All Theoretical

I had some struggles with my Measurements class today. The Central Test Theory concepts are a bit difficult to grasp. There are new symbols in the math, like an equals sign with three lines. I didn't notice the other day that it had three lines, so I wrote it down wrong in the notes I turned in. But apparently the triple equals sign just means "definition". Also, we've been using the Greek symbol Tau in some of our formulas. It looks like a T. So naturally, when I saw the E written on the board, I assumed it was the Greek letter epsilon, which my teacher had named by name earlier in the semester. It was not. It was a capital E. So the formulas in the notes I turned in are wrong.

My teacher went over the concepts of observed and true values again. He did this last time too, only now he included error variables in the mix. We were given a formula that helps us calculate the true scores (observed score + error score = true score), but there's no way to get the error score data. It's literally, physically impossible to get that information. When I asked how he was able to get it and put it on the board, he told me that we can't do it, but he can because he's amazing. Um.

This amazingness must also explain how he was able to average 107 and 110 and get 105. I specifically raised my hand and asked him about this when he called 105 the average, and why he wasn't using the average that was actually on the graph on the other side of the board, only for him to look me in the eyes and tell me seriously that it was because he was magic. He moved on.

There's also this concept of indexes (or indices, as he calls them). If you look at the picture above, you can see the two tests are called Yi and Yj. These are the names of the two tests. You could also call them Test 1 and Test 2. Simple enough. But then there's Ym. Ym means "all of the tests". Okay. Sure. But then there's Yk, Yl, et cetera, for Tests 3 and 4. As many tests as you have.

I asked what happens when you get to Test 5, Ym, and my teacher got pretty frustrated. He said it doesn't matter, and that m is just a variable. So I tried to ask why we use i and j if there is this obvious confusion with Ym. He said that this only applies to this class, and there isn't a standard in the psychological world. Wait... So, we're learning things that only apply in this class? We're only learning these things so we can take a test on these things and pass this class?

Most of the class was confused. He started getting very frustrated, demanding how we had managed to get into this class if we hadn't taken stats, because surely we knew this from stats. I was laughing so hard, just in the middle of his lecture. Silently, but my shoulders were shaking and I wanted to cry. When my teacher asked us to give an example of an "unconditional expectation", I said "love". He was not impressed.

The trick is that these central test theory concepts are all theoretical- hence why it's called a theory. The concept is based around the idea that if you could erase someone's mind after they took a test, and had them take the test again, and then erased their mind and had them take it again, over and over, you could average all those scores and determine their "true score". You know. For the one test. It's a very strange theory.

All in all, it was a hard day. I ended up having lunch at Aggie Ice Cream, because I wanted to see if they had cheese sandwiches, and just generally look around. It's near my before-lunch and after-lunch classes. A lot closer than the TSC where I usually eat at the Marketplace. I tried some of their Aggie Birthcake ice cream, but it was no substitute for Cold Stone cake batter. Oh well. I also texted Dallin and asked how his family were doing with Hurricane Irma going on in the southeast. He said they were fine, they mostly just got a lot of wind. Well.

I was supposed to catch the bus to the zoo so that I could participate in the first of my two volunteer training days. Only, I ended up taking a quiz for my research methods class, and I made it to the bus stop just minutes after the bus I wanted to take had left.

I didn't know what to do. I knew that it took half an hour to get from that stop to the zoo. With all the construction, the buses have had to form alternate routes, so I wasn't sure if I could trust the website if I looked up to see when the next bus would come. Though, I had a general idea of how long it would be before it was back. So if I waited for the next bus to come around, I would end up being pretty late.

I called Mom's friend, Holly, who lives nearby and had already agreed to pick me up from the zoo, since the meeting would run late and the buses stop running before then. I apologized and told her that I knew her taking me down wasn't what we agreed, but that I'd be able to make it on time if she took me straight there instead of following the bus route. She's super nice, and showed up soon to drive me down. I approached her car hesitantly, and checked to make sure that she was Holly. She was surprised that I didn't recognize her, but I pointed out that the last time I'd seen her, she'd been wearing clown make-up at the Halloween party. Now I know what she looks like underneath.

I was able to join up with the other volunteers and walk around the zoo, including the Employees Only sections. I got my apprenticeship papers signed so I can start working there and gathering hours. The people in charge are really nice, and I think I'll enjoy working for them. I told them I would be available to take the 8:00-11:00 shift on Wednesday and Friday mornings. They'll probably start me on just one day a week, though. That will be fine.

Holly came by and picked me up at 8:30, dressed in her scrubs since she works the night shift at the hospital. I asked her if we could swing by Lee's real quick, since I had run out of bananas and I have to pay a $30 minimum before Lee's will deliver. She really is super nice, and was totally on board. I had money to pay with, and she dropped me off at Blue Square after that. A much happier end to what had been a stressful day.