Experimental???

[SephirothXR]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I'm somewhat confused. If the questions are 52/40/52 and there are only that many in a section, how can there be an experimental section (unlike the SAT where they add another section to the actual test). If part of the 52 are experimental, then how do you end up answering 52 real questions?

 

[ThirdEye]

The way I understand it is you're graded on how many you miss. Say a 51 of 52 is a 14; if you miss 4 but 3 were experimental, then you get a 14.

 

[NickNaylor]

You clearly don't answer 52 real questions...

 

[stsa84]

Could somebody give evidence of the fact that experimental sections are used on the test? I've heard this topic mentioned a lot, and it's something that I and many others hope/wish is true, but where did this idea come from? I haven't heard of it outside of SDN forums, but would love to know where this info is coming from...

 

[wow my heart]

Could somebody give evidence of the fact that experimental sections are used on the test? I've heard this topic mentioned a lot, and it's something that I and many others hope/wish is true, but where did this idea come from? I haven't heard of it outside of SDN forums, but would love to know where this info is coming from...

I totally agree. Can some1 shed sum light on this pls?

 

[mohad]

To add on, is there experimental passages/questions on each section? And I'm assuming that if you get all the experimental right and 3 others wrong, you don't get bonus points as compared to someone who just got the experimental right.

 

[stsa84]

Well, I just answered my own question.

Taken from the 2011 "MCAT Essentials" Document:

Please note that each multiple-choice section will include some experimental items that do not count toward your score.

https://www.aamc.org/students/download/63060/data/mcatessentials.pdf

The quote above came from page 4 of the document, right below the section heading "Section Analysis".

 

[wow my heart]

Yeah, I see it nw. Thanks 😀

 

[kkoopman]

.

 

[DrBowtie]

LOL at all these people analyzing these things hardcore.

Facts: There are experimental questions on the exam. Some might have more than others on different sections.

Given that the real questions have been through an experimental phase, the test administrators are able to gauge the difficulty of questions and discrimination value of questions such that when they assemble the exam, they are all statistically the same across all forms.

 

[duke2121]

So does that mean that practice tests from aamc have experimental items?

 

[NickNaylor]

What does it matter anyway? Knowing how the test writers deal with experimental questions is not going to matter one iota.

 

[kkoopman]

.

 

[DrBowtie]

So does that mean that practice tests from aamc have experimental items?

Why would they? The practice tests aren't necessarily complete real forms used in the past.

They also wouldn't get good data off the experimental questions on practice tests as testing conditions vary.

 

[NickNaylor]

Lol actually it does. But, to each is own.

This is assuming that you can even identify which questions are experimental, something I don't think any student taking the test could do with any degree of certainty. Sure, the presence of experimental questions will impact your ultimate score (somewhat), but it's not going to impact how you prepare for or take the test. So why worry?

 

[stsa84]

What does it matter anyway? Knowing how the test writers deal with experimental questions is not going to matter one iota.

It matters in the same way that it matters knowing what the breakdown of raw score vs. scaled score is for a particular test, or how the percentiles work out. That is, it doesn't actually matter, but it's normal to want to find out everything you can about how this test works and how it's scored.

 

[kkoopman]

.

 

[salim271]

Lmaoooo for everyone who hasn't taken the test, it matters a lot that there are experimental questions. For everyone who has already taken the test, had no idea which questions were experimental (and under a time crunch, didnt care what was experimental,) it doesnt matter.

 

[NickNaylor]

I guess. It's just needless worrying, but hey, if it makes you feel better spending time to figure out which questions are experimental, more power to you.

 

[stsa84]

I'm not saying anyone should be trying to figure out which questions might be experimental (although maybe some people here are saying that). I was just curious to see if it was true. I found it in an AAMC publication, and now I'm satisfied.

 

[ash286]

Since we can't know which ones they are I'm not going to worry about this... I'd love to know but just excessive stress. \

After the test though I am sure I will dwell on it.