The purpose of summative assessments is best summarized as:

Summative assessments are designed to evaluate student learning at the conclusion of an instructional period, typically to determine if educational goals have been met. These assessments aggregate information about what students have learned and measure their mastery of specific content or skills. The primary aim is to provide a comprehensive overview of student performance, enabling educators to gauge the effectiveness of their teaching and the efficacy of the curriculum.

This approach contrasts with formative assessments, which focus on providing ongoing feedback and support for student learning throughout the instructional process. While summative assessments might inform instructional planning for future units, their primary function is to serve as a final measurement, rather than a continuous evaluative tool. Similarly, while summative assessments can provide data that can be compared against standards, this comparison is a byproduct of the assessment rather than its main purpose. Thus, the best summary of summative assessments is to capture and evaluate the understanding and mastery that students demonstrate at the end of a learning phase.