Mistakes in Even-Numbered Answer Patterns
Expert: "No Need to Be Anxious at All"
Even Distribution in 2024 Korean Language Exam
"I feel anxious when I get the even-numbered test paper. It feels like the question order will be all mixed up."
Answer Sheet for the Korean Language Section of the 2024 College Scholastic Ability Test (Even Numbers). [Photo by Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation]
Until the day of the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), the most debated issue among test-takers was whether the test paper would be 'odd' or 'even' numbered. On the 15th, one day before the exam, high schools nationwide distributed admission tickets for the CSAT, and the students' reactions varied greatly depending on whether they received an odd or even-numbered ticket. Students who received odd-numbered admission tickets sighed with relief, while those with even-numbered tickets looked gloomy even before the exam.
Odd and even-numbered admission tickets are distinguished by the last digit of the examinee number. If the last digit is odd, the student receives an odd-numbered admission ticket and will take the odd-numbered test paper.
The reason students avoid even-numbered admission tickets is because there is a widespread perception among them that even-numbered test papers are disadvantageous.
A student, A, taking this year's CSAT said, "Looking at past cases, even-numbered papers have always been at a disadvantage," adding, "I know this policy was made to prevent cheating, but it's true that more students prefer odd-numbered papers."
Answer Sheet for the 2024 College Scholastic Ability Test Korean Language Section (Odd Numbers). Photo by Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation
The precedent referred to by the student was the answer key for the even-numbered Korean language test paper in the 2017 CSAT. At that time, the answer pattern from questions 1 to 7 was '4444544.' Since the answer '4' appeared clustered, students naturally doubted the answers, and many ended up changing their answers and getting them marked wrong.
In the 2023 CSAT as well, the answer key for the even-numbered Korean language test paper caused controversy. From questions 19 to 25, the answers were '335533,' with the same number appearing twice in a row three times, and from questions 36 to 41, the answers were '414141,' repeating the same pattern coincidentally.
In contrast, the odd-numbered answer sheets did not have such consecutive repetitions of the same answer.
Meanwhile, among the 226 perfect scorers in CSAT history, 117 were from odd-numbered papers, and 49 were from even-numbered papers.
2024 CSAT, Even and Odd Answers Evenly Distributed
On the 16th, the day of the 2024 College Scholastic Ability Test, a test taker is waiting for the exam to start at Ewha Girls' Foreign Language High School in Jung-gu, Seoul. [Photo by Joint Press Corps]
However, with the release of the 2024 CSAT Korean language answer key, the worries of students troubled by the odd-even test paper issue are expected to be somewhat resolved. The numbers were evenly distributed across both odd and even sections.
In the even-numbered section, the maximum consecutive repetition of the same number was twice. Up to question 34 in the common subjects, the distribution was ▲1 (7 times) ▲2 (8 times) ▲3 (8 times) ▲4 (5 times) ▲5 (6 times). For those who chose the elective subject Speech and Writing up to question 45, the distribution was ▲1 (9 times) ▲2 (8 times) ▲3 (10 times) ▲4 (8 times) ▲5 (9 times), and for those who chose Language and Media, it was ▲1 (9 times) ▲2 (9 times) ▲3 (11 times) ▲4 (8 times) ▲5 (8 times).
In the odd-numbered section, the maximum consecutive repetition was also twice. Up to question 34 in the common subjects, the distribution was ▲1 (7 times) ▲2 (8 times) ▲3 (8 times) ▲4 (5 times) ▲5 (6 times). For those who chose Speech and Writing up to question 45, it was ▲1 (9 times) ▲2 (9 times) ▲3 (10 times) ▲4 (8 times) ▲5 (9 times), and for those who chose Language and Media, it was ▲1 (9 times) ▲2 (9 times) ▲3 (11 times) ▲4 (8 times) ▲5 (8 times).
Overall, the answers are evenly distributed, so the controversy over the advantages or disadvantages of odd and even papers is likely to be quiet this year. However, if a question is unknown, students who guessed '3' including those with odd or even numbers might be closer to a high score, while those who guessed '4' might have a higher chance of that answer being incorrect.
Experts Say "No Need to Worry About Even-Numbered Test Papers"
The College Scholastic Ability Test held at Yongsan High School in Seoul. [Photo by Joint Press Corps]
Experts pointed out that such anxiety is not based on scientific evidence.
Im Seong-ho, CEO of Jongro Academy, said, "Even if past precedents happened by coincidence, thinking that it will continue to operate like a rule is unnecessary."
He added, "Whether it's odd or even, there is naturally no difference in difficulty, so there is no need to be overly suspicious or anxious."
Lee Man-gi, Director of Uway Education Evaluation Research Institute, also said, "The claim that odd-numbered papers are advantageous is a prejudice," and "Based on last year's answer sheets from the Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation, there is no particular reason for any test paper to be advantageous."
Meanwhile, this year's CSAT will proceed in the same order as last year: 1st period Korean language, 2nd period Mathematics, 3rd period English, 4th period Korean history and exploration (social studies, science, vocational subjects), and 5th period second foreign language/Chinese characters.
This year, 504,588 applicants registered, which is 3,442 fewer than last year.
Among them, current high school students number 326,646 (64.7%), a decrease of 23,593 from a year ago.
Conversely, graduates increased by 17,439 to 159,742 (31.7%). Other applicants, including those who passed the qualification exam, also increased by 2,712 to 18,200 (3.6%).
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