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The kinds of questions you get on standardized tests are bullshit.
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chained to desk Offline
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Post: #1
The kinds of questions you get on standardized tests are bullshit.

Here's an example of a common type of standardized test question:
1) Which of these four themes was MOST prevalent in the story?
A)good vs evil
B)trials of adolescence
C)family bonds
D)love

The thing about this question is, it doesn't admit the possibility that they are all important. It doesn't really matter which one was "most" prevalent, the important things like the impacts of the themes are ignored.

Then there are questions where the test says it is asking you about what word most properly describes what the person is doing/feeling/thinking, but what it really is is a test of your rote memory.

aka 2)
Which of these words MOST describes what x was doing?
A.random ass SAT word
B.random ass SAT word
C.random ass SAT word
D.random ass SAT word

As if this was even an important question to begin with, does it really matter that i use certain exact words to describe what is happening? Isn't it more important to understand what is going on?
(All of these questions are based on what i remember the PSAT questions being like)
Basically most of the English questions were like this, none of them really did anything but test "do you know this word", and "can you understand this weirdly twisted question designed to trick you?".

None of the questions actually ask your opinion on a story of course, because that would teach you to actually think. The test teaches you to choose from options others give you.

Math wasn't much better, for instance, the test was timed. I didn't finish all of the math problems because i *gasp* actually tried to do all of the questions. The PSAT doesn't value this, as thinking takes time, and you don't get to have that time. Most of the math "word problems" were exactly that. The problem was trying to understand the very abstract wording. It took ages to understand the wording, and the actual problems were, you guessed it, also multiple choice problems. Choices were always purposely put in that were designed to screw up the test taker who didn't understand the confusing question. The test felt oddly similar to being in a factory rushed to push out a product, as recently we had learned in history about people in the 1800's who had to work as fast as possible.

The way to succeed was to think as little as possible on the test, and skip a problem when it took too long. This is faillogic though. If everyone skipped all the hard questions and problems in life, how would we ever solve anything or discover anything new? Then again the best questions are the ones without one right answer, and the questions we don't have answers to yet.

They should just rename it the SOT, the standardized obedience test.
01-03-2014 09:24 AM
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James Comey Away
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Post: #2
The kinds of questions you get on standardized tests are bullshit.

Standardized tests really only care if you can regurgitate facts and bubble them in without much thought into it. Standardized tests don't care if anything in school that you learned was eye-popping or awe-inspiring, or how difficult it was to memorize all the facts, etc. Pretty much the flaws with these kinds of standardized tests.

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Stop jerking off to porn and whining and do something about it

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01-03-2014 09:39 AM
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Ky Offline
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Post: #3
The kinds of questions you get on standardized tests are bullshit.

3) Who is indisputably the most important person in Vault 101: He who shelters us from the harshness of the atomic wasteland, and to whom we owe everything we have, including our lives?
1. The Overseer
2. The Overseer
3. The Overseer
4. The Overseer

Public Service Announcement: First world problems are still problems.
01-03-2014 09:41 AM
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chained to desk Offline
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Post: #4
The kinds of questions you get on standardized tests are bullshit.

It's not just standardized tests, I dislike multiple choice as well. Multiple choice can really only be used well when it has to do with remembering something. Multiple choice can't ask what you think about anything unless it's a joke question like:

1)What is the most important thing in life?
A)Being good at tests(Obedience)
B)Being quiet in class(Obedience)
C)Doing your homework(Obedience)
D)Getting good grades(Obedience)
*writes in below bubbles* Living and freedom to live uncontrolled.
(This post was last modified: 01-03-2014 09:46 AM by chained to desk.)
01-03-2014 09:46 AM
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vonunov Offline
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Post: #5
RE: The kinds of questions you get on standardized tests are bullshit.

Choose the answer which is most correct.

What is the sum of two and 2 and II?

Ⓐ Six
Ⓑ 6
Ⓒ VI
Ⓓ 00000110
Ⓔ Matilda
(This post was last modified: 01-03-2014 09:51 AM by vonunov.)
01-03-2014 09:49 AM
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James Comey Away
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Post: #6
The kinds of questions you get on standardized tests are bullshit.

True. Standardized tests don't care about your personal opinions, or what you thought about the whole thing. It's all part of the one question = one answer stigma that school teaches which is quite harmful considering many of the world's problems have more than one answer. Not only that, it kills divergent thinking as well, an essential to creativity.

RIP GWEDIN
RIP URITIYOGI
RIP NIGHT
RIP VONUNOV
RIP WES/THEWAKE
RIP USERNAME

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Stop jerking off to porn and whining and do something about it

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01-03-2014 09:50 AM
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WhatEvenIsThis Offline
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Post: #7
RE: The kinds of questions you get on standardized tests are bullshit.

(01-03-2014 09:49 AM)vonunov Wrote:  Choose the answer which is most correct.

What is the sum of two and 2 and II?

Ⓐ Six
Ⓑ 6
Ⓒ VI
Ⓓ 00000110
Ⓔ Matilda

Matilda, of course... durr
01-03-2014 11:48 AM
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xcriteria Offline
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Post: #8
RE: The kinds of questions you get on standardized tests are bullshit.

Check out this article, How will you help datapoint students who are standing up and speaking out, and the source FB page, Datapoints, Inc.

Peter Gray & allies launching the Alliance for Self-directed Education

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01-03-2014 12:34 PM
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brainiac3397 Offline
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Post: #9
RE: The kinds of questions you get on standardized tests are bullshit.

(01-03-2014 09:41 AM)DoA Wrote:  3) Who is indisputably the most important person in Vault 101: He who shelters us from the harshness of the atomic wasteland, and to whom we owe everything we have, including our lives?
1. The Overseer
2. The Overseer
3. The Overseer
4. The Overseer

Id fail that test. According to the last overseer, I was not allowed to scribble in a fifth option that wrote "Me". My laser rifle disagreed with his negative statement...*brushes what appears to be ashes from shirt*

I always felt like putting down my own answer to the SAT questions. They never really felt right. Then again what ahould I expect from a mere human(or a mereiad of them)
((Yes. Mereiad is a purposeful spelling. Not an error))

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(06-14-2013 08:02 AM)Potato Wrote:  watch the fuq out, we've got an "intellectual" over here.

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01-03-2014 05:06 PM
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Ky Offline
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Post: #10
RE: The kinds of questions you get on standardized tests are bullshit.

(01-03-2014 05:06 PM)brainiac3397 Wrote:  
(01-03-2014 09:41 AM)DoA Wrote:  3) Who is indisputably the most important person in Vault 101: He who shelters us from the harshness of the atomic wasteland, and to whom we owe everything we have, including our lives?
1. The Overseer
2. The Overseer
3. The Overseer
4. The Overseer

Id fail that test. According to the last overseer, I was not allowed to scribble in a fifth option that wrote "Me". My laser rifle disagreed with his negative statement...*brushes what appears to be ashes from shirt*

Sounds like he really got your GOAT! *rimshot*

Public Service Announcement: First world problems are still problems.
01-04-2014 01:52 AM
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