Correction and scanning on the exam

[budiman90]

I think I understand why GARP would want to forbid test-takers from bringing their own stationeries, mostly to avoid having cheat notes written or hidden on the pencils or erasers (e.g. eraser's paper wrapper), though I didn't think the proctors checked my calculator more closely (theoretically, I could write cheat notes on the 1-page quick guide cartoon paper that comes with my calculator). Buy anyways what I am curious about is on the no-eraser policy. Instead of providing takers with eraser, GARP chooses to forbid erasing. I imagine the correction system (circling new answer along with writing the correct answer letter) would require (some) manual intervention instead of simple automatic scanning? Why would GARP do this? Has the policy always been like this, or is this policy recent?

 

[AnnaM]

Your answer sheet has a carbon copy. Once you've written something there you cannot erase it. Hence why, I guess, no erasers.

 

[budiman90]

Your answer sheet has a carbon copy. Once you've written something there you cannot erase it. Hence why, I guess, no erasers.

I believe this started in May 2019? I didn't remember having a carbon copy for my answer sheet in Nov 2018. But back in Nov 2018, the no-erasure policy was already there.

 

[AnnaM]

I believe this started in May 2019? I didn't remember having a carbon copy for my answer sheet in Nov 2018. But back in Nov 2018, the no-erasure policy was already there.

I don’t know when it started exactly, but I’ve taken part 1 a couple years ago and the carbon copy was already there

 

[budiman90]

I don’t know when it started exactly, but I’ve taken part 1 a couple years ago and the carbon copy was already there

Ok, I might remember incorrectly.

Having carbon copy makes perfect sense as the reason for the no erasure policy.

Now if we're talking about the reason for the carbon copy, my guess is twofold: 1) as a backup (I remember CFAI had an incident of a truck loading exam answers being hijacked in Brazil or somewhere); 2) to protect against manipulation and collusion between scantron operator and candidates. Not sure about #2 but it's possible, since the candidate's full name + location is written there on the exam answer.

 

[nikic]

I believe this started in May 2019? I didn't remember having a carbon copy for my answer sheet in Nov 2018. But back in Nov 2018, the no-erasure policy was already there.

I sat for Part 1 in May 2018 and sure as heck there was a carbon copy.

Now that someone mentioned the carbon copy, that makes perfect sense they wouldn't allow for erasers.