Vetting Calculations from Invitational Test

[soyuppy]

I have seen many sample tests from Invitational along with the answer keys. While some of the questions relating to statistical data pertaining to some year and date may be hard to challenge(depending on where the information of such statistical data are obtained from), but those that are related to calculation, it can be easily verified and double checked. Don't take the answer key as the final doctrine as many were just wrong.

Here's are 2 example such wrong answer. Do your own calculation...not all answer keys are correct...and to make it more challenging. On the Potential Energy calculation, there are follow up questions that rely on the answer from the calculation. So if you start of wrong, then everything else will be wrong as well.

What's more important is that for those who taken these tests, what happen if they answer correctly?....they got mark WRONG???!!!

[Uber]

Never done wind power, but this is talking about tests in general. The test writer just didn't proofread enough. Because the answer key is wrong across the board, the test graders would mark all the correct answers incorrect. It would be the same as if the question was thrown out. It is more simple for free response, because a wrong answer like the one you posted would be almost impossible to get. It's a bit more annoying with multiple choice errors, but generally the top scorers mark the correct answers (because they studied) and get them wrong, while the people who didn't prepare as much might guess them right. The final results won't be significantly affected. I've seen this happen on anatomy tests, where obvious answers were marked incorrect, both on multiple choice and free response. However, the points lost were so small, I highly doubt my ranking changed.

[soyuppy]

Yes, this is about test quality in general. It's just put in this thread because this is related to Wind Power. But it could be applied across all tests and all events.
It may be true on the overall ranking/grading, but imagine the precious time wasted, especially in the multiple choice one, where you have to double and triple check your calculation and not knowing if your calculation is wright or wrong.
Gaps in some invitation are pretty competitive...as close to 1-5 points differential. So these kind of errors would tip the scale and make all the difference.

[Unome]

You will always find problems with grading on tests. It tends not to matter that much for invitationals (because generally people won't appeal very much after the tournament) but as far as I am aware, this is one of the major reasons why regional and state tournaments don't return tests to teams.