A good assessment method should be able to distinguish between deep learners and surface learners in a way so the former are rewarded while the later are punished. Using data of a survey conducted at the Institute of Contemporary Chinese Studies, University of Nottingham, the study finds strong evidence that assignment essays serve to reward deep learners and punish surface learners, while formal examinations fail to do so. The policy implication of the study is clear and straightforward: assignment essays should be preferable over formal examination in higher education, at least in so far as the humanities and social sciences are concerned. The study is, however, limited in the scope of empirical coverage, and further effort should be made to find out whether the findings in this study are applicable to other settings. (Contains 1 figure, 6 tables, and 1 note.)