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- Nov 28, 2007
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I figured I would share my extreme hatred for multiple choice exams. I disagree with everything about them. They were OK for middle school... but that is as far as it goes. I just don't see the purpose of testing your ability to memorize obscure sentences and exact definitions from readings that were barely touched in lecture.
The thing I can't stand more than anything else (and makes me actually want to punch things) is why in the world professors think that writing grammatically incorrect, ambiguous, and trick questions (that hinge on ONE word mentioned only obscurely in a textbook definition) is the best way to test knowledge of a subject. Its counterproductive to constantly point someone in the wrong direction in order to see if they know the right way. Not only that, but the fact that you know professors write in these dumb trick questions also throws you off. So while you are taking a test - this crap happens...
"Ok cool this question is easy we just went over this like 3 days ago" NO! its a trick question based completely on your textbook author's opinion instead of widely accepted scientific opinion, stupid you for falling for the scientifically correct answer... and stupid you for doing any kind of reading outside of the required textbook. Did you forget that this isn't actually a science class, it's just a glorified book review?
Then the next question... "Ha! I know this is a trick question glad I caught that! [pat self on back]" NO! wrong again! That wasn't a trick question, that was just a entirely grammatically incorrect sentence that in it's lack of coherence has no real answer... stupid you for trying to interpret an otherwise nonsensical question.
I wouldn't be so angry if I didn't consistently make B's on exams I should be acing. I am perfectly fine with missing a question because I either didn't know the material or made a dumb mistake... what I am not fine with is missing a question completely because of ambiguous semantics (if you actually KNOW the material then semantics matter that much more!). So what ends up happening is I show up to the prof's next office hours armed with copies of journal articles and random other citations trying to argue my way back up to an "A." It just kills me to look at my scores for the semester on anything non-multiple choice and see consistent 95-100 (including other exams) and then have my MC exams staring right back at me with 80-85's. gg college.
The thing I can't stand more than anything else (and makes me actually want to punch things) is why in the world professors think that writing grammatically incorrect, ambiguous, and trick questions (that hinge on ONE word mentioned only obscurely in a textbook definition) is the best way to test knowledge of a subject. Its counterproductive to constantly point someone in the wrong direction in order to see if they know the right way. Not only that, but the fact that you know professors write in these dumb trick questions also throws you off. So while you are taking a test - this crap happens...
"Ok cool this question is easy we just went over this like 3 days ago" NO! its a trick question based completely on your textbook author's opinion instead of widely accepted scientific opinion, stupid you for falling for the scientifically correct answer... and stupid you for doing any kind of reading outside of the required textbook. Did you forget that this isn't actually a science class, it's just a glorified book review?
Then the next question... "Ha! I know this is a trick question glad I caught that! [pat self on back]" NO! wrong again! That wasn't a trick question, that was just a entirely grammatically incorrect sentence that in it's lack of coherence has no real answer... stupid you for trying to interpret an otherwise nonsensical question.
I wouldn't be so angry if I didn't consistently make B's on exams I should be acing. I am perfectly fine with missing a question because I either didn't know the material or made a dumb mistake... what I am not fine with is missing a question completely because of ambiguous semantics (if you actually KNOW the material then semantics matter that much more!). So what ends up happening is I show up to the prof's next office hours armed with copies of journal articles and random other citations trying to argue my way back up to an "A." It just kills me to look at my scores for the semester on anything non-multiple choice and see consistent 95-100 (including other exams) and then have my MC exams staring right back at me with 80-85's. gg college.