Tuesday, April 8, 2008

On stupid questions in exams

I am, at this very moment, invigilating my final exam, and putting up with the litany of questions from the students, all of which either: (a) are basically asking me to tell them the answer; or (b) are easily answered by reading the question slowly and carefully, sounding out each word in your head, one at a time.

Inevitably it's the same few people who ask all the questions, and I can't shake the feeling that they're trying to get some advantage. Strong statements on the exam, such as "Ask no questions, if something is unclear make an assumption" do not dissuade these questioners. And you have to go up to them when they put up their hand, in case they need to go to the bathroom or something.

I would love to implement the following system. Every time you raise your hand, I put a red mark on your paper, which results in a one-mark penalty. The penalty applies whether I choose to answer the question or not. I have the right to waive the penalty if you actually found a significant error in the exam.

It would never fly, though.

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