Blogger SAT Challenge Revealed!

So, the Blogger SAT Challenge has officially run its course, and Dave has posted the question to Cognitive Daily. I’ll reproduce it below the fold, and make some general comments.

What were the results like? We had 500 people at least look at the survey question, and Dave gives the breakdown:

The survey required participants to enter at least their name before moving on to answer the essay question. The most popular name was “asdf,” but no one claiming the name asdf actually wrote an essay. Clearly plenty of participants only “participated” in order to see the question (you’ll see it soon enough — I’ll give it below the fold). So, of our 500, how many wrote essays? Just 155. Of those, 20 opted out after completing their response. Of those remaining, just 109 finished in under 21 minutes.

So 109 responses will be sent to our volunteer graders. Each essay will be graded twice according to the official SAT guidelines. After grading is complete — hopefully a week from Friday — we’ll present a preliminary analysis and make the responses public. Then everyone will have a chance to rate the essays themselves.

That’s a bigger response than I really expected– twenty minutes is like six weeks of blogtime, so I’m surprised there were a hundred people willing to spend that long on this. Thanks to all who participated, and thanks to those who linked us to spread the word.

And watch this space for the results. The question and some commentary below the fold:

The essay gives you an opportunity to show how effectively you can develop and express ideas. You should, therefore, take care to develop your point of view, present your ideas logically and clearly, and use language precisely.

Important Reminders:

* Since this is an online version of the test, you will get 20 minutes instead of the usual 25

* An off-topic essay will receive a score of zero.

Directions: Think carefully about the issue presented in the following excerpt and the assignment below.

‘I have learned that success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed.’

— Booker T. Washington

Assignment: What is your opinion on the idea that struggle is a more important measure of success than accomplishment? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.

It’s a fairly typical bullshit essay question, but for some reason, I really couldn’t think of anything to do with it. Which is more or less what I had suggested as a reason why bloggers might not do that well with it, but I didn’t really think that would apply to me, you know?

Anyway, I stared blankly at the screen for a while, then banged out some utter crap, and barely squeaked in under the time limit. Even though I was the one arguing that it would be harder to do under test conditions than you might think, I was surprised by just how hard it was, and how short the time seemed.

I used to be better at this sort of thing, but I’m way out of practice. The last timed test I took was probably in 1995, and the last timed essay test I took was in May of 1993. Writing quick essays on command really is a skill, and I’m not as sharp as I used to be.

If you took the Challenge, and would like to talk about it, here’s your chance. Please don’t reveal your response until after we have the essays graded, but I’d be interested in hearing your general impressions in the comments.