Originally Posted by argodad (Post 704369)

I've been asked to serve on Florida's NFHS exam-writing committee for this year. As part of the process, I get to submit ten multiple choice questions to the question pool. :cool:

Shoot me your ideas, please! (Even you, HugotoFirst, and any other FL folks.)

Originally Posted by youngump (Post 704399)

This isn't really an answer to your question but more of a gripe. As someone who generally thinks that Umpire tests aren't very well structured, I'm not sure I'll be much help. But instead of the cryptic parsing challenges, I'd like to see multiple choice questions like these.
For all ten the choices are
a) Foul b) Do over c) Fair d) dead ball strike
1. The ball is lined off the bat into third base and then bounces into the dugout
2. The batter swings and is hit in the hand with the ball
3. The batter tries to dodge an errant pitch and the ball glances off the bat coming to rest on the plate
4. The batter swings and hits the ball into the foul pole
5. The batter swings and hits the ball; it comes to rest on the foul line
6. The batter swings and hits the ball, it hits between home first and the pitching plate then bounds between first and second and is first touched by a fielder in foul territory.

It'd be an easy test for anybody who knew the rules and a tough one for anybody who didn't. I'd make it no book and expect high scores.

Originally Posted by Inthegame (Post 704806)

Ok here goes -

a) dead ball, batter is out; b) dead ball, runner is out; c) just a ball d) dead ball on-deck batter is out

Runner on 2nd base
Pitcher pitches the ball - it hits her leg and rolls between 1st & home plate into foul territory
On deck batter picks up the ball and flips it to the umpire:eek:

Originally Posted by argodad (Post 704369)

I've been asked to serve on Florida's NFHS exam-writing committee for this year. As part of the process, I get to submit ten multiple choice questions to the question pool. :cool:

Shoot me your ideas, please! (Even you, HugotoFirst, and any other FL folks.)

Originally Posted by HugoTafurst (Post 705262)

Argo,
I'm not sure I have any incitful questions to add....But I sure would love to be on the committee that edits the actual wording.
I don't have the numbers, but it seems like every year, there are a few thrown out because they ended up being ambiguous...

Originally Posted by argodad (Post 705356)

Hugo,
I hope I can help that situation this year. We were each given part of the question data base with instructions to mark them with a #1 (good question), #2 (needs re-writing), or #3 (throw it out). In my section, I'm proposing about 1/3 of the questions be re-written -- and I've provided "cleaner and clearer" language.
I'll post again after the meeting Tuesday with my observations.

Originally Posted by CecilOne (Post 705381)

The main problem with the real NFHS test is questions with no correct answer or more than one correct answer.

Originally Posted by argodad (Post 705356)

Hugo,
I hope I can help that situation this year. We were each given part of the question data base with instructions to mark them with a #1 (good question), #2 (needs re-writing), or #3 (throw it out). In my section, I'm proposing about 1/3 of the questions be re-written -- and I've provided "cleaner and clearer" language.
I'll post again after the meeting Tuesday with my observations.

Originally Posted by RadioBlue (Post 704602)

I like those questions a lot. I might like to see a couple of them read more clearly, but the premise is solid, IMO. You could easily add:
7. The batter swings and hits the ball and subsequently drops the bat while running to first. With the bat in fair territory and not moving, the batted ball hits the bat.

8. The batter swings and hits the ball and subsequently drops the bat while running to first. With the bat in foul territory and not moving, the batted ball comes to rest against the bat.

How about this:

For each of the following, the choices are:

A) Dead ball-foul B) Live ball-strike C) Live ball-batter out D) Dead ball-strike.



1. On a 2-2 count, the batter swings and the ball goes sharply and directly from the bat to the catcher's glove where it is caught by the catcher.

2. On a 2-0 count, the batter swings and the ball goes sharply and directly from the bat to the catcher's glove where it is caught by the catcher.

3. On a 1-2 count, the batter swings and the ball goes sharply and directly to the catcher's mask where it falls to the catcher's glove and is caught by the catcher.

4. On a 1-0 count, the batter swings and makes contact with the pitch. The batted ball rises no higher than the batter's head and then falls where it is then caught by the catcher.

Originally Posted by Rich Ives (Post 705426)

Q1: Given the count, both b and c are correct. b is correct in that it's a strike. c is correct because the batter is out as it's strike 3.

Test writing isn't as easy as it would seem.

Originally Posted by Rich Ives (Post 705426)

Q1: Given the count, both b and c are correct. b is correct in that it's a strike. c is correct because the batter is out as it's strike 3.

Test writing isn't as easy as it would seem.