Has anyone else noticed that the 2015 AP Physics C Electricity & Magnetism Exam repeats a free-response question from the 2002 exam? Both exams are publicly posted on the College Board’s website:
2015 Exam: http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/members/exam/exam_information/2008.html
2002 Exam: http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/members/exam/exam_information/157190.html#name02
Specifically, free response question #3 is not just a similar problem, but the same problem right down to the numbers given.
Because the 2002 Exam and its solutions were available well before the 2015 Exam, students who used the 2002 exam for practice or whose teacher reviewed the 2002 Exam were essentially given the answer to one of the three 2015 Exam free response problems!
How in the world can this exam be scored fairly? While no student cheated, the effect is the same as if a significant but unknown number of students were given the answer to a question beforehand. No amount of statistical manipulation can correct for that blatantly unfair advantage. The blame lies entirely with the College Board people who put the 2015 Exam together. They need to publicly acknowledge the problem and explain to all test taker, AP Physics teachers, and college admissions and placement staff what they are about it.
To quote Faye Dunaway in Mommie Dearest: “Ah, but nobody ever said life was fair, Tina.”
The question was publically available for all to review. Part of preparing for the AP test is reviewing old exams. Seems to me that this was a present wrapped in a bow from the College Board.
Lol @lenzlaw, yeah I mean it’s a rather subjective issue and yeah one could perceive it as an issue that isn’t fair, but many of the students I know didn’t even have the form posted on the CollegeBoard website (for the 2015 AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism Free Response).
To be honest, I feel like it’s okay, it may not be fair to others, but it doesn’t really matter to me.
In fact, I support @skieurope because as he stated, “part of preparing for the AP test is reviewing old exams.”
I just think that if a student studied the material needed, then he/she would do well, and if the student did not, then it’s not exactly CollegeBoard’s fault; it’s the student’s fault.
I liked both the Mechanics and the Electricity and Magnetism tests this year because it accurately tested on a student’s mastery of the subjects. It was a nice challenge, and I don’t regret “not studying more” or “reviewing more past AP exams.”
@skieurope – But not every test taker got the version of the exam posted! So some students got a gift from the College Board, while others got screwed.
It is actually the College Board’s responsibility to ensure a fair a test as possible since the grading is done on a curve.
You have no idea what questions ere on the alternate form and if one of the questions was a repeat as well.