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Reply 20

larchitecturel

How does the marking system work? Do you lose a point if you get it wrong?

Reply 21

Knogle

larchitecturel

How does the marking system work? Do you lose a point if you get it wrong?

Quote:

How is the SAT Reasoning Test scored?

Scoring the SAT Reasoning Test is a two-step process. First, a raw score is calculated: one point is added for each multiple-choice question answered correctly. Omitted questions receive no points. For multiple-choice questions answered incorrectly, 1/4 point is subtracted. No points are subtracted for incorrect answers to the SAT math questions requiring student-produced responses. Questions in the SAT equating section do not count toward the score. Then, the total points answered wrong are subtracted from the number answered correctly. If the resulting score is a fraction, it is rounded to the nearest whole number—1/2 or more is rounded up; less than 1/2 is rounded down.

Next, the raw score is converted to the College Board 200-to-800 scaled score by a statistical process called equating. Equating adjusts for slight differences in difficulty between test editions, and ensures that a student's score of, say, 450 on one edition of a test reflects the same ability as a score of 450 on another edition of the test and that a student's score does not depend on how well others did on the same edition of the test.

Verbal and math section scores for tests administered January 2005 and earlier are equivalent to critical reading and math scores for tests administered March 2005 and later. The new writing section will also be scored using a scale of 200-800. Two subscores will be given for the writing section: a multiple-choice subscore on a scale of 20-80, and an essay subscore, on a scale of 2-12.

How is the Essay Scored?

Essays are evaluated holistically. Each essay is read for the total impression it creates, rather than for its individual aspects. Even with some errors in spelling, punctuation, and grammar, students can still get a top score on the essay. Handwriting does not count against students, but essay readers must be able to read handwriting in order to score student essays, so students should try to write legibly.

Essay scorers are experienced and highly trained high school and college teachers. Each essay is scored by two people who don't know each other's score. They also don't know the student's identity or school. Each reader will give the essay a score from 1 to 6 (6 is the highest score).

Essays that are not on the topic given will receive a score of 0. The two scores are added together to form a raw score of 2-12. If the two readers' scores differ by more than one point, the essay will be read and scored by a third, director-level scorer.

How are the SAT Subject Tests scored?

It's a two-step process. First, a raw score is calculated: one point is added for each multiple-choice question answered correctly (all SAT Subject Tests contain only multiple-choice questions). Omitted questions receive no points. A fraction of a point is subtracted for questions answered incorrectly: 1/4 point is subtracted for five-choice questions, 1/3 point is subtracted for four-choice questions, and 1/2 point is subtracted for three-choice questions. Then, the total points answered incorrectly are subtracted from the number answered correctly. If the resulting score is a fraction, it is rounded to the nearest whole number—1/2 or more is rounded up; less than 1/2 is rounded down.

Next, the raw score is converted to the College Board 200-to-800 scaled score by a statistical process called equating. Equating adjusts for slight differences in difficulty between test editions and ensures that a student's score does not depend on the specific test edition he or she took and that a student's score does not depend on how well others did on the same edition of the test.

The scaled score is reported to colleges. Total test scores for all Subject Tests except the ELPT™ (English Language Proficiency Test, which was last administered in January 2005) are reported on the College Board 200-to-800 scale.

Reply 22

aiman

How does the marking system work? Do you lose a point if you get it wrong?

You get a raw score. For each correct question you gain one point on the raw score. For each incorrect answer you lose 1/4 of a point. For each unanswered question you gain no points.
The raw points are rounded to the nearest number (for each section of the exam) to give a raw score. This raw score is then converted to a score with a scale of 200-800.

Reply 23

Nuheen

Wont the authorities give me a SAT certificate? If they do, isn't it better to send a copy of it with the application?

Reply 24

Knogle

Nuheen

Wont the authorities give me a SAT certificate? If they do, isn't it better to send a copy of it with the application?

They don't give you a certifate.. more of a results slip with some information on your test performance including your score, percentile, etc. Universities do not recognise this as official - they will only accept SAT scores that are delivered direct to them by the College Board.

This doesn't mean however that you should just throw away your results slip. It might come in handy for things like scholarship references or job applications.