Abstract
This paper examines how test length affects average scores and standard deviations in exam grading. After writing (unnecessarily) long exams, we test if decreasing the number of pages changes the average and standard deviation relative to longer exams. When testing exams four to six pages long, we find that exams above four pages do not seem to add any precision to the averages or standard deviations. Additionally, we find that a three-page exam has the same average and standard deviation, but exams with fewer than three pages change the distribution of student grades, making it harder to distinguish student quality.
Recommended Citation
(2024)
"Optimal Test Length: How Many Pages Do I Need to Grade (or Even Write)?,"
Journal of Economics and Finance Education: Vol. 23:
Iss.
1, Article 4.
Available at:
https://scholarship.rollins.edu/jefe/vol23/iss1/4
