Unfortunately the most common perception is that tests are designed to statistically rank all students according to a sampling of their knowledge of a subject and to report that ranking to superiors or anyone else interested in using that information to adversely influence the student's feeling of self-worth. It is even more unfortunate that the perception matches reality in the majority of testing situations.
Consequently tests are highly stressful anxiety producing events for most persons.
Most of the other numerous testing designs and strategies fail to help the student in his learning process and in many cases are quite detrimental to that process. In a Mastery Based system of instruction the two main reasons for testing are to determine mastery and to diagnose difficulties. When tests are constructed for these purposes, the other four purposes will also be satisfied. For example, consider a test which requires the student to demonstrate mastery and at the same time rigorously diagnoses learning difficulties. If no difficulties are indicated, it may be safely assumed that the learner has mastered the concept.