Examiners’ reports on theses: Feedback or assessment?

Traditionally, examiners’ reports on theses at the doctoral and Master’s level consist of two components: firstly, summative assessment where a judgement is made about whether the thesis has met the standards established by the discipline for the award of the degree, and, secondly, the developmental and formative component, where examiners provide feedback to assist the candidate to revise the thesis. Given this dual task of providing assessment...