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Politics : Formerly About Advanced Micro Devices -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: tejek who wrote (256993)	10/25/2005 6:49:22 AM
From: TigerPaw	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1571898

((a)). That may be representing an exponent (i.e. they are using the asteric to mean an unspecified number), but to programmers the * is definitely multiplication. One more note on skipping problems you don't know. If this is a fill-in-the bubble kind of test sheet it is real easy to fill in your answer on the wrong line if you skip around. Always double check (every single time) that the problem number matches the line where you put your answer.

To: tejek who wrote (256993)	10/25/2005 8:54:54 AM
From: combjelly	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1571898

"I am not sure that's right. This is the way it was presented...." Oops, slipped into computer programming mode there. I have to admit, I am not familiar with that nomenclature. If you can find the example it would help. In addition, the computer-based test eliminates strategy for the most part. In fact, it makes it crucial to answer correctly, especially early on. The first few questions set the general range of what your final score will be, the rest just refine your final score.

To: tejek who wrote (256993)	10/25/2005 9:29:47 AM
From: Taro	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1571898

Let me ask you......they mention in the test notes some kind of "equating with other tests bla bla bla when scoring. Are they saying they adjust the scores......kind of like doing the scoring on a curve? Is that how it works? My guess is as follows: They always have a pretty good idea of what percentage of the students taking the test should under normal circumstances pass. Since the particular test could be more or less complicated, they look at the totals before they weight in the individual results in such a way that the average students passed hit the expected rates. At least in my time, this was well known but little talked about. You just couldn't have 90% flunked in one year and then 90% passed in the following year only because it is hard to come up with a set of problems within the same level of difficulty year after year. Taro

To: tejek who wrote (256993)	10/25/2005 10:09:09 AM
From: combjelly	Respond to of 1571898

"Are they saying they adjust the scores......kind of like doing the scoring on a curve?" Taro answered this pretty well. You get a raw score, but that can only be compared to others who take the exact same test. To make comparisons possible, they then normalize the tests, i.e. they curve. And they really curve, fitting the scores to a Bell curve or what ever they have determined as appropriate for the test, instead of just handing out some points like many instructors who "curve" do. Which brings up a point. The universities tell the testing bodies what type of students they want to attract. Med schools for example, want some bias towards students who don't have a biology or pre-med background. So the MCAT structures the test so that the biology wonks are lured into wrong answers. The GRE is not so bad about this, but be on the watch for complicated wording(they are trying to mislead you), "obvious" answers(they are trying to mislead you) or leading questions(they are trying to mislead you). For the analytical writing, it isn't important what you say as much as how you say it. The evaluators only spend a few minutes reading your work, so make it as easy as possible for them. Adopt a "thesis-antithesis-synthesis" approach, starting with a clear statement of what you are writing about. Use real examples to support your argument, don't make up stuff. Don't inject things like politics and keep it neutral, annoying the evaluator is not a winning strategy. Be sure your work is spelling and grammatically correct, errors can only hurt you. In summary, be extra careful on the first 10-15 questions in a given section, those will set the bulk of your score. Keep on your toes. Don't get misled.