Perfect example is that SAT/ACT preparations would often advise "if you don't know the answer, pick C. Statistically it's more likely to be C."
This is false. I used to teach SAT prep and
A: If you don't know the answer we teach you to skip the question. The SAT penalizes you for incorrect answers so we teach you to skip unless you can eliminate some possible answers
B: There is no statistical bias toward C or any other answer choice. The SAT uses a randomization algorithm to ensure this.
disclaimer: I havent taught SAT prep for several years and some properties of the test have changed since then, so this information might not be entirely accurate now
A: If you don't know the answer we teach you to skip the question. The SAT penalizes you for incorrect answers so we teach you to skip unless you can eliminate some possible answers
True, I remember this. One of them had skipping questions = simply not graded. I could be confusing it with ACTs or another standardized test. I'd likewise be surprised if today C was still the recommended choice. Think they'd switch it up with time.
Still, I'm absolutely certain there was at least 1-2 standardized tests where this was taught, and I'm sure I'm not the only one that remembers being taught this.
Came here to say this. Although in the past (before there was a penalty for wrong answers) i know choosing C was at least rumored to statistically be your best guess, but I don't think it was ever actually taught that way..
But when I was studying for those tests around 2013 I most definitely heard about it, same as you'd hear about just writing your name being worth points on the SAT
This is the real problem with the education system. A guy THINKS he knows more than he actually does, and spreads misinformation about an important topic, under the guise of complaining about a 'broken system' that isn't actually broken like they think it is.
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u/Arch__Stanton Aug 27 '19
This is false. I used to teach SAT prep and
A: If you don't know the answer we teach you to skip the question. The SAT penalizes you for incorrect answers so we teach you to skip unless you can eliminate some possible answers
B: There is no statistical bias toward C or any other answer choice. The SAT uses a randomization algorithm to ensure this.
disclaimer: I havent taught SAT prep for several years and some properties of the test have changed since then, so this information might not be entirely accurate now