Subject: 2 x typos in the Exam paper Topic: Open Discussion - Assessment
Author: Ms Kerri O'Donnell Date: 26 October 2010 12:42 PM
Hello all,
My apologies for the two typographical errors in the exam. Although this is the first time any error has appeared in one of my exams, it is reasonably common for errors to appear in teaching materials and exam papers across all the disciplines, and actually everywhere in the workplace world, so this reinforces that you need to take note of the strategies offered by your lecturers for what to do if you have doubts, and act upon them when the need arises. This includes asking questions, stating assumptions, and acting upon instructions for how to manage time spent on each question (remember 3 minutes per mark for this 60-mark exam), and from my post of 22/10/10: “If you get stuck, move on to the next question and come back to the more difficult one later.”
You should know that I can not comment on specific exam answers or anybody’s performance until after the exam results are formally released, and even then comments will be limited to private appointments made by completing the Application to view form at the level 5 reception desk.
However, I can make a general attempt to set your troubled minds at ease: Nobody is being penalised for either doing the exam paper exactly as given, or for making an appropriate assumption/decision, as instructed many times in class.
There is actually no problem because your marks are not affected by either typo as neither affects the point of the tasks themselves. Your response to any question, regardless of your interpretation of one specific anomaly within it, will always reflect your understanding of the principles and processes fundamental to the task in general. Marks are being awarded to all sensible answers. Further explanation follows:
a.The Q3 subtotal error is completely irrelevant to the allocation task itself. I only asked to make the announcement as a matter of honesty and transparency in case some students noticed it and worried unnecessarily that I had included tricks. As stated many times, I do not include tricks in exams. (I doubt very much that anybody would have noticed the subtotal didn’t match except for the one student who brought it to my attention.) In any case, nobody will be penalised for doing Q3 either as given or as corrected.
b.Nobody asked any question about Q4 during the 3.25 hour-long opportunity you had to help yourself. That is what reading time is for, and lecturers are always contactable throughout exams. Had even one person asked an invigilator, they would have phoned my mobile. So while I take responsibility for two typographical errors in the exam paper (even though it was checked by three other people), I will not take responsibility for your failure to ask such a simple question.
In addition, I instructed you all, many times, that if you have any doubts in an exam you should clearly state any assumption you need to make in order to construct your answer. This applies to all types of theory application (EG: defining a relevant range) as well as other needs to place limits or reduce uncertainty. A couple of students did this, and you are thanked very much for listening and learning. Your clear statement of assumption has made it easier to award marks to your work (another instruction) regardless of what that assumption was.
Most people, however, apparently did not even notice the name typo, because most question papers present the exact answer expected.
In any case, as per Q3, nobody will be penalised for doing Q4 as given, or self-corrected.
So where to from here? If you wish to stay on MyLO discussing typos, then go for it. You will achieve more, however, if you instead focus constructively on passing your remaining exams. Remember that the same basic principles of preparation apply, so the generic exam preparation and technique handouts I posted in the unit’s Unit Information folder should be helpful for your other units too.
If you are really worried about how to cope with exams, please contact a Faculty academic advisor immediately for advice.
Best wishes,
Kerri
这是kerri 关于错误问题在my lo discussion board 上的回复 |