I do wish you luck with the senior exam as well, as many questions have multiple correct answers, and very often, passing the test depends on the individual interpretation and whim of the tester. Good luck to you.
Rob Jones
This is factually incorrect, and I am in an absolute position to know the facts. As a member of the Tournament Director Certification Committee (TDCC), I have reviewed every question on every form of the Senior Tournament Director certification examinations. (This was part of a recent exercise to review all certification examinations to determine whether recent changes to the rules require updates of the examinations.) I can also state definitively that there is a grading key for each examination. The grading key specifies exactly how much partial credit to assign for each answer to each question. Grading the examination is a purely mechanical process, with absolutely no judgment required or allowed on the part of the grader.
Please kindly note that I administered the Senior Tournament Director certification examination closed book to two candidates in Phoenix at this year’s U.S. Open, and I graded the examinations on the spot. I contend that I know whereof I speak (write).
Mr. Jones, those are incontrovertible facts, not speculation, not hypothesis – facts. That the facts may be inconveniently incompatible with your world view does not alter the truth represented by the facts.
That they may be your opinions, however founded, does not make them facts. That whomever passed open book is irrelevant to the argument. However the grading now is not necessarily reflective of how it once was. The fact is there has, over time,
been different testers who graded differently. This is a fact. I am trying to make a fair and just point here, that in fact will last on the forums There are many who do miss the appreciative and working attitude of one former tester who departed years ago,
to be replaced by those not as flexible.
Rob Jones
Mr. Jones, you need to replace your dictionary, as it appears to be defective. I recommend the Oxford English Dictionary. You should be able to find reliable definitions of “fact” and “opinion” therein that will allow you to recognize the difference.
[quote=“wilecoyote”]
Mr. Jones, you need to replace your dictionary, as it appears to be defective. I recommend the Oxford English Dictionary. You should be able to find reliable definitions of “fact” and “opinion” therein that will allow you to recognize the difference.[/quote
Here are some facts then. L.P. a former TD tester, exercised a great deal of flexibility in his grading. P.S., his successor, exercised a very, very, narrow perspective in grading turning more than a few tds from USCF. Denying a past you prefer did not happen actually does not
erase history. Perhaps a little research on your part would be helpful.
Rob Jones
[quote=“DENTONCHESS”]
Help me out. I am confused. I have been on the TDCC since the late 80s. I have been chair for a lot of that time (Jeff W. is now the chair). In all that time the Senior and below exams have been multiple choice. Using an answer key, the USCF office has graded those exams. No essay questions on those exams, just multiple choice. Now you are claiming that those office workers were both narrow and flexible at various times. So, help me out. How does one grade a multiple choice exam with an answer key that way? I taught for a lot of years and failed to see how that is possible. But, I am open to learning new things.
Our ANTD and NTD exams are essay. They are graded by humans outside of the office and designated by the TDCC. Those exams are designed to be heavy on “how” the solution was obtained as well as the solution itself. Sometimes there is more than one solution–it is the solution process that is more important in those cases, and on the exams in general. Those essay exams have grading guidelines. For example: points are given just for citing the rule being used in the answer. No citation, of course, means no points. Yes, points are also given for other things. The opinion of the grader is limited in scope due to those guidelines (points)–graders don’t get a lot of wiggle room, just a little. And yes, there are some “by the book” graders and some “flexible” graders–just like in academia. That is why the TDCC re-grades any essay exam that just barely misses the passing grade.
And lastly, it appears you are saying there are some TDs out there that don’t deserve the title. There is a process for weeding them out; i.e., some player has to file a complaint with the USCF. If these TDs are, in your observations, not qualified then why has no one ever filed a complaint against them? Or, do you have some specific suggestions and regulations for weeding them out that are workable?
Like I said, help me out. I need some hard facts that I just don’t have yet and can’t seem to find on my own.
This topic is a spin-off from Unrateds and Under Prizes.
This is good to know. When I took the test I puzzled over questions seemed to have multiple correct answers. One question I vaguely remember had to do with collecting fees an unknown player showing up with no identification and an expired USCF membership. (I’m sure I don’t have it exactly right.) Several of the answers seemed ‘right’. One seemed ‘right’ for a major tournament in a major city. One seemed ‘right’ for my suburban/rural area. I also had the thought that the organizer (if not the same as the TD) should be the one making the decision as to how to treat his customers in this situation.
This is also good to know. The first time I took the exam I didn’t take it seriously enough. I just dashed off the answers based on my local experience. I scored somewhere around 80%. The second time I took it very seriously and compared questions seriously to the book. I passed but just barely with 90% or thereabouts.
My Big Thanks to my good friends Marian and Dennis who badgered me into taking the Senior TD test. It opened up a whole new world for me including Hawaii.
80% is a passing score.
My memory is a rusted blade. I took the Senior test in 1997. Was 80% the passing grade then?
As I think more about it I think I scored 88% on the second test, passed, and I was upset/disappointed because I was sure I would score 100%
I found the Senior TD test very difficult but I managed to pass (barely) on my first try (2012) with a score of 114/140. 112 was the minimum passing score (80%).
“Wait, I’ve got it - a fix for the pairings! Everyone move one chair to the left!” 
Well, about as logical as some other ideas I have heard of.
Rob, please give an answer to the questions Tim Just has asked you.
I did in a pm to Tim. And learned a few facts I did not know, and revealing such would probably violate the AUG as it does list several people involved in the past who
conducted the Senior TD tests. Ron, such questions are typical of those who use the AUG to hide the truth, knowing that moderators will instantly pull the data proving
points made. The forums are not a vehicle for honest debate, and really have not been for years now. But, I feel confident you know this. So, more and more I am finding
that trying anything constructive on the forums is simply a waste of time.
Rob Jones
Ah the famous (infamous) pairing adjustment! That story is a legend in TD circles.
I do not envy the job of TDCC in the weeding out of the TD who lets say, should do other things in life. It can be a very complex issue. Just a little, although, absolutely essential, of what one needs to know to grow as a TD comes from the rule book. The rest is from experience, which sometimes, can be painful. I have stepped in to difficult
situations as a last minute replacement for others with little understanding of exactly what I was getting into. One of these tournaments, by all accounts, was a disaster. By
nearly every account. 200++ total players including a HUGE not to be rated section. Brand new computer operator. Had never run a tournament before. Very inexperienced,
though certainly well-meaning, organizer. From all appearances, very inexperienced registrars. Very low entry fees for the locals,
so, a very limited TD budget. I could not pay my experienced group to travel with me. Recipe for disaster-- you betcha. For those of us who strive for perfection each and every event, such incidents continue to haunt us. It is very hard to let the questions go- what could I have done better?? This was one of my first events as a new senior TD.
And it was shocking. Now I do ask questions as to the experience of the staff. Now I do have some concerns on the quality and experience of the staff I am working with. But,
for the new “executive” TD, such concerns sometimes do not come naturally to mind. And I have wondered this – what has USCF/TDCC done in the area of tournament staff
management training, other than experience at nationals?? For those who have not had the opportunity to work nationals, I certainly do encourage the experience. So much
can be learned from both a direction, and management perspective. But, many tournament directors, either due to their job situations, geography, etc, really have a very difficult time making time for such experiences.
So in terms of large tournament management techniques, and recommended procedures, what does USCF have available in terms of videos and literature??
Rob Jones
I’m not aware of anything presently there. It is a great idea. Many TDs only ever work small local club events, which is fine. But for those who choose to or are forced into bigger events that would likely help. If you have already given it some thought perhaps you have an outline of what such training materials might cover? That would be a place to start anyway.
Doesn’t Tim Just have some videos somewhere on this site?
Bill Smythe
I’ve created a new topic, Videos and literature for tournament directors and organizers, for discussion of this.