Exam question

I have a further comment. The answers in multiple choice exams are never one correct one and 3 (or whatever) random numbers or answers. It is always quite possible to derive all the answers by making various errors, even if working them out may be difficult. The answers may have several parts (as I suggest above with measurment accuracy) and require a level of understanding which is not immediately obvious. They are actually quite difficult to design, which is why real multiple choice back papers are often not available.Remember, an exam is not there to be easy, it is to set a defined standard of understanding.


Take  the 18th edition exam, with a reasonable level of knowledge it is quite possible to look up all the answers in the BBB within the allowed time. Thus there is no excuse to not getting 100%. However the average candidate struggles with the basic knowledge to know exactly where to look and what to reference in the index, list of tables etc. Thus it takes them more than the allowed time to complete the exam, and they get lower marks. Even with an excellent knowledge some questions are difficult because the answer is not found from the index etc., you need to know where to look fairly exactly. It is debateable whether the pass mark is high enough, because it is possible to pass with just the index and very little knowledge.


In the above question the answer c is probably misreading the 1.13 number as 1.3, and forgetting the 80%, someone will do that. There are many ways to get the wrong answer, yet be convinced it is right.


Good luck and be careful!


David CEng

I have a further comment. The answers in multiple choice exams are never one correct one and 3 (or whatever) random numbers or answers. It is always quite possible to derive all the answers by making various errors, even if working them out may be difficult. The answers may have several parts (as I suggest above with measurment accuracy) and require a level of understanding which is not immediately obvious. They are actually quite difficult to design, which is why real multiple choice back papers are often not available.Remember, an exam is not there to be easy, it is to set a defined standard of understanding.


Take  the 18th edition exam, with a reasonable level of knowledge it is quite possible to look up all the answers in the BBB within the allowed time. Thus there is no excuse to not getting 100%. However the average candidate struggles with the basic knowledge to know exactly where to look and what to reference in the index, list of tables etc. Thus it takes them more than the allowed time to complete the exam, and they get lower marks. Even with an excellent knowledge some questions are difficult because the answer is not found from the index etc., you need to know where to look fairly exactly. It is debateable whether the pass mark is high enough, because it is possible to pass with just the index and very little knowledge.


In the above question the answer c is probably misreading the 1.13 number as 1.3, and forgetting the 80%, someone will do that. There are many ways to get the wrong answer, yet be convinced it is right.


Good luck and be careful!


David CEng