Interesting fact from a DAT test question writer...

[Neuro178]

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Recently, my ochem professor was invited to write questions for the ochem section of the DAT.

Apparently, 1-3 newly written questions are usually put into the DAT, but those questions are not actually scored. The DAT people see how students do on these questions... If most people get the question wrong (it's written poorly, confusing, too challenging, etc.), then the question will be removed. If a good percentage of the people get it right, then it's kept.

Basically, my ochem prof told me, "If you see a really crazy or outlandish question on the DAT, you might not even be scored on it. So don't worry!
This may explain why some people say "I thought I was failing such-and-such a section, but I still got a 22!" Maybe they weren't being scored on those questions.

Thought you all might like to know. I found that really interesting!!

P.S. He also said that one prof at the meeting asked what was the best way for students to fine tune their perceptual abilities. The answer? Organic chemistry! (Diastereomers, enantiomers, Newman projections, etc..)

 

[Glycogen]

Recently, my ochem professor was invited to write questions for the ochem section of the DAT.

Apparently, 1-3 newly written questions are usually put into the DAT, but those questions are not actually scored. The DAT people see how students do on these questions... If most people get the question wrong (it's written poorly, confusing, too challenging, etc.), then the question will be removed. If a good percentage of the people get it right, then it's kept.

Basically, my ochem prof told me, "If you see a really crazy or outlandish question on the DAT, you might not even be scored on it. So don't worry!
This may explain why some people say "I thought I was failing such-and-such a section, but I still got a 22!" Maybe they weren't being scored on those questions.

Thought you all might like to know. I found that really interesting!!

P.S. He also said that one prof at the meeting asked what was the best way for students to fine tune their perceptual abilities. The answer? Organic chemistry! (Diastereomers, enantiomers, Newman projections, etc..)

Very interesting!
Thank you for sharing it with us.

 

[baedero1]

thanks for good information...🙂

 

[Neuro178]

Very interesting!
Thank you for sharing it with us.

It might ease some worries on test day... 🙂 I know it will for me!

 

[Hugh Mannity]

At the same time if you get those right and other ones that are counted wrong those incorrect answers are magnified which will make your score lower. It all depends on an individual basis if it will help or not.

 

[Bruinlove]

Does that mean people who spend time on the questions and get them right won't get any advantage from their hard work and intelligence?

 

[supraman]

Does that mean people who spend time on the questions and get them right won't get any advantage from their hard work and intelligence?

I dont think you have anything to worry about

 

[Bruinlove]

I dont think you have anything to worry about

I'm not relating this fact to my situation.

I just feel bad for those who actually solved these 'new questions.'
What a shame that their hard work was for nothing. 🙄

 

[harrygt]

I'm not relating this fact to my situation.

I just feel bad for those who actually solved these 'new questions.'
What a shame that their hard work was for nothing. 🙄

Thanks for sharing this. I hope the FRAP question is one of those😀. BTW, was not your professor responsible to keep these things confidential? lol.

 

[Dmitry Malayev]

This is interesting! But it seems to be slightly unfair if you ask me.

 

[Neuro178]

Thanks for sharing this. I hope the FRAP question is one of those😀. BTW, was not your professor responsible to keep these things confidential? lol.

I don't really think that's something that needs to be kept confidential. He's an outstanding guy who has written q's for both the DAT and MCAT, and I doubt he'd violate any sort of confidentiality agreement. It's just the process of writing questions. He didn't say anything specifically about the questions themselves.

 

[doc toothache]

http://www.ada.org/prof/ed/testing/construction/dat_manual.pdf