comment + criticism welcome
"Perceptions" ITEM
Copyright © 2009 Ray Dickenson
Examination Bias
Performances of populations of all living things, grass, microbes, insects, apes or humans, will match this curve. That is, when the population is tested for any attribute or ability, and - of course - if the test is fair.
[NOTE 2 A 'real' population will have slightly more at G-, and G level due to accident, trauma and early damage.]
Figures for human IQ percentages follow the Normal Curve, and are displayed at intervals - labelled "Fair Test" - in results below.
These results are for the British "General Certificate of Secondary Education" and GCSE `A-level'. An annual examination - its grades determine which candidates go on to college (university) education.
GCSE and A-Level results for 1992
Grades (percentages)
Subject
|
Total No
|
G-
|
G
|
F
|
E
|
D
|
C
|
B
|
A
|
A+
|
|
|
3.5
|
7
|
14.5
|
25
|
25
|
14.5
|
7
|
3
|
0.5
|
| Art & Design |
214425 |
|
4 |
9.6 |
14.5 |
19.2 |
22.6 |
15.6 |
13.9 |
|
| Bus. Studies |
97282 |
|
4.7 |
11.3 |
16.4 |
19.5 |
20.9 |
13.6 |
12.5 |
|
| Latin |
13286 |
|
0.5 |
0.9 |
2 |
4.2 |
10.7 |
20 |
61 |
|
| Greek
|
1284 |
|
0.4 |
0.2 |
1.5 |
3.3 |
8.1 |
15.3 |
71.1 |
|
| Classic Civils |
4775 |
|
4.7 |
4.4 |
7.4 |
10.8 |
21.3 |
26.5 |
23.6 |
|
| Comp.
Studies |
45057 |
|
7.2 |
11.6 |
14.8 |
17.9 |
21.9 |
13.8 |
9.5 |
|
| CDT 149448 |
149448 |
|
6.4 |
13 |
18.2 |
19.3 |
18.4 |
13.4 |
9.1 |
|
| Economics |
19787 |
|
4 |
8.3 |
12.9 |
18.1 |
24.2 |
18.7 |
11.8 |
|
| English |
641937 |
|
2.1 |
6.7 |
13.5 |
22 |
28 |
17.7 |
9.6 |
|
|
|
3.5
|
7
|
14.5
|
25
|
25
|
14.5
|
7
|
3
|
0.5
|
| English
Lit |
450282 |
|
1.6 |
5.9 |
12.8 |
20.1 |
27.2 |
19.9 |
12 |
|
| Home
Economics |
116446 |
|
6.1 |
12.3 |
18.2 |
20.7 |
19.9 |
13.4 |
7.3 |
|
| Geography |
268235 |
|
5.5 |
10.2 |
14.4 |
17.8 |
20.1 |
16.6 |
13.5 |
|
| History |
207395 |
|
5.4 |
9.7 |
12.6 |
16.6 |
20.8 |
18.6 |
14 |
|
| French |
300876 |
|
8.4 |
13.2 |
13.2 |
16.5 |
15 |
12.9 |
19.1 |
|
| German |
98930 |
|
5.9 |
10.3 |
11.3 |
15.8 |
16.8 |
16.2 |
22.8 |
|
| Spanish |
29245 |
|
5.3 |
10.8 |
10.2 |
12.7 |
14.3 |
16.1 |
29.7 |
|
| Mathematics |
556199 |
|
4.8 |
11.7 |
17.5 |
17.7 |
25.9 |
10.5 |
9 |
|
| Music 32712 |
32712 |
|
3.6 |
7.2 |
10.2 |
14 |
21.4 |
21.9 |
20.9 |
|
| Rel. Studies |
95846 |
|
6.3 |
10 |
12.9 |
15.1 |
20.7 |
18 |
14.2 |
|
| Biology |
103247 |
|
3.8 |
7.5 |
11.6 |
17.4 |
25.4 |
16.8 |
15.5 |
|
| Chemistry |
72214 |
|
2.7 |
5.2 |
9.3 |
14.3 |
25.4 |
23.4 |
18.9 |
|
| Physics |
78275 |
|
2.4 |
5.3 |
9.4 |
15.4 |
25.7 |
19.5 |
21.5 |
|
| Science |
572327 |
|
5.6 |
11.2 |
16.5 |
20.5 |
22.3 |
12.2 |
9.4 |
|
| All sciences |
826062 |
|
4.8 |
9.6 |
14.6 |
19.1 |
23.3 |
14.5 |
12.1 |
|
| Mod. Langs. |
435825 |
|
7.6 |
12.3 |
12.4 |
16 |
15.3 |
13.9 |
21.1 |
|
|
|
|
3.5
|
7
|
14.5
|
25
|
25
|
14.5
|
7
|
3
|
0.5
|
They seem confusing at first but when we examine them one subject at a time we can see that various patterns emerge.
Curve moves to the
right
if test is EASY,
i.e.more candidates get HIGH grades;
and to the left if test is
HARD.
i.e. more candidates get LOW grades
BUT - if the curve is mis-shapen then part of the population is being tested differently, i.e. some form of cheating
is going on.
In subjects perceived as demanding but non-prestige, ie Home Economics
(linkback here) and Computer Studies (linkback here) the results tend to be more or less normal, but in more prestigious subjects, i.e. Biology, Chemistry and Physics (linkback here) there is a definite bulge in high pass marks.
This is visible even in Mathematics and English Literature (linkback here).
Prestige subjects tend to be emphasised in elite schools - i.e. private fee paying schools. One could be excused for thinking, as erroneously claimed by elite's Social Darwinists, 'that the children of the rich might be brighter'.
However results for subjects that are practically exclusive to elite schools show the reality:- thus in Latin, Greek, Classic Civilisations (linkback here) it is clear that testing is up to 7 to 10 times easier than the "Fair Test".
Outcomes are very different for "democratic" subjects :-
Computer studies 
ie. 'fair' - 9.5 % got A pass
compared with "elite" subjects:-
Greek 
ie. 'easy' - 71.1% got A pass
Inevitable conclusions :-
1 - elite schools get preferential treatment. Quite dull candidates from elite schools are given high passes.
See hierarch.txt & devices
2 - high grade non-elite candidates are being cheated out of high passes they deserve, but which are awarded to low grade elite candidates.
3 - all non-elite candidates are suffering lower grade marks as a result.
[National exam boards annually adjust marking standards to ensure only the `required' number of candidates get passing grades.]
If you have tables of British national or local results, either pre-GCSE, GCSE or further, OR other nation's figures, check them out yourselves for fairness.
N.B. After our analysis, in 1995/6 `Perceptions' editor (me) contacted a major British broadsheet, a national newspaper with an education remit.
The education contact on that journal admitted that although they lacked the will to make similar analyses, they have received inside information proving that elite schools have been receiving preferential examination treatment in prestige subjects.
She quoted specific cases of elite schools cheating in English Literature exams.
But she could not explain why her newspaper was not campaigning against this corruption -
- but, as she is ruled by self-interested editors see refer and proprietors, we didn't feel we should criticize her for their failings.
IN UK YOU CAN NO LONGER CHECK ANNUAL RESULTS, WHICH HAVE PREVIOUSLY BEEN PUBLISHED IN FULL - AS SHOWN ABOVE;
SINCE WE PUBLISHED, AND NOW (2008), THE ELITE SUBJECT RESULTS ARE KEPT `SECRET' - I.E. THEY ARE REDACTED / CENSORED FROM THE RESULTS PUBLISHED IN THE NATIONAL PRESS.
WHY?
FROM THEIR REACTION YOU COULD BELIEVE THAT THE CORRUPTION WAS KNOWN ALL ALONG BUT IS NOW PURPOSELY KEPT SECRET
UPDATE Sept. 2007 - Admission that `universities still cheat to favor the elite'.
UPDATE 2008 - "The weight of evidence suggesting that the public exam system, as a whole, has become corrupted is now impossible to ignore" - `The Independent' 21 August 2008.
UPDATE Nov 2008 - `Nearly half of Cambridge University students cheat, according to a survey'
Estimate:-
junking 33% of the curriculum - so removing misinformation and ending 'curriculum rush';
reintroducing valuable non-classroom subjects - music, sport, PE, drama, swimming, private reading / private study etc - to the school day;
scrapping homework completely - to prevent damaging class-bias and discrimination;
would substantially improve characters and academic outcomes!
UK's MULTI-EXAM SYSTEM
Why do UK politicians seem always to choose, initially anyway, the most harmful and inefficient methods and systems?
By 2006 - UK's intensive multiple exam system has had the effect of making `valuable' - so far as selfish teachers and heads are concerned - only those students pretty well guaranteed to achieve good `passes'.
At all stages the others are deemed `worthless' - by selfish teachers and heads - because the league tables are biased toward pre-selection.
So, at all stages they tend to be abandoned - by selfish teachers and heads - whilst in reality they are most important students of all. They are our future - both as work-force and voters!
[Personally, I suspect politicians make those `wrong' choices because they are guided by a civil-service ruled by elitists, who need to preserve privilege and corruption for their own advantage.
Which is why we see this apparent `incompetence'* in all matters:- of education, taxation, law, policing and of the electoral system itself.]
"Can we truly expect that those who aim to exploit us can be trusted to educate us?"
Eric Schaub
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