The discussion centers on the fairness and effectiveness of multiple-choice exams that require selecting multiple correct answers, where incorrect selections lead to losing all points for that question. Participants argue that this all-or-nothing grading scheme increases the likelihood of failure and does not accurately reflect a student's knowledge. Suggestions include implementing partial credit systems and adjusting point deductions for incorrect answers to create a fairer grading environment. The consensus is that current practices can skew results and do not adequately measure student understanding.
PREREQUISITESEducators, assessment designers, and academic administrators seeking to improve exam fairness and accuracy in measuring student knowledge.
mathwonk said:<snip>
You are right that a teacher should consider what it is he/she is actually measuring with his questions/scoring. <snip>
Hurkyl said:And yes, you really do want to penalize guessing. Admitting you don't know how to do a problem is a much, much better response than making a blind guess.