[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-seo-621042-105":3,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":80,"doc-detail-621042-en":130},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"ok",{"site_id":7,"language":8,"slug":9,"title":10,"keywords":11,"description":12,"schema_data":13,"social_meta":73,"head_meta":75,"extra_data":77,"updated_unix":79},105,"en","an-experimental-examination-in-general-studies-introduction","AN EXPERIMENTAL EXAMINATION IN GENERAL STUDIES - Introduction","","The document analyzes the rationale and feasibility of introducing a General Studies test into university entrance requirements for the 1951–1961 period. It outlines how the Joint Matriculation Board assessed evidence for specialist and “general education,” discusses differing teacher views on whether such an examination would harm or improve pupils’ outcomes, and summarizes a proposed qualification mix combining Ordinary and Advanced level passes with a General Studies pass. It concludes by setting up the need to experiment with an exam suited to sixth-form students.",{"@graph":14,"@context":72},[15,34,55],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/exam/","Exam",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/an-experimental-examination-in-general-studies-introduction/621042/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/an-experimental-examination-in-general-studies-introduction/621042.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":42,"@type":43},"Angel","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-11-05","2026-10-20",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":30},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",{"@type":56,"mainEntity":57},"FAQPage",[58,64,68],{"name":59,"@type":60,"acceptedAnswer":61},"What problem does the document address regarding university entrance requirements?","Question",{"text":62,"@type":63},"It addresses the need to provide evidence of “general education” at university entry, not only specialist studies. The document reviews whether a General Studies test could serve that purpose.","Answer",{"name":65,"@type":60,"acceptedAnswer":66},"Why were suggestions for a General Studies test considered tentative at first?",{"text":67,"@type":63},"There was little evidence yet about the efficacy of such a test, and teachers held diverse opinions about its value for their students’ school courses.",{"name":69,"@type":60,"acceptedAnswer":70},"What qualification proposal does the Board consider for university entrance?",{"text":71,"@type":63},"One alternative proposal combined passes in English Language at the Ordinary level, passes in two subjects at the Advanced level, and a pass in General Studies at the same sitting as one or both Advanced passes.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":74,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":76,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":78,"site_id":7},621042,1792502490,{"code":4,"msg":81,"data":82},"success",[83,87,91,94,99,104,109,114,119,122,126],{"id":22,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":84,"show_sort_weight":85,"slug":86},"Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":26,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":88,"show_sort_weight":89,"slug":90},"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":33,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":92,"slug":93},70,"exam",{"id":95,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":96,"show_sort_weight":97,"slug":98},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":100,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":101,"show_sort_weight":102,"slug":103},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":105,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":106,"show_sort_weight":107,"slug":108},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":110,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":111,"show_sort_weight":112,"slug":113},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":115,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":116,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":118},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":117,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":120,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":121},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":123,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":124,"show_sort_weight":123,"slug":125},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":127,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":128,"show_sort_weight":95,"slug":129},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":81,"data":131},{"doc_id":78,"user_id":132,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":33,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":30,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":139,"language":140,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":141,"faqs":142,"seo_title":143,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":144,"read_time":145,"preview_page_count":4},687207412472,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_155a257f0dc6eb9ab79c44ca47cae57d","CONTENTS  \nParagraphs  \n1—4 Introduction.    .     .·   .        1  \n5—15 Description of the question papers ........   3  \n16—22 The trial of the papers ............    7  \n23—27 Reliability of the marking............   9  \n28—32 Agreement between marks and school estimates ..   11  \n33—39 General Studies and the award of State Scholarships 13  \n40—42 General Studies and L.E.A.awards ..  ..  ..   18  \n43Conclusion ..  ..  ..  ........  ..  ..   19  \nSummary ..................   19  \n44  \nAppendix I.Post-mortem  \n(1)—(4)  \nThe examiners'reports ............   21  \n(5)—(8)A statistical analysis ...  ..........   21Appendix II.The question papers in General Studies 25  \n# AN EXPERIMENTAL EXAMINATION INGENERAL STUDIES\n\n## Introduction\n\n1.On the introduction of the General Certificate of Educationin 1951 the Joint Matriculation Board laid down university entrancerequirements for the period 1951—1955.Towards the close of thisperiod the Board undertook a review of its requirements in the lightof experience of their working.As a result the requirements havebeen extended without radical modification until 1961.In thediscussions leading up to this decision,reference was frequentlymade to the possiblity of using a test of general studies as part of theevidence of fitness to enter a university.The Board had found thatthere was widespread agreement that candidates for entry to auniversity should provide evidence of both specialist studies and of“general education”.It was generally agreed that passes at theAdvanced level of the G.C.E.afford evidence of special studies,butthe Boaid found a diversity of opinions about the evidence of generaleducation which should be required.Passes at the Ordinary levelare normally gained at the age of sixteen and are no evidence thatgeneral studies have been maintained up to the time of universityentrance.  Some drew the conclusion that university entrancerequirements should be solely in terms of passes at the Advancedlevel and that the universities should\"trust the schools\"to seethat general education was provided up to the time of entry to theuniversity.Many,who felt there should be more tangible evidenceof general studies up to the age of entry,deplored the lack of a  \nG.C.E.examination at a level suitable to test non-specialist studiesin the sixth form,a level somewhere near the Higher SchoolCertificate Subsidiary level.It was in this context that the suggestionof a test of general studies at the sixth-form level was frequentlythough tentatively made.  \n2.It is not surprising that suggestions for the use of a test ofgeneral studies as a qualification for entry to a university weretentative.There is as yet little evidence about the efficacy of such atest.Moreover,teachers hold diverse opinions about the value of anexamination of general studies from the point of view of their schoolcourses.Some would maintain that their own pupils at least geta satisfactory general education incidentally as a result of their homeupbringing and their school life,and that an examination would spoilthis general education.Others would declare that their pupils comefrom an environment which is incapable of providing a good generaleducation and that the best way to get out of such an environment isto pass in two subjects at the Advanced level and gain admission to  \n2  \na university.They feel that in the interests of their pupils it is betterto concentrate on the subjects of the Advanced level examinationand of the future university course rather than to diffuse interestover general studies and run the risk of failure in an examination ona syllabus not defined in detail.Others again feel that since theirpupilsenvironment is defective as a stimulus to general education theschool should try to make good the defect.The first two groupsnaturally feel that an examination in general studies would harmtheir pupils rather than help them,and it is only for the third groupthat such an examination can have any attraction.It was with rega","cbCaiv4jCQvwyfL3","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaiv4jCQvwyfL3","pdf",3518719,37,"English","# Introduction\n## University entrance requirements and evidence of general education\n## Teacher perspectives on assessing general studies\n## Proposed qualification structures for 1956–1961","[{\"question\":\"What problem does the document address regarding university entrance requirements?\",\"answer\":\"It addresses the need to provide evidence of “general education” at university entry, not only specialist studies. The document reviews whether a General Studies test could serve that purpose.\"},{\"question\":\"Why were suggestions for a General Studies test considered tentative at first?\",\"answer\":\"There was little evidence yet about the efficacy of such a test, and teachers held diverse opinions about its value for their students’ school courses.\"},{\"question\":\"What qualification proposal does the Board consider for university entrance?\",\"answer\":\"One alternative proposal combined passes in English Language at the Ordinary level, passes in two subjects at the Advanced level, and a pass in General Studies at the same sitting as one or both Advanced passes.\"}]","AN EXPERIMENTAL EXAMINATION IN GENERAL STUDIES - Introduction | PDF",1792464894,93]