I have a few things to say on the subject!
Thing Number 1
This is a fair enough method of confirming the knowledge, skill, aptitude, blah, blah of an individual as they perform and jump through hoops as the will of an examiner. Most subjects an exam is acceptable to assess the gained skills and to abilities required for the next level of study. But this angers me muchly as being a physicist and mathematician (self-proclaimed) doing my Advanced Levels and with our exams having a lot of questions with multiple ways of answering but the examiner wants us to use a specific method which is undefined by the question and never the way easiest or best way to answer.
Here is the last example that I encountered in Mechanics! Where a pair of forces are acting on the particle and you need to find the resultant magnitude and direction.
This is the way the examiner wants it done:
This is how I would do it:
But apparently this is too complicated and does not show an understanding of how the forces work ... somehow! Even though I've applied a trig identity and demonstrated that the two forces can be added end on end to give the resultant. Too confusing for you Mr Examiner ... well go learn what your marking and let me do it the easy and efficient way.
Thing Number 2
The point of a closed book exam seems pointless, although I'm still in education I can seem to imagine a situation (other than a kidnapping with gun to the head and have to do maths to escape) where you will have no computers, books, peers, calculators, so on so on to confer with to check your answers. So why make us do exams where things are recalled from memory and the applied although this may make you more efficient at your job at the end of the course it just means you have a load of Mathematical and Physical jargon crammed into your head which is easily accessible else where. So I feel that exams should be done as open book with notes and being allowed to bounce ideas of peers (although the flaw of being able to cheat is higher). Even so open book would make more sense! Even if they have to make the exams a little harder anyway.
Thing Number 3
Notation used in exams is terrible. I get told constantly by my maths teachers to write this and that make sure that its all spelt correctly blah blah blah blah blah! Well I use mathematical notation when I'm in a hurry because it cuts out the waffle but again I've been told not to use this as not all the examiners will know what it mean. When studying GCSE I got told when Timmy shared his sweets with his friends I need to write:
6 Sweets distributed between 3 People
Because what I would put is too confusing and I may lose marks for not putting what the examiner wants in the form he/she wants it! :
6 Sweets ~ 3 People ... thats better, looks more math-sy
The one piece of notation I get told off for most is Since/because and Therefore notation which is bizzare because they are used in most field not just maths. ∴ some examiners are stupid ∵ don't understand this notation
So the rant is over but I stand by my point of exams should be harder, open book, you should be allowed to use any method you know will work as long as your get the right answer, the examiner should be able to look at it and think that looks logical and award marks, and finally they should be trained in shorthand notation so that people can use it and still gain marks for doing so. so answer me why this does not happen as we have the time and man power to do so ‽
