Although over 100 million tests are administered each year and testing is a subject of increasing contention among students, faculty members remain diffident. A better understanding of the purpose and structure of evaluating mechanisms is a prerequisite for widespread improvement. Teachers must understand what factors play a part in measuring learning. If learning goals and course objectives are properly defined, they will be essential ingredients of success for student and teacher alike. Since multiple-choice and essay tests are most commonly used in college today, a thorough analysis of their structure and purpose is undertaken to clarify underlying principles of evaluation as a learning tool. Letter grading, the most commonly accepted form of evaluation, is particularly susceptible to the charge of insufficient feedback to the student. A more fundamental grasp of the options for academic measurement is the most direct route to improved grading. Growing external pressures are forcing faculty to reexamine student evaluation. The use of external examiners and the establishment of effective campus grievance arrangements are only two of the ways recommended to improve an increasingly bothersome issue in academic life. (LBH)