Our association held the exam part 1 last night
What an nightmare to administer.
every other seat- 4 versions of the exam (A<B<C<D) All of the same questions- but mixed up.
The person beside you had a different test.
The integrity of the test (IE TOO many cheating) had been questioned and this was the remedy..
First of all 200 officials fitting in an Elementary school was tight enought---- sitting on tiny stools...
So uniform testing..... across the state...no I don't think it happened....
Don't get me wrong, I like the fact that there is some cracking down on cheaters..In my brief tenure a select few have copied answers from other testers.. but this seemed a little bit over the top.

Stew in VA
CVBOA

Stew, do you write, or usually write, the NFHS part 1 test? Or a different test, like the IAABO refresher exam?

Just wondering.

I believe the VA VHSL took the NFHS exam part 1 and scrambled the order of the 100 question test making 4 different versions of the same test that was taken by our association.
Stew

Thanks, Stew. That's what I was afraid of- you guys writing the same exam that the test answers for it have already been made public and available. Hate to say it, but that's exactly why I don't like to see these exam answers sent out on the internet before <b>all</b> areas might have written the test. That goes for the NFHS part2 test and the IAABO refresher exam too.

I agree with you JR, but here is the problem. Our state is done taking this test. We will get the confirmed answers on the 19th. They tell us our answers online immediately or we can figure out what the correct answers are. How are we supposed to know when everyone has taken the test or what they use it for? And no one posted the answers directly on the site. All they did was communicated through email which is something you are never going to stop. You can contact all the state organizations and tell everyone they are "cheating" but there is not one thing you can do about it. As long as this test is used for these purposes, it will be distributed in some way. It would be handed out if no one had to take the test for any kind of requirement. And what about those states that does not use the test at all?

One year I took the football Part 2 Exam and someone talked about having the results so I could check my answers before my state had sent out the results, this person's state made their own test. So checking my answers was pointless with this person. If states do not want this kind of problem, make your own test. And you still would have people that would give it over the internet and talk to people to get the answers before everything is finished. This is the very reason these test are overrated. Because I have yet to see anyone become a better official because they received a higher score. And despite what a particular person says from my state, you do not jump far in the playoffs if you do not have other things in your favor. No one went from on year to not working the playoffs, do a Sectional the next year all because of the result of their test. That does not happen in my state because you have to be ranked high in many other categories. The test is the easiest category to control.

Peace

Don't know how anyone else does it, but we take the test online, and get immediate results...so within minutes of taking the test I knew the answers to all 100 questions... not sure how you can keep that information from getting out if people want to spread it - the test really only counts for the State to allow us to do post-season stuff, not really a part of our local ratings, and it's those ratings that determine who does post-season stuff, not the test - ok, now I've confused myself. The test isn't that big a deal around here is what I'm trying to say...now I need some aspirin for the headache I just gave myself...

Rocky,

We can take the test online too. We know the answers immediately as well.

Peace

Answers without questions
 

I would assume that those taking Part I "officially" as part of their certification don't have a copy of the test ahead of the time when the test is administered.

T/F answers would be of little value without the questions.

#83 was true... big deal. What was the question? Of course some of our own discussions here include a question and an answer - but I have not seen all 100 questions with 100 answers.

What is NFHS's position? Do they intend for Part I to be more than a prompter to get into the books?

Maybe it is the way we test locally but I had always figured that Part I was simply a practice test and provided impetus for us to open our books before Part II came along.

Re: Answers without questions
 

If the questions were in the same order, they answers would be useful for those wanting to cheat. It's not hard to memorize 100 T/F answers, especially when they were in groups of four as in prior years.

Bob,

You can speak for yourself on this one. I cannot remember that many T/F answers in order without some idea of what the questions are.

Peace

Overkill
 

In California we have a 200 question Study Guide (open book) that must be completed prior to our instructional sessions (15 hours for returning officials and 20 hours for 1st and 2nd year officials)and it requires 80% correct for eligibility to work. Then we use a 100 question Classification Exam (4 versions) and it also must be passed at 80%. If an official does not achieve 80% on both of these they can take a Make-up Classification Exam and if they achieve 80% on that then they are eligible to receive assignments.

The only way I see for this "cheating" to end is for everyone who takes the test to take it at exactly the same time.

The tests are shipped out the day before they are writtain. No one has time to send answers around.

That's my suggestion.

You keep it from getting out by telling people their grade, but not which questions they missed. That's what happens with our NCAA test, starting this year. I can't say I love it, but I understand why they do it that way.

That way, the only way to know all the answers is to get 100%.

Re: Overkill
 

I'm in northern Nevada and our association is part of the CBOA. We get the CA handbook and study guide and use the CA test. In my opinion this is silly. Here's why: two versions of the CBOA handbook are printed, a membership version and an instructor's version. The instructor's version has all the answers to the 200 study guide questions.
Our crew chiefs have preseason meetings where we go over the study guide questions in small groups. So we get all of the correct answers to these questions. Then the 100 question test that you mention, which comes in four versions labelled A, B, C, and D, consists of 100 of the 200 study guide questions in different orders.
So there is no secret here. You are given both the questions and the answers before you take the test.
I think we also require an 80%, but what moron can't score an 80 after having both the questions and answers beforehand?
The Las Vegas association still uses the NFHS exams. Clark can confirm this.

Re: Re: Overkill
 

I think we also require an 80%, but what moron can't score an 80 after having both the questions and answers beforehand?

[/B][/QUOTE]:D

This makes like NO sense at all
 

"You keep it from getting out by telling people their grade, but not which questions they missed."

Chuck, how is anyone supposed learn anything, if they're not told which questions, they missed. That's one of the stupidest thing I've ever heard of.

If that's the way it is, they might as well just give everybody a grade, based on how long they've been a chapter member, or whatever other criteria they want to use. That would make just about as much sense.

We (northern VA) took the exam on Monday and we had versions A-D. Same scenario as Stew with someone sitting every other seat - although we were in a HS cafeteria. I thought it was one of the easiest exams I had ever taken. Although, I did a lot more review/study this year than some past years.

During our rules clinic on 6 Nov, the clinician mentioned that copies of Part I were floating around and the VHSL had changed the order of the questions and had "revised" some of the questions. She also told the story of a vollyball official (who apparently always scored high) scored 50 on the exam. When the answer sheet was compared to the original vollyball exam (no questions changed/rearranged), he scored 100. Guess he was good at memorizing.

From what I understand, Part I was the same test for all of the A,B,C,& D. Everyone had the same test, but the section questions were in different orders. The best thing to do is get the Athletic Rules Study CD and run through the test over and over and over, thats what help me a whole bunch. As far as the cheating is concerned, I have seen people just share answer with "there" buddies. I just study, study, study!

Don't memorize all the answers. Memorize the groups.

One "trick" is to break the questions into groups of 4 (as they had been in the past). Using T=1 and F=0, assign a binary value to each group. So TTTT = 15, TFTF = 10, FFFT = 1, etc.

Then, assign each value to a letter -- 1=A, 2=B...15=O.

Make up a nonsense sentence using the letters. If you have a group of FFFF=0, use punctuation, or the word "none" or "zero".

So, for the example above (TTTT TFTF FFFT) = 15, 10, 1 = OJA = Obviously Jeff Agrees

It's easier with a longer string.

Takes about 10 minutes to construct. repeat the nonsense to yourself a few times on the way to the test.

Reverse the process once inside.

I was first taught this in HS -- more than 30 years ago. It wasn't new then. Good for a few laughs / bar bets, if it's practiced.

It's not the only "magic" I've seen officials perform -- I've seen some guys swallow their whistles, and others go down the hall and turn into a locker room. :)

Re: This makes like NO sense at all
 

How's this? "You keep it from getting out by telling people their grade, but not which questions they missed, until the testing period is over". Sorry to be so stupid. :rolleyes:

Overkill
 

You are all correct! Character counts!!

Denny

Re: This makes like NO sense at all
 

The problem is, the Fed creates the test, but the states decide what use to make of it. Obviously, if you want it to be a learning experience, you treat the test one way. If you want it to be a test of rules knowledge, you treat it another.

Chuck's idea is sound, it just addresses a different goal than yours.

Las Vegas does use the NFHS test, which is why I never opened the one that I was sent (which was just the questions, but he way, I never requested the answers).

I have put in the study time on this and I spent a bunch of hours with it. Frankly, I am expecting a score of no less than 97 (I'm hopeful for a 100; that isnt being boastful its just how I approach things, I dont give things 80% of my effort, I give 100% and I expect 100% results--that is the demand I put on myself). I think with the study I put in I could have taken the test closed book and gotten an 80. There are enough easy ones that it would be hard to miss 20. But I dont know. I didnt take it closed. I literally looked up every single question until I found the actual rule that addresses the situation.

But there is a big difference between knowledge and skill. I am a lawyer so I do well at the book stuff. And as a DA rules are right up my alley. :) I have also studied the hell out of the mechanics and have read the Referee Magazine Official's Guide (which is so cool) cover to cover. And I have watched NBA games and pretended to be lead or trail and made calls. But that is just learning. Its isnt skill. Unlike a test, which I expect to kick butt, I totally expect to make mistake after mistake on the court on Friday and Saturday (those are my first scrimmages, I am totally geeked!). Because I dont have the skill or the judgement yet. And I dont have any real court time (just some time with one of the vetrans working through things, but there werent any live players and we could stop and redo things--not exactly the same as a real game :) )

Clark

Sorry Chuck,
 

I didn't mean that you were stupid. I meant that the whole concept of not tellling people which questions they missed, is stupid.
Sorry about that........

Seems like it is the members of the club who are the ones doing the most talking during the test. Whether I have the answers of not doesn't matter to me. I will still look and verify what I am doing. For me this is how I retain things. If the guy or gal has to cheat to pass a test, let them call with someone else.

Re: Sorry Chuck,
 

Ah, don't sweat it. I was grumpy. Just had the mother-in-law move in with us. . .