Savings Score

[skeletalclown]

Okay, this is probably a silly question, but I've got the Grivas book and it doesn't have much at all on savings scores, and I got the 2012 exam one multiple choice question 40 on them wrong, and I'd really appreciate a little help.
My text book states that a savings score indicates the percentage of information retained from the original learning, the amount "saved", but this option, option A was incorrect. Apparently it was option C "took 50% less time to study for the test".
I've looked over my textbook, the examiners report, and atarnotes, and I still can't figure out why for some reason. One thread did mention that savings score indicated time saved, rather than information saved, but that was contradicted by my text book and the rest of the thread?
So yeah, savings scores, I'd love any help!!

[ealam2]

Well, this is from the Grivas textbook.

In this example, the savings are calculated using the formula:
Savings ={[(no. of trials for original learning) – (no. of trials for relearning)]/(no. of trials for original learning)}  x 100


A savings score can also be calculated on the basis of the time taken to relearn information. In this case, the formula would be:
Savings ={[(time for original learning) – (time for relearning)]/(time for original learning) } x 100


A simple expression of the formula used to determine the savings score is:
[(T1 – T2)/T1 ]x 100






Question 40
In the previous year, when Mia had studied for the end of semester test, it took her four hours to learn the material.
When she studied for the test this time it only took her two hours to learn the material.
Mia calculated the savings score for her relearning as 50%. This savings score indicates that she
A. recalled 50% of the information from the previous year.
B. relearned 50% of the information from the previous year.
C. took 50% less time to study for the second test.
D. could only remember the correct information for the second test 50% of the time.


It's because in this question, they're talking about the time taken to study for the second test and not amount of information learned.

Hope this is right!

[skeletalclown]

Hmmm, thank you, I just wasn't aware the savings score could represent anything other than "amount of information saved from previous learning". I was under the impression that even when talking about time taken it still referred to how much information was saved as less time means some information had to be saved?
Thanks though, I'm just having a little trouble getting my head around it.

[anna.xo]

For this, will we ever be asked to calculate the savings score for something ?

ie. are we expected to know the formula ?

[skeletalclown]

I've never seen a question asking for a calculation more detailed than the obvious 50% savings score from half the trials/time, but technically it is on the study design, although they wouldn't give impossible numbers like 371 trials!! It's much more likely that they'll just ask us for what the savings score actually represents in a given scenario.