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Experimental passages??

Discussion in 'MCAT Discussions' started by bobby_chamo, Apr 18, 2004.

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  1. bobby_chamo

    bobby_chamo Member
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    Are there really experimental passages on the MCAT that don't count against you? Perhaps one of those organic passages ........ . . . .. . . . . . . .
     
    #1 bobby_chamo, Apr 18, 2004
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  2. Andrew_Doan

    Andrew_Doan Doc, Author, Entrepreneur
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    Yes. I think most standardized tests put these in to determine which questions are good and which are bad.
     
    #2 Andrew_Doan, Apr 18, 2004
  3. derf

    derf Ohio Land
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    do you mean experimental questions within "different" passages or 1 "single" passage that is experimental?
     
    #3 derf, Apr 18, 2004
  4. Andrew_Doan

    Andrew_Doan Doc, Author, Entrepreneur
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    The specifics I do not know, but they would have to have experimental passages too in order to test the validity of the passage.
     
    #4 Andrew_Doan, Apr 18, 2004
  5. Cerberus

    Cerberus Heroic Necromancer
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    I dont understand though. The MCAT does not recycle passages right? So what use would an experimental passage be since it could never be used again?
     
    #5 Cerberus, Apr 18, 2004
  6. Andrew_Doan

    Andrew_Doan Doc, Author, Entrepreneur
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    They have to validate if it's an appropriate question. For instance, if a passage doesn't produce a nice distribution of responses, then it may not be used.

    Are you sure they don't recycle passages? When I took the exam, there were many questions that were similar to other questions I studied from.
     
    #6 Andrew_Doan, Apr 18, 2004
  7. An Yong

    An Yong Senior Member
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    How does the MCAT get test questions?

    A large pool of content experts writes the items. New items are included in each administration of the MCAT as "field test" questions. Field test questions are not scored, but they are assessed for their performance and, if they are approved, are used on a future MCAT.


    Taken from MCAT FAQ:
    http://www.aamc.org/students/mcat/about/faqs.htm#questions
     
    #7 An Yong, Apr 18, 2004
  8. fun8stuff

    fun8stuff *hiding from patients*
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    On one of my past threads I posted a link to AAMC's website that state's that they do in fact do what Andrew Doan is saying. I will see if I can find it...

    edit: looks like An Young beat me to the punch...
     
    #8 fun8stuff, Apr 18, 2004
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