Exam Errors/Curved Grades

jenrninmi, MSN, RN · Oct 18, 2004

We sometimes have errors on the exams, when the students find them, they are thrown out - (the question, not the students :rotfl: .)No, my school does not grade on a curve.

Paleobug · Oct 18, 2004

My instructor for my online pharm class is taking many questions from the old text. :rolleyes: After the past two exams, I've found errors in the last question. It is usually from a chapter that we weren't assigned. The good thing is that she will give the point, but you have to be the one to point it out to her. People who took this instructor last summer said that you have to look for errors on every test. Also, last week people failed the dreaded dosage/calculations test because of typos, they pointed them out after the test but they still had to retake the test or be expelled. :uhoh21:

purplekath · Oct 19, 2004

Yes we get them all the time...which is surprising given that they are supposed to be checked by another professor. I'm just wondering with the iron -- could it be that because infant/toddler formulas contain iron supplements that this is why you need to give an iron supplement?? Dunno - just guessing??

But you're right - it's a pain when you go to all the trouble of studying only to find mistakes and contradictions!

xokelly2 · Oct 20, 2004

I have a lot of cases where there will be a test question and instead of taking it out of the book or lecture the instructors take info from thier base of knowledge which is fine but we don't typically know that if we've never heard it before even if It does make sense to them. But if we argue too many test questions the instructors get defensive......

Maggie in NC · Oct 20, 2004

Had a test last Saturday-the question was "Where are white blood cells made?" Picks were "red marrow" "yellow marrow", Blah blah blah. Taking A&P knew it was yellow marrow. Instructor said "Our book does not say anything about yellow marrow, just because you're taking A&P and know the true answer doesn't make it right on this test." I looked her right in the face and said, "so this is the fantasy vs. reality portion of nursing?" She laughed but would not change it. BS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

jerryh55 · Oct 21, 2004

I can really relate to your problem LOL Our instructor for intro is young, and after a test, she will go over it. If we can present enough of a logical reason for the question being bad, she will throw it out. On the other hand, we have an older lady as our instrutor for Legal/Ethical. And her attitude for test questions is heres the question and here's the answer. Either black or white, with no grey area. But I happen to think this area is wayyyyyyy grey. But she has a law degree, and who are we but lowly students. We really chapped her butt on wed after the test. Everyone was mad because she changed a few things that she had stated would be one way in the beginning, and would always be that way. Then on wed, she did a total 360 and man did the grades drop. Just have to hope it all comes out in the wash in the end.

Have a Great day

Jerry

LydiaGreen · Oct 21, 2004

Our exams, tests, etc., came from the main school - with multiple satellite sites spread across hundreds of miles, they didn't want the each site's instructors writing different tests. Those exams were RIDDLED with errors. We would point them out - our instructors would agree, support us 100% and collect our documentation to prove it (we would submit the correct answer as direct quotations from three seperate references to PROVE our answer was correct). Mid-terms and finals for each semester are one thing. But, when it came to our nursing school exam (the cumulative one of all of the preceding years that you need to pass to graduate from nursing school), we expected that they would have it together, you know? Nope! We found errors galore, submitted our evidence as we always did. The head of the program said that she would look into it. Three of my classmates had to rewrite the exam (8 hours!) a month later because the school counted the CORRECTLY answered questions as incorrect because THEY couldn't make sure the answer key was right BEFORE they sent out the exam! One failed the first time by 0.3% when if the error questions had been corrected would have given her an additional 4%!!!!!

We wrote the CNE (Canadian Nurses' Examination) and every single one of my classmates passed on their first attempt. Once in a long while, I can see one error in the answer key (scored by computers) but not on a continuous basis throughout nursing school. As far as the NClex, I would imagine that it is graded in the same manner as the CNE. If there is one answer that is incorrect by a vast majority of the people who took the exam, they review the question and answer key to determine whether or not an error was made in the preparation of either.

manna, BSN, RN · Oct 21, 2004

No grade curving here. They don't even round up. If you fail with a 73.9, you still failed.

As far as errors on exams - they happen. After each exam, a curriculum/faculty committee meets and goes through the questions on the test. Occasionally questions are thrown out if they are misleading or poorly worded/spelled, and all questions that over 60% of the class miss are evaluated. We also sign up for appointments with our individual clinical advisors/instructors if we'd like to go through and ask questions about what we missed on the exams (we're not allowed to keep copies of the tests, so that's the only way we can see them).