Problems in achieving objectivity in creative writing assessment: students’ perceptions

Background.The issue of objective assessment of students’ creative written assignments in advanced foreign language instruction remains relevant in the context of the competence-based approach and the growing emphasis on the verification and transparency of learning outcomes in higher education. Along with comprehensive consideration of linguistic, discourse-related and pragmatic parameters, various objective and subjective factors that affect assessment may arouse scientific interest. Purpose.The aim of the study is to identify students’ perceptions about the transparency of assessment procedures and factors affecting objectivity of assessing written tasks, followed by a comparison of these perceptions with the previously described views of teachers. Materials and methods.The main methodology includes the systemic and comparative approaches that allow to view assessment as a multifactorial process and to analyse discrepancies in the positions of different participants in the education process. The main research methods are a questionnaire-based survey and qualitative data analysis. Results.The findings indicate that both students and teachers acknowledge the importance of formal assessment criteria; however, they differ in their evaluation of the degree of transparency of these criteria and the possibility of their flexible application. However, students and teachers have different perceptions of the role of external factors such as a teacher’s fatigue, stress, and emotional state, and the relevance of background information about the student. The results obtained emphasise the need for clarification of assessment criteria for students and for their active involvement in the assessment process.