More California

Howard Kveck wrote:
I thought fritessaus went extinct around the time the liopleurodon did.
Sadly, no.

Its like the abominable snowman, it keeps coming back.

Tom Kunich wrote:
The problem is that on multiple choice tests 60% is usually the average
score for those who simply pick more or less randomly.

Ryan Cousineau wrote:
Tom, I think you're writing a bit imprecisely here.
Assuming a typical 4-answer test with each question worth the same, the
random score is 25%.

I seem to recall the new field of Kunichian (im)probability theory
has been discussed before on rbr.

Ryan Cousineau wrote:
My parenting skills? Best summed up thus: my 15-pound dog gave me four
stitches and was allowed to live.

You can hardly blame it if attach stuff like this to the poor thing
when you take it for a walk:

http://www.baronbob.com/hopsholster.htm

In article ,
Donald Munro wrote:

Ryan Cousineau wrote:
My parenting skills? Best summed up thus: my 15-pound dog gave me four
stitches and was allowed to live.

You can hardly blame it if attach stuff like this to the poor thing
when you take it for a walk:

http://www.baronbob.com/hopsholster.htm

I only do that as training!

Official party game of rbr:

http://www.baronbob.com/lightning-game.htm

I bet it's even more fun after a few drinks.

--
Ryan Cousineau http://www.wiredcola.com/
"I don't want kids who are thinking about going into mathematics
to think that they have to take drugs to succeed." -Paul Erdos

On Aug 26, 8:03 pm, Ryan Cousineau wrote:
In article ,
"Tom Kunich" cyclintom@yahoo. com wrote:

"SLAVE of THE STATE" wrote in message
roups.com...

We agreed 6 out of 10 is a D.

If "60%" is a D, how do you test/grade to uncover exceptional
performers?

The problem is that on multiple choice tests 60% is usually the average
score for those who simply pick more or less randomly.

Tom, I think you're writing a bit imprecisely here.

Assuming a typical 4-answer test with each question worth the same, the
random score is 25%.

None of the classes (in my major) were multiple guess, even the lower
division stuff.

On Aug 26, 10:21 am, Ewoud Dronkert
wrote:
SLAVE of THE STATE schreef:

60% was often a solid A.

Huh. Our grades are always 1-10: 10 is perfect, 1 for showing up. Six
means sufficient to pass, a 5 is not.

The connection between % on exams to grade varied by particular test
and instructor. I was pointing out about where it came out on the
average. There was also (often) a volume aspect to difficulty -- some
tests simply could not be finished in the time allotted by "C" or even
"B" students.

Anyway, if Robert had answered that the tests simply examine the
students grasp of all the material presented, and there is no explicit
attempt to "sort out high performers," then he would have gotten an
"A." An "oh dear" would have been a "B," since I know what that
means, but it is less precise.

Re. "1 for showing up", in the first year of secondary school I had a
French teacher who gave short, unexpected dictations (dictées) where
every error cost a point. She usually stopped counting at 0, or -1 if
you had the nerve to protest or were otherwise disruptive.

Is French a required class? (I had to take English -- I really
struggled and still do to this day.)

SLAVE of THE STATE schreef:
Is French a required class?

In my day it was, for the first 3 years. I don't think there is such a
distinction in America but in Holland there are 3 levels of secondary
education, taking 4, 5 and 6 years. The first year usually comprises
level 1/2 and level 2/3 combined classes. Completely separate classes
are formed after the first year. I was competent enough to take the 6 yr
version, the one giving direct access to university education. In the
other levels, I don't think any language other than Dutch and English
was compulsory after the 2nd year.

Today, the whole system has changed and I'm afraid I don't know much
about it.


--
E. Dronkert

"Ryan Cousineau" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"Tom Kunich" cyclintom@yahoo. com wrote:

"SLAVE of THE STATE" wrote in message
oups.com...

We agreed 6 out of 10 is a D.

If "60%" is a D, how do you test/grade to uncover exceptional
performers?

The problem is that on multiple choice tests 60% is usually the average
score for those who simply pick more or less randomly.

Tom, I think you're writing a bit imprecisely here.

Assuming a typical 4-answer test with each question worth the same, the
random score is 25%.

For crying out loud Ryan. Have you ever taken a test? If you have a
correctly written multiple choice question you'd be correct. But how many
tests like that have you seen? In most college level courses the multiple
choice answers usually are two completely incorrect and another two, often
there's no question about which one of those it is even if you haven't
studied the subject at all.

Why do you suppose all of the technology is leaving the USA?

On 08/27/2007 07:36 PM, in article , "Tom
Kunich" cyclintom@yahoo. com wrote:

"Ryan Cousineau" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"Tom Kunich" cyclintom@yahoo. com wrote:

"SLAVE of THE STATE" wrote in message
oups.com...

We agreed 6 out of 10 is a D.

If "60%" is a D, how do you test/grade to uncover exceptional
performers?

The problem is that on multiple choice tests 60% is usually the average
score for those who simply pick more or less randomly.

Tom, I think you're writing a bit imprecisely here.

Assuming a typical 4-answer test with each question worth the same, the
random score is 25%.

For crying out loud Ryan. Have you ever taken a test? If you have a
correctly written multiple choice question you'd be correct. But how many
tests like that have you seen? In most college level courses the multiple
choice answers usually are two completely incorrect and another two, often
there's no question about which one of those it is even if you haven't
studied the subject at all.


But Tom ... If the test takers are eliminating 2 of the 4 answers right off
the bat, and then choosing between the other two, then it's not a RANDOM
score ...


Why do you suppose all of the technology is leaving the USA?


Because people like you keep demonstrating how incompetent the United States
really is?


--
Steven L. Sheffield
stevens at veloworks dot com
bellum pax est libertas servitus est ignoratio vis est
ess ay ell tea ell ay kay ee sea eye tee why you ti ay aitch
aitch tee tea pea colon [for word] slash [four ward] slash double-you
double-yew double-ewe dot flahute dot com [foreword] slash

"Steven L. Sheffield" wrote in message
...
On 08/27/2007 07:36 PM, in article ,
"Tom
Kunich" cyclintom@yahoo. com wrote:

Why do you suppose all of the technology is leaving the USA?

Because people like you keep demonstrating how incompetent the United
States
really is?

What is it that YOU do for a living again - help me here - I'm sure it is
something productive.