Re: Test question

[Larry Woolf <larry.woolf@GAT.COM>]

Perhaps the test preparers should at least use different pictures instead of
words to eliminate some of the possible misinterpretations of the original
meaning of their words.

Larry Woolf
General Atomics
3550 General Atomics Court
Mail Stop 78-110
San Diego CA 92121
Ph:858-526-8575
FAX:858-526-8568
http://www.ga.com
http://www.sci-ed-ga.org.


 Hugh Haskell writes:
> >  Preparers of standardized
> > tests, which are almost always multiple choice, to be able to take
> > advantage of automated scoring, face these problems all the time,
> > although many times they have either ignored them or not realized
> > them. Once the question is presented as multiple choice, the test
> > taker is not free to "think outside the box" (one of the major
> > problems with this kind of test). Clearly the preparer had a
> > particular set of assumptions in mind, either consciously or
> > unconsciously, and, as in this case, the "correct" answer often
> > depends on the test taker's assumptions being congruent with the
> > test
> > preparer's, which are all too often, again as in this case,
> > unstated
> > and therefore hidden to the test taker.