department especially Dr.Basem Al-Deek for his help in statstical part and Finally I want to thank All CMCL FAIMER Family for their support and help