True or False

True or False?

If this was intended as a trick, it didn’t work. I came across this issue in a final exam test paper today. For question 4, if the student meant to write “True” (T),they crossed the T in the middle, making it look more like an “F.” As a result, I marked question 4 as “False” (F). On the other hand, for question 5, I interpreted it as “True” because the crossing was faint, resembling a small comma (,) rather than a distinct line through the middle, as in question 4.

Unfortunately, this confusion led to both questions being marked as incorrect, which is why you’ll notice my red marks (“X”) beside questions 4 and 5.

As a teacher, the last thing I want is to be unclear about what students have written on their test papers. This is why I provided detailed instructions before the exam began, as shown in the image below.

However, some students might claim this was an “honest” mistake. They can point to what they wrote and argue whether it was meant to be an “F” or a “T,” given how ambiguous it looks. In a True or False question format, where there’s already a 50% chance of guessing correctly, it’s crucial to ensure your answers are clearly written.

For future tests, think carefully before submitting ambiguous answers — they won’t be interpreted in your favor. If this wasn’t intentional, I sympathize, but you need to work on improving your handwriting. Luckily, I might just have the right book to help you with that!

Article by Marcelo Gameiro

Published 24 Dec 2024