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Why is footy so much more appealing when you have exams?

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Lizzzle

1 - your grade doesn't depend on the revision you do in the two/three weeks before your exam. You should have learnt the material before hand, thus you cannot base your grade on these few weeks.

A large of majority of students doing A-level cram in at the last minute and probably enough to make an impact on statistics

2 - Football is not the only event that's currently going on. If allowances are made for those who enjoy the world cup, then the same allowances would have to be made for those who enjoy golf, tennis, cricket, rugby tournaments which are currently going on around this time.

The World cup clearly seems to be the most popular and football is one of Englands most important sports-but my arguement isn't whether exams should be moved to a date before it started, its accepting that this is how things are and whether it affects statistical outcomes of peoples performance

3 - how would you measure whether someone's grade has been affected by the world cup?

Use data from each year for June sessions and cross link that with statistics for this years A-levels see if there are anomalies ( as this is a new syllabus use the data from the legacy A-levels)

4 - also how would you differentiate between someone who got a bad grade because they watched the world cup, and someone who just didn't perform well?

Use the trends of their AS -level performance and other pre-june exams to form an understanding of their grade targets

5 - could those in the latter condition just lie? for the extra credit

Method above explains it

6 - there are distractions all throughout the year, if you were serious about your grade you wouldn't let it affect you

Relevant to the first point- if you are basing this off of people like on TSR you are only talking about a minority. Someone who doesn't come from a family that has had/experienced academic success and goes to a comprehensive school are quite easily likely to get distracted by something like this and that's a large majority (Although i dont want to get into some marxist view of the capitalists exploiting the working class type arguement).

7 - there are numerous ways to either watch the world cup later, or record the game, or catch up on demand

Unlikely that someone I have described above will do this ( a alarge majority of A-level students)

8 - if you're stupid enough to allow football to be more of a priority than your exams, then you perhaps deserve the bad grade you get.

Thus those that might of had potential have lost out, and thus will get lower grades, affecting statistics because Examiners convert raw marks to UMS in a-levels based on the national average boundaries. So if the nation do badly on one question but a select few do well that select few's ums will go up.

Reply 21

Lizzzle

TheLastDaysOfDisco

How can it not?! Whether you have or haven't learnt the material beforehand, the revision you do the week or two before the exam is crucial to your final grade! Well for me, and everybody I know anyway.

Because the fundamental knowledge is already there, you don't learn the entire course, you brush up on details that you may have forgotten, but it's not brand new.

Orichalon

Oh don't be an idiot. I don't remember everything from the beginning of the year, that's what revision is for. Those 3 weeks revision absolutely mean the difference between a top grade and an average grade.

The above still applies. You may think you don't remember it, but it's not like you are learning it from brand new, it's more of a refresher of the knowledge you already have.

And Lol @ the bit in bold. No because that's assuming that the things that you don't remember from the start of the year account for the difference between like an A and a C grade. Exams aren't weighted in that way, and if it is a substantial amount of your course your teacher would usually account for this and either let you know that's it's important, or base their teaching around the timings of the course (like it being the last thing you study before you start doing past papers)

Reply 22

Orichalon

Lizzzle

Because the fundamental knowledge is already there, you don't learn the entire course, you brush up on details that you may have forgotten, but it's not brand new.

The above still applies. You may think you don't remember it, but it's not like you are learning it from brand new, it's more of a refresher of the knowledge you already have.

And Lol @ the bit in bold. No because that's assuming that the things that you don't remember from the start of the year account for the difference between like an A and a C grade. Exams aren't weighted in that way, and if it is a substantial amount of your course your teacher would usually account for this and either let you know that's it's important, or base their teaching around the timings of the course (like it being the last thing you study before you start doing past papers)

For my GCSEs I was off school for nearly half a term in the middle of the year, so I missed out on a significant portion of the course, yet I still ended up with 9 a*s, and I've no doubt that was almost solely down to the revision/learning I did in the week or two before the exams. I can't be bothered to argue this further, because you're clearly too stubborn to accept that you're wrong.

Reply 23

Lizzzle

holmes221

A large of majority of students doing A-level cram in at the last minute and probably enough to make an impact on statistics

The World cup clearly seems to be the most popular and football is one of Englands most important sports-but my arguement isn't whether exams should be moved to a date before it started, its accepting that this is how things are and whether it affects statistical outcomes of peoples performance

Use data from each year for June sessions and cross link that with statistics for this years A-levels see if there are anomalies ( as this is a new syllabus use the data from the legacy A-levels)

Use the trends of their AS -level performance and other pre-june exams to form an understanding of their grade targets

Method above explains it

Relevant to the first point- if you are basing this off of people like on TSR you are only talking about a minority. Someone who doesn't come from a family that has had/experienced academic success and goes to a comprehensive school are quite easily likely to get distracted by something like this and that's a large majority (Although i dont want to get into some marxist view of the capitalists exploiting the working class type arguement).

Unlikely that someone I have described above will do this ( a alarge majority of A-level students)

Thus those that might of had potential have lost out, and thus will get lower grades, affecting statistics because Examiners convert raw marks to UMS in a-levels based on the national average boundaries. So if the nation do badly on one question but a select few do well that select few's ums will go up.

1 - That's an assumption, with no evidence. Cramming is more psychological than anything, there is no evidence that it actually helps people in exams, it's like a coping strategy for nerves.
2 - That still doesn't account for those who have interests elsewhere. They may say the same argument that "this is how things are" just because other sporting activities get less media coverage, doesn't mean they are any less important in people's lives. Things such as Golf, Cricket and Tennis have their equivalent world tournaments, on a YEARLY basis, so does that mean that those with an interest in such sport should get extra credit every year? It's not even just about sport, other hobbies have great precedence in people's lives that could affect statistical outcomes. If we make allowances for the World Cup then there will be an argument for every other hobby that people partake in.
3 - So what you're saying is that if there are anomalies in people's performance in June in comparison to last year, we should blame the World Cup? Should every country in the world do this too?
4 - If people perform well in their AS-levels, Jan exams and perhaps GCSE's but don't perform well in their A-levels again it's down to the World Cup? Can it not be down to the fact that A-Lve What about people who don't have an interest in the World Cup? What if they don't, but don't follow the World Cup, again how will you differentiate the two?
5 - Again, surely those people could just lie?
6 - I don't understand what you're saying. In general those who don't come from an academically successful family are likely to get distracted by the world cup than those who are? Surely if you are from a family that weren't successful, that would be motivation for you to perform better, and not let distractions affect your grades?
7 - Why is it unlikely? All of the presenters mention on demand in every pre-match/post-match analysis. The adverts on telly mention it.
8 - My original point stands. And also not everyone in the country will have the same exam, from the same exam board. Therefore measuring any differences in UMS marks will be so minor it will not be seen as an anomaly

i'm typing this as i eat so it may not be complete or make sense, so i apologise in advance

Reply 24

Eiz

EVERYTHING is more appealing when you have exams. When I was doing my GCSEs (oh wow, centuries ago...) I even cleaned my room voluntarily in order to get out of revising for an hour or so. During my uni revision, I watched cricket. Cricket. I hate cricket.

Reply 25

Lizzzle

Orichalon

Lol
GCSE's are hardly an indication of intelligence
It would be a different story had that happened during your A2 year, and you know it.

It's not a case of me being stubborn, GCSE's were very easy, the naturally smart do well and get mostly A's & A*'s. Those who work hard still get A's & A*'s, and even some who don't work hard still achieve good grades.
It's a different case when it comes down to A-levels.

But okay, carry on thinking i'm stubborn.

Reply 26

holmes221

Lizzzle

1 - That's an assumption, with no evidence. Cramming is more psychological than anything, there is no evidence that it actually helps people in exams, it's like a coping strategy for nerves.

It doesn't have to be cramming though as many on TSR posts in this thread show the last 2-3 weeks can be very decisive and shift you up a grade because you revising, re-enforcing that information into your mind so that you more likely to remember it in the exam.

If you not putting aside the time to do this therefore such as watching the world cup, celebrating it with mates you are effectively diminishing the chance of a higher grade.

2 - That still doesn't account for those who have interests elsewhere. They may say the same argument that "this is how things are" just because other sporting activities get less media coverage, doesn't mean they are any less important in people's lives. Things such as Golf, Cricket and Tennis have their equivalent world tournaments, on a YEARLY basis, so does that mean that those with an interest in such sport should get extra credit every year? It's not even just about sport, other hobbies have great precedence in people's lives that could affect statistical outcomes. If we make allowances for the World Cup then there will be an argument for every other hobby that people partake in.

Again I am not talking about how to address this problem, I am proposing a theory that the world cup is a distraction to those doing their exams to the extent that it can affect statistics.

But to be honest I don't think those sports combined and put on at the same time would distract students in the same way the world cup will.

3 - So what you're saying is that if there are anomalies in people's performance in June in comparison to last year, we should blame the World Cup? Should every country in the world do this too?

If the grade boundaries are abnormally low for many A-level subjects pre and post years and consecutive years, then there is surely some trend.

Should every country in the world do this too?

Well firstly I don't know when they do their exams, and secondly does the world cup have as much importance to the student demographic in the USA as for example the British 16-19 age group.?

4 - If people perform well in their AS-levels, Jan exams and perhaps GCSE's but don't perform well in their A-levels again it's down to the World Cup? Can it not be down to the fact that A-Lve What about people who don't have an interest in the World Cup? What if they don't, but don't follow the World Cup, again how will you differentiate the two?

Well you would look at factors like their academic trend, but you also look at the students motivation, ability. Find a large group of students of the same ability and target grades, then find the averages between those who don't like football and those who are obsessed and will watch the world cup. This can be done on a large scale.

5 - Again, surely those people could just lie?

6 - I don't understand what you're saying. In general those who don't come from an academically successful family are likely to get distracted by the world cup than those who are? Surely if you are from a family that weren't successful, that would be motivation for you to perform better, and not let distractions affect your grades?

What I am saying is someone from a private school is less likely to let something like the world cup seriously distract them because they are expected and surround by success. I'm sure for many of them its not an option.

Those who go to state schools are more likely to allow the world cup to distract them, because they are the first to go to university / achieve A-levels they are not surrounded by success on the same scale.

Furthermore I am sure that football is in majority part of the working class demographic, which the majority of comprehensive state schools consist of.

7 - Why is it unlikely? All of the presenters mention on demand in every pre-match/post-match analysis. The adverts on telly mention it.

Most will surely want to see these matches there and then, rather than wait days or weeks after their exams to watch it?

8 - My original point stands. And also not everyone in the country will have the same exam, from the same exam board. Therefore measuring any differences in UMS marks will be so minor it will not be seen as an anomaly

There are enough people doing these exams especially the AQA and edexcel boards (granted OCR not so much) to see these anomalies.
I'm sure that experts in statistics would also know more indepth ways of analysing the post exam results possibly by using the above method of those who like football and those who dont mentioned earlier.

Reply 27

kevtp

Lizzzle

1 - your grade doesn't depend on the revision you do in the two/three weeks before your exam. You should have learnt the material before hand, thus you cannot base your grade on these few weeks.

So by this logic, you do not revise during the last 2/3 weeks before exams?

Reply 28

tefnut

Orichalon

So true. Personally, if i didn't cram I would certainly get no higher than a B

Reply 29

AAfc

Because doing anything except revising seams appealing.
Dont worry your exams will be over before the end of the World Cup :biggrin:

Reply 30

Fat-Love

reminds me of facebook - everyone complained that they can't stay off facebook during exam season and the minute their last exam went, suddenly they're no longer procrastinating on facebook anymore :confused: