Format is a term used in the didactic literature more widespread, but not uniformly used term, which has a certain Fashion character has.
If there are definitions, dictionaries are often used to indicate that the term refers to the shape, size or structure of something (e.g. Christmann, 2019). Other paraphrases use the analogy of the broadcast format (e.g. Niegemann et al., 2008). Based on this, lectures, seminars, exercises, projects, etc. are often referred to as teaching formats in the practice of university didactics. Teaching formats form their own profiles or designs - consisting of characteristic teaching and learning activities, objectives and associated expectations. Applied to examinations, examination formats can therefore be defined as Tailoring of audit procedures understand the Own structure have, Identifiable goals and with concrete expectations are connected.
In this sense, they are more differentiated than exam types, but not already prescriptive like exam scenarios. If we subscribe to this understanding of format, then formats are similar to types in that they form their own larger units. Like examination scenarios, they should also be subsumed under examination types. However, a look at the literature on testing (e.g. Gerick, Sommer & Zimmermann, 2018) shows that the Word format particularly inconsistent and often synonymous with the word „form“ is used: Written examinations, essays, project reports, literature reviews are thus sometimes classified as different examination formats, sometimes as different examination forms under the type of written examination.
------------
Quote with emphasis (p. 15) from: Bandtel, M., Baume, M., Brinkmann, E., Bedenlier, S., Budde, J., Eugster, B., Ghoneim, A., Halbherr, T., Persike, M., Rampelt, F., Reinmann, G., Sari, Z., Schulz, A. (eds.) (2021). Digital tests in the university. Whitepaper of a Community Working Group from Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Version 1.1. Berlin: Hochschulforum Digitalisierung.
------------
Literature:
Christmann, B. (2019). Function and design of formats of academic continuing education. Journal of Higher Education and Continuing Education, 1, 12-2
Gerick, J., Sommer, S. & Zimmermann, G. (eds.) (2018). Competently designing exams. Münster: Waxmann.
Niegemann, H.M., Domag, S., Hessel, S., Hein, A., Hupfer, M. & Zobel, A. (2008). Compendium of multimedia learning. Berlin: Springer.
