Grading/Cut Score Theories - GO!

What's your theory on coming up with the cut score?

Won't matter here in a day or 2, but fun while we wait for the results

We all know Kickers the steer is associated somehow.

Tres Amigos said:

What's your theory on coming up with the cut score?

Won't matter here in a day or 2, but fun while we wait for the results

Click to expand...

Probably a 70 or 75

My guess would be getting 52-56 questions correct out of 80 for Civil Structural exam. People post failing scores and I have not seen anything greater than 51 for the Civil structural exam.

Earlier this month I came across an article where one of the board members debunked a lot of the myths related to the PE exam. 

One of them was a 70% cut score. Basically if i remember right, there is no such thing as a percentage score, which makes sense, since the cover of the PE exam says that the question we get wrong do not count against us. 

If they do not count against us, how can they come with a percentage right? Otherwise we would get a 100% (15/15 or 67/67, etc)

I keep hearing the word scale system , so my thoughts were:

• They take each question that we got correct, and based on the difficulty of the question they give us a scale scored (maybe on scale of 1-5)
  
• Once they take all of our questions and add up the scaled score, then they come up with a cut score typically of 70 scaled points
  
• I think based on how everyone does, this 70pt cut score may fluctuate by one or even 2 pts.
  

I believe i also read that there is actually no problems that get thrown out, if its a typo or an error on their part, they just give everyone that question.

what are your thought?

Tres Amigos said:

They take each question that we got correct, and based on the difficulty of the question they give us a scale scored

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It says all over the place that all questions are worth the same amount.

It doesn't leave much to the imagination when Texas gives the people their scores. This makes it really easy to determine the "cut score" based on who passes, and who fails, and what their scores were in Texas.

According to PE Sample Questions and Solutions: Electrical and Computer Engineering (ISBN: 9781932613117), "NCEES does not use a fixed-percentage pass rate such 70% or 75% because licensure is designed to ensure that practitioners possess enough knowledge to perform professional activities in a manner that protects the public welfare."

With that being said, IMO I think the cut score is approximately 70% on average. This is based on observing past failing scores hovering around 55/80 (68.75%).

Per the NCEES website:

Determining passing scores

When an exam is introduced or when its specifications change, a committee of subject-matter experts works with experienced psychometricians (testing experts with a background in statistics) to determine the level of performance that corresponds with minimal competence in that discipline. This becomes the passing score. NCEES does not publish passing scores because they change with each administration. NCEES scores each exam with no predetermined percentage of examinees that should pass or fail. All exams are scored the same way. First-time takers and repeat takers are graded to the same standard.

Equating

For subsequent administrations of the exam, statistical equating is used to ensure that this level of performance is consistent across multiple administrations of that exam. Essentially, this means that while the numerical passing score may change with each administration, you are not disadvantaged when one administration of a particular exam is more difficult than another. This process accounts for the 8- to 10-week interval between an exam administration and the release of scores to member licensing boards.

Your exam results are determined by the number of items you answered correctly for the exam in its entirety. There are no minimum requirements for particular sections or topics within an exam. You are not penalized for incorrect answers. You may request that your exam answer sheet be manually verified. A fee is charged for this service.

Road-N-Bridge said:

It doesn't leave much to the imagination when Texas gives the people their scores. This makes it really easy to determine the "cut score" based on who passes, and who fails, and what their scores were in Texas.

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On the target. Ok my guess is that the cut score gonna be (50 or 51)/80 this time. We will know it this week. We will know if I m right really soon.

Based on this post, 39/80 was 58% in April 2017. Which means the cut score was 47-48 (70%). So I m making an educated guess that the cut score to be 51/80 for this October



, 

It would be nice if ALL Texas PE takers who failed post their score out of 80, percentage, and discipline.

Not going to happen tho -_-;;;;

Everyone who fails, gets their raw score. regardless of state.

Baba_PE said:

My guess would be getting 52-56 questions correct out of 80 for Civil Structural exam. People post failing scores and I have not seen anything greater than 51 for the Civil structural exam.

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Last cycle was 51. However the past cycles have been consistent at around 56. 

Tres Amigos said:

....since the cover of the PE exam says that the question we get wrong do not count against us. 

If they do not count against us, how can they come with a percentage right? Otherwise we would get a 100% (15/15 or 67/67, etc)

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Well, they don't count if you get them wrong.  Back in my day,  on the SAT  they would SUBTRACT points for missed questions. SO they would tell you not to guess.

I predict some people will pass, and some people will fail. 

Prove me wrong NCEES... 

tmntjmc said:

I predict some people will pass, and some people will fail. 

Prove me wrong NCEES... 

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**....everyone fails...**

"Gotcha" - NCEES

This is like the never ending thread in every single section for every single test session.