The assessment is an important means to promote and lead the healthy development of science popularization, and carrying out assessment research is the key to supporting the high-quality development of science popularization. In this paper, the background of assessment for science popularization was sorted out by taking the history as the main line, the developing course was divided into three stages: introduction and reference, application and development, and systematic construction. According to the research contents, the emphases of assessment for science popularization in our country were summarized as assessment of effect, ability and venues, the shortcomings were reflected in scientificity, comprehensiveness and innovation. Finally, combined with the need for high-quality development of science popularization, some suggestions for improving the science popularization assessment were propounded: strengthening the theory research of science popularization evaluation and improving the scientificity and authority, according to the needs of science popularization practice and refining the measures of science popularization evaluation, following the development trend of information technology and developing new methods of science popularization evaluation.