Question on how ECE exams are graded

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by unixman, Mar 21, 2005.

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  1. unixman

    unixman New Member

    According to the Excelsior site, ECE exams are graded using the "item response theory" (IRT) method of scoring. I assume that means that the exams use an "adaptive" method of presenting and grading questions.

    I am curious as to how many questions I would need to get correct out of the 135 or so questions on the ECE Statistics exam. I am familiar with how the CLEPs are graded (using a curved, scaled score). For instance, I know that I can pass if I get about 50% of the CLEP questions correct. Anyone have any insight into the ECE method?

    Also, as these are computer-based through Prometric (I believe), the score should be available immediately after completing the exam, right?

    Cheers.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 21, 2005
  2. ybfjax

    ybfjax New Member

    - The excelsior exams are NOT "adaptive" i.e. they do not change in content based on the correct/incorrect answer to the previous question.

    - They actually do not go into their methology a whole lot, except in their exam publications. From what I've read, I'm guessing it is the same as the other standardized college credit tests (appx 1/2 right to pass "C").

    The IRT method is just a fancy way of saying 'this is a multiple choice test'. I'm sure the way that they determine the A, B, C grade is the same as the development for other standardized exams. (take a sample of previous college students or those with relevant experience in a particular subject area. Then give them a bank of questions to answer and based on standard deviations from the mean they determine what score should be acheived to get the C, B, A, pass, etc. on the exam

    here is a much better explaination:
    http://www.getcollegecredit.com/pdfs/TECH_DATA_SHEET0204.pdf

    - Yes, the computer-based Prometric scores are available immediately, except for the essay ones. But I never took the computer-based ones. I always took the paper-based ones (the only ones available on base educational offices). Excelsior grades them every week and the scores are available online by around 4pm Friday. Of course, if you are enrolled, you can always call them as the scores will be automatically added to your transcript.

    BTW, usually the CLEP and ECE have 'dummy' questions that do NOT count towards the score. They are testing them 'live' for use in future tests. You do not know which ones are which. They are blended into the exam as a whole.

    BTW2, you can take most ECEs a maximum of 4 times per lifetime. 60 day waiting period after the first failure, and 180 days after the 2nd and 3rd failure.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 21, 2005
  3. Definitively NOT adaptive, and you do get your scores at the end. I don't know the translation from raw to scaled score but it "seemed" similar to CLEPs for the multiple choice ones I took (HR, Org Behavior, Labor Relations). However, you never find out the scaled score, just a letter grade. Considering how little I actually studied for Labor Relations I was amazed on getting an "A" on a upper level exam.

    Cheers,
    Mark
     
  4. ybfjax

    ybfjax New Member

    Re: Re: Question on how ECE exams are graded

    At first, I, too, was intimidated by the "upper level" nature of many of the ECEs, only to find out that often times they were easier or on the same level as the equivilant lower level DSSTs, CLEPS. So do not let the 'upper level' status fool you. Study the same as you would for any of the other exams and go in confident that you will pass.
     

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