[IPAC-List] Threatening a Penalty for Guessing

[Joel Wiesen]

If a test's instructions say "you may be penalized for questions you
mark incorrectly" and then the grading does not correct for guessing,
what might the effect be?

Has anyone had practical experience with such instructions? Do test 
takers pay attention to such instructions?

Is there research on this type of ambiguous ("may be penalized") test 
instruction?

(This particular instruction was used on a speeded (clerical speed)
portion of a longer test for a craft type job.)

Thanks.

Joel


-- 
Joel P. Wiesen, Ph.D., Director
Applied Personnel Research
62 Candlewood Road
Scarsdale, NY 10583-6040
(617) 244-8859
http://appliedpersonnelresearch.com