That "Civil Literacy" thing.

[packbat]

Okay, so I'm way late getting on board the AmericanCivicLiteracy.org 2008 Civics Quiz (32/33, by the way - I missed the harder Roosevelt question), but I haven't seen this angle approached: Has anyone checked to see if the respondents are literate, full stop? It seems to me that misunderstanding the questions and/or answers (some of which have difficult wordings) could be a factor in the 71% "failure" rate.

Just thinking about possible controls on the test.

Comments

[stagemanager.livejournal.com]

I only got 25 out of 33. I pheel dum.

[packbat.livejournal.com]

It's a gentleman's C. :)

[majoru.livejournal.com]

Well, I'm fairly sure I'm literate (though less so in your dialect), and I scored 21 out of 33 (64%)... which I don't think is so bad given I'm not Americian, heh.

[packbat.livejournal.com]

I know I'd bomb the Aussie version...

[majoru.livejournal.com]

I don't know... our history is shorter, a little less tumultuous and the biggest chunk that has defined who we are happened in the last hundred years, being the two World Wars.

We do have a (high criticised) citizenship test (http://www.citizenship.gov.au/test/index.htm), the sitting of which is a prerequisite for all applicants for citizenship by naturalisation; however the questions were poorly chosen and I doubt that many Australians by birth would manage a good pass on it without brushing up.

[active-apathy.livejournal.com]

I believe the new one is better. Or, at least, has less sport on it.

[active-apathy.livejournal.com]

29/33; I was wrong on 4, 7, 8 and 14. The West Wing may have been helpful for a couple of answers, like the easier FDR question.

[majoru.livejournal.com]

I've heard that, too. At least all the study material is freely available to the applicants.

[active-apathy.livejournal.com]

This, too, is a Good Thing, but I still don't think there should be a citizenship test until citizens by birth know things like the second verse of the national anthem. Especially that "for those who've come across the sea / we've boundless plains to share" bit.

[packbat.livejournal.com]

Hmm ... I got four out of five - guessed the golden wattle, but not Sir Donald Bradman. I imagine the "real" test is longer...?

[packbat.livejournal.com]

I was definitely making educated guesses on 4, 8, and 14, myself.