Just sat for chart plot module yesterday and luckily passed with only one question incorrect. The question was a course to steer while compensating for leeway and current and also keeping 0.4 miles south of a particular nav aid. I ended up with cts of 264. The exam gave me two options that were bogus and the other two were 265 and 263. I chose 263 because it was the course that would keep me the farthest off the nav aid since i didn’t have one of these two precise answers in my final computations. My question is what is the uscg really trying to accomplish with this? Are we being tested on our knowledge of the subject or are they just trying to generate tests that will trip us up. A lot of the questions defy common sense and practical knowledge.
[QUOTE=acesouthcoast;146744]Just sat for chart plot module yesterday and luckily passed with only one question incorrect. The question was a course to steer while compensating for leeway and current and also keeping 0.4 miles south of a particular nav aid. I ended up with cts of 264. The exam gave me two options that were bogus and the other two were 265 and 263. I chose 263 because it was the course that would keep me the farthest off the nav aid since i didn’t have one of these two precise answers in my final computations. My question is what is the uscg really trying to accomplish with this? Are we being tested on our knowledge of the subject or are they just trying to generate tests that will trip us up. A lot of the questions defy common sense and practical knowledge.[/QUOTE]
They are trying to test your skill and knowledge of chart plotting. I am guessing that you plotted from the exact center of the nav aide on the chart? That is not where that nav aide is… You should refer to the light list for the exact location of the nav aide. Plot those, then try your question again. You will find that the answer is obvious, why you were wrong, and hopefully a better understanding of what is required to properly navigate using ALL resources available. Congrats on squeaking by…
[QUOTE=acesouthcoast;146744]Just sat for chart plot module yesterday and luckily passed with only one question incorrect. The question was a course to steer while compensating for leeway and current and also keeping 0.4 miles south of a particular nav aid. I ended up with cts of 264. The exam gave me two options that were bogus and the other two were 265 and 263. I chose 263 because it was the course that would keep me the farthest off the nav aid since i didn’t have one of these two precise answers in my final computations. My question is what is the uscg really trying to accomplish with this? Are we being tested on our knowledge of the subject or are they just trying to generate tests that will trip us up. A lot of the questions defy common sense and practical knowledge.[/QUOTE]
Good job. Forget about that question and move on.
[QUOTE=acesouthcoast;146744]Just sat for chart plot module yesterday and luckily passed with only one question incorrect. The question was a course to steer while compensating for leeway and current and also keeping 0.4 miles south of a particular nav aid. I ended up with cts of 264. The exam gave me two options that were bogus and the other two were 265 and 263. I chose 263 because it was the course that would keep me the farthest off the nav aid since i didn’t have one of these two precise answers in my final computations. My question is what is the uscg really trying to accomplish with this? Are we being tested on our knowledge of the subject or are they just trying to generate tests that will trip us up. A lot of the questions defy common sense and practical knowledge.[/QUOTE]
[U]None[/U] of the questions on any Coast Guard exam are trying to trip anyone up. If someome makes amistake, and the answer they got is one of the choices, it isn’t a trick question. It means the designer of the question knew what common errors are made solving that type of problem, and included an answer choice that corresponds to a common mistake. For example, if you are asked to determine the course to steer, and apply compass error in the wrong direction, you will probably find the answer you got among the choices.
You said two choices were “bogus” that could actually be an indication that the question could be better designed to have wrong answers (aka “distractors”) that are not easily dismissed as “bogus.” On a well designed test, the number of test takers who answer any one question on tyhe test cortrectly shouil;d be close to the number who pass the entire test, and the distractors should be equally dispersed amongst the remainder. E.g. If 70% of students pass the test, on each question in that test, 70% answer correctly, and each wrong answer is picked by 10% of the people who took the test.
At the end of the day I blame myself for not being right on the money. I scored a 100% on the plot for my last license so at one point was doing it correctly. I just bitch and moan sometimes. Im glad i was able to pass and will prepare more thoroughly next time.