tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17974015.post1214241414713473190..comments2024-03-15T01:11:32.832-07:00Comments on Bardiac: Writing ExamsBardiachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11846065504793800266noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17974015.post-36529030638048123232009-12-16T17:52:54.044-08:002009-12-16T17:52:54.044-08:00You could also think about the visual presentation...You could also think about the visual presentation of the question on the page --- breaking it up as much as possible, even having a main question with a bulleted list below it of some "themes" or "issues" that they might want to consider in their answers --- and a little reminder that they don't have to discuss every bullet point listed.Sisyphushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09880634753539329199noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17974015.post-5833440233076673632009-12-16T16:37:52.139-08:002009-12-16T16:37:52.139-08:00I think you have an awesome theory about what exam...I think you have an awesome theory about what exams should be--you're working from a great starting point.<br /><br />Like the previous commenter, I'd suggest revising the question so that it's more clear what's the ONE question that students should address--and then use subquestions, if needed, to guide them about what smaller points they should include in their answers (if you want to go that way--sometimes, I have one big question that needs to be answered with 2 subquestions, for example).susanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12000470374101306070noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17974015.post-34979908191735781862009-12-16T08:31:41.486-08:002009-12-16T08:31:41.486-08:00Wow, I will stop feeling guilty about writing exam...Wow, I will stop feeling guilty about writing exam questions that are too long! That one is a novel!<br /><br />If I were going to try this question on my own students, I'd probably condense it and drop most of the questions from paragraphs 2, 3, and 4. I'd be worried that a lot of students would fail to recognize that these are "brainstorming" questions and will instead feel like they have to answer every one of them in order, and a couple of them would be so overwhelmed by the question that they would completely shut down and turn in a blank exam book. (That said, I don't know your students, so this question may be pitched just right for them, especially if you've spent some time working through sample questions and they know how to pick out the important elements.)Fretful Porpentinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11165078003123517013noreply@blogger.com