What type of assessment is generally both continuous and periodic?

The correct answer highlights that formal assessments are typically structured and standardized. They are designed to evaluate students' learning through well-defined criteria and are often administered in a consistent manner across different populations, adding to their reliability. Formal assessments can be both continuous and periodic, as they may be utilized throughout a course to track student progress or at specific intervals to gauge understanding of the material.

This approach allows educators to gather data over time, providing a comprehensive view of student performance. For example, tests, quizzes, and standardized exams fall under this category, as they can be administered regularly to assess ongoing learning (continuous) and at designated points in the instructional timeframe (periodic).

Other types of assessments, such as informal assessments, may not follow a structured format and are often more spontaneous and less standardized. Performance-based assessments focus specifically on students' abilities to apply knowledge in real-world scenarios, while criterion-referenced assessments evaluate student performance against specific standards but may not encompass the continuous aspect. Therefore, the nature of formal assessments makes them uniquely suited to be both continuous and periodic in educational settings.