THE WRITTEN examination of January 15, 1954, was taken by 515 candidates, a larger number than in any previous year except 1953 when there were 607 candidates Grades ranged from a lowest mark of 32.0 to a highest mark of 89.5 Inspection of the range resulted in the decision to place the passing mark at 51. On this basis there were 32, or 6.2%, who failed and were therefore ineligible for oral examination.
The distribution of the grades earned by the 515 candidates is presented in the form of a histogram. As an aid to visual assessment of the nature of the distribution, a normal frequency curve computed from the mean and standard deviation of the data has been superimposed on the diagram. The distribution of the grades is clearly and impressively skewed to the left, that is, the scores tend to be massed at the high end of the scale and spread out at the low end. An examination of this type is relatively sensitive in the zone of poorer scholarship where the selection of failures is to be made and relatively insensitive in the range of higher scholarship.
The intrinsic reliability of the examination has again been assessed by comparing the grade made by each candidate on his odd-numbered questions with that earned on his even-numbered questions. The comparison reveals a "probable error of estimate," P.E.m, of 2.39, a lower figure and therefore a higher degree of reliability than yielded by any previous examination. The Committee is pleased that the increase in reliability was accomplished in spite of the fact that the length of the examination was decreased from 250 grading points in 1953 to 200 grading points.