The harm perpetuated by examination malpractice can be properly understood by using a popular educational measurement equation, which is:
X = T ± E
Where X = Observed score (one given by examiner to any student in a given examination as representing the student’s ability).
X = T ± E
Where X = Observed score (one given by examiner to any student in a given examination as representing the student’s ability).
T = True score (one representing the actual or the ability of the student devoid of all mistakes/errors).
E = Error Score (one representing the errors/mistakes purposely or inadvertently introduced into the measurement process to either inflate or deplete the student’s score in a given examination).
It is to be noted that the undeserved or strange scores brought about by examination malpractice is embedded in error score (E). A cursory look at the equation shows that:
i. The difference between X and T is the error score (E);
ii. It is our noble desire that as much as possible, X is close to, if not equal to T;
iii. The smaller the value of E, the closer is X to T (infact, if E is Zero, X = T). Conversely, the bigger the value of E (courtesy of examination malpractice), the farther is X from T.
iv. If E is very large, T diminishes, and X approaches E. This implies that the higher the E-value of error scores occasions by examination malpractice, the more the school and public examination scores deviate or diminish from true abilities of those who make or own those scores. Those scores essentially but embarrassingly represent/reflect errors and intangibles, and everything else apart from the actual/true abilities of their owners. Little wonder then that some owners of high scores in our school/public examination can hardly perform or exhibit behaviours that are consistent with the high scores, and how some schools graduates can hardly perform to the expectation of the society/employers. That is the harm by examination malpractice.
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