In order to study and prepare most effectively for the NREMT EMT or Paramedic exam, you must first understand how the NREMT exam, is designed. The NREMT exam is designed as a Computer Adaptive Test (often called CAT or CAT). Computer Adaptive Tests are computer based exams which adapt to the responses of the examinees through Item Response Theory (IRT), which logically provides questions based on the his or her response to the prior question. These exams are quite different than the tradition exam that flows in a more linear fashion by simply providing questions randomly selected from a pool of questions. Computer Adaptive tests are commonly used where the topics covered and the skills measured are often times considered to be life altering.

In the development of these tests, each question is carefully calibrated to determine its level of difficulty. This is done by adding pilot questions to each test which do not count against the test takers final score. Once a degree of difficulty is determined, a "level of ability" required to answer the question correctly can be established. By doing this, some questions can be considered less difficult and require a lesser level of knowledge to answer correctly while others can be considered more difficult requiring a higher level of knowledge to answer correctly.

The total number of questions given to each candidate is different when taking these types of examination. As questions are answered, correct and incorrect responses determine the level of difficulty of the next question until a pattern, or level of knowledge is determined. Usually this is accomplished by beginning with a series of questions at or below the level of knowledge required to pass the exam. When correct answers are given, the computer will select questions that require a greater level of knowledge to answer correctly. If the majority of the questions in the series of questions is answered correctly, the computer will select another series of questions at an even higher level difficulty continuing until the examinee reaches his or her maximum level of competency. This is why the NREMT exam often times feels more difficult than other tests, and also why the NREMT exam takers don't feel very confident in the outcome at the end of the test. Over the course of the exam, correct and incorrect answers based on their level of severity are placed on a standard scale to determine the overall ability of the candidate. When the computer determines that the person being tested consistently answers appropriately above or below the standard, entry-level competency, the review ends. The examinee who demonstrates the ability to answer most of his or her questions correctly often finds that their test is concludes quickly. The examination will end when the computer is 95% sure that the student has reached the minimal level set.

Additional information Paramedic Study Guides or other NREMT exam study guide information, visit http://www.EMSSuccess.com or you may visit the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians website at http://www.NREMT.org.

Posted by: LNet at 03:40 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 509 words, total size 4 kb.