Need opinions on a strangely-worded test question

In My Humble Opinion
1

I just finished taking a mid-term for a graduate-level psychology course. Several of the questions were worded like this:

Functional relationism is:

a) A principle of science

b) A defining characteristic of applied behavior analysis

c) Neither a principle of science nor a defining characteristic of applied behavior analysis

d) None of the above

Now, when the concept in question belonged to either category A or B, the question was easy to answer. But when it belonged to neither, it seems to me that you could answer either C or D and still be correct. After all (this is where it starts to get confusing), doesn’t “none of the above” encompass not belonging to categories A and B? How can a concept not belong to A, B, and not NOT belong to A or B? My head is starting to hurt.

Should I bring up the confusing nature of these questions with the professor, or is it just me?

2

Perhaps the professor thinks that “none of the above” is equivalent to “both A and B,” since “not neither” could mean “both” as well as “either.”

If so, the professor is a tool who ought to leave test design to a grad student.

3

D would never be right.

4

Why does a graduate level psych class have multiple choice tests?

5

This is a typical question format used on the GRE.

(A) The quantity in Column A is greater.
(B) The quantity in Column B is greater.
(C) The two quantities are equal.
(D) The relationship cannot be determined from the information given.

But, it’s been severely flubbed in the original example, and I would use it as grounds for a protest.

source: http://www.ets.org/portal/site/ets/menuitem.1488512ecfd5b8849a77b13bc3921509/?vgnextoid=e7752d3631df4010VgnVCM10000022f95190RCRD&vgnextchannel=06a7e3b5f64f4010VgnVCM10000022f95190RCRD

6

If functional relationism is neither a principle of science nor a defining characteristic of applied behavior analysis then the correct answer is “c) Neither a principle of science nor a defining characteristic of applied behavior analysis”. This doesn’t seem that difficult to me. If Answer C is correct then there’s no way for “d) None of the above” to also be correct.

7

Okay, well, I chose C as the answer for all the questions in which the concept was neither A nor B. But then it seems to me that D is a pointless choice. Why not have a “neither” option and a “both” option, or just have three options? Oh, well, I guess only the professor can answer that, and I won’t bother bringing it up unless the other students do.

As for why it’s a multiple choice test- hell, I don’t know. Professor’s discretion, I guess. All I know is that I’m happy about it.

8

What are the actual directions on the test? If they are “Choose the most correct answer,” then “none of the above” could mean that both and A and B are equally right.

There’s also the concept of putting answers that will always be incorrect in certain tests to catch those who aren’t paying attention. This is usually limited to pure assessment tests, though.

9

Anyone who can reason logically will see immediately that D means that both A and B are true. It seems entirely reasonable to me. If you cannot comprehend this elementary logic, maybe you should reconsider graduate school.