PADI OW Final Exam Questions that are either wrong or just bad

[gamon]

I was reviewing the PADI OW final exam questions with my girlfriend and IMHO there are 3 or 4 poorly worded questions or the answers are simply wrong.

One of them shows a still image with a diver giving a hand signal with a horizontal hand across the chest. The answer - in my opinion- should be "stay at this depth" and yet the "correct" answer was "out of air". I don't recall seeing anything remotely close to a single finger slicing across the neck which is the correct signal for that.

The second was a question about ground terrain affecting which factor of a dive, the "supposedly correct" answer was "visibility". Visibility won't be affected unless whatever the material the bottom consists of is stirred up. Unless of course the reference is to such large structures that you can't see over or around them but that's not really visibility as the term is generally understood. The correct answer should be one of the other choices, which was "current", which is certainly affected by bottom structures which can block it or change it's direction.

The third was in reference to the proper procedure if you run out of air. My choice- considered to be incorrect- was to use your buddy's air and ascend normally would be my choice, the "correct" answer refers to an emergency procedure which I believe was presented as "controlled emergency ascent". It's NOT an emergency unless the other buddy is low on gas too and this isn't specified in the question. Rushing an ascent for no good reason can cause other problems when there really wasn't problem to begin with.

There was a 4th question that I had an issue with unfortunately I can't recall what it was, perhaps others have had a similar recollection or have comments about what I wrote above.

 

[inquis]

I've never seen a single finger slice for OOA. Maintain depth would be away from the chest. I agree a static image is tough.

 

[BoltSnap]

Was this an online exam or in class written exam?

 

[gamon]

Written e-learning online exam.

 

[NW Dive Dawg]

For the first question regarding OOA...... things must have changed for the preferred signal. I always have taught it as a full palm down horizontal motion with all fingers extended that simulates "slashing" your own neck with the tips of your fingers........ You know...... the motion that get's you an unsportsmanlike conduct flag in the NFL and NCAA FB. !!!

For the second question I guess I can see that bottom composition can affect visibility...... but I agree that it's a bad question...

For the third question, my assumption is that PADI is talking about an out of air scenario resulting from inattention or negligence and not a result of equipment failure, entanglement, etc. . My take is that the correct answer is simply......."It Depends". Overall depth, proximity and attentiveness of buddy, visibility, boat traffic, etc...... are all factors in that decision making process. I'm retired from teaching now but unless things have changed, my take is that the "preferred" and proper procedure is an octo share with your buddy....and a controlled ascent.....and even a safety stop if gas allows.

If solo, then my recommended procedure would be to swap to a pony or sidemount followed by a controlled ascent.........followed by a phone call to my Mom to ask her why she raised someone stupid enough to run out of air on a scuba dive.

 

[gamon]

My understanding of the OOA signal was an error on my part. It is in fact a horizontal hand- not a single finger- with the motion sideways across either the chest or the neck (there's some variability there as well depending on where you read it).

I don't recall if there was an arrow in the picture depicting that the motion was left to right versus forward and back but even if there was, it would still be a somewhat tricky if not ambiguous question.

@NW Dive Dawg yes the question about the procedure to follow when out of air specifically stated "the diver failed to monitor their spg and ran out of gas" (or words to that effect).

 

[tursiops]

My understanding of the OOA signal was an error on my part. It is in fact a horizontal hand- not a single finger- with the motion sideways across either the chest or the neck (there's some variability there as well depending on where you read it).

I don't recall if there was an arrow in the picture depicting that the motion was left to right versus forward and back but even if there was, it would still be a somewhat tricky if not ambiguous question.

@NW Dive Dawg yes the question about the procedure to follow when out of air specifically stated "the diver failed to monitor their spg and ran out of gas" (or words to that effect).

I'm sorry, but given your lack of certainty on how the questions were worded, it is not obvious that there is a problem with them. It is easy to overthink the questions, which you might be doing.
I assume you passed; is there a problem?
If you actually think the questions are incorrect, then you should take it up with PADI Training by a phone call, not gripe on ScubaBoard, especially without the actual questions to quote.
By the way, the hand-signal question does have an arrow going left and right
The "terrain" question is worded -- I believe -- as "What the bottom is made of can cause big changes in:" so it is not what you have "quoted."
The OOA question I believe explicitly says you are close to your buddy, so a CESA is NOT the correct answer. If indeed you said use your buddy's alternate air source, and that was marked wrong, they you have found an error in the exam and should tell PADI.

 

[gamon]

I'm sorry, but given your lack of certainty on how the questions were worded, it is not obvious that there is a problem with them. It is easy to overthink the questions, which you might be doing.
I assume you passed; is there a problem?
If you actually think the questions are incorrect, then you should take it up with PADI Training by a phone call, not gripe on ScubaBoard, especially without the actual questions to quote.
By the way, the hand-signal question does have an arrow going left and right
The "terrain" question is worded -- I believe -- as "What the bottom is made of can cause big changes in:" so it is not what you have "quoted."
The OOA question I believe explicitly says you are close to your buddy, so a CESA is NOT the correct answer. If indeed you said use your buddy's alternate air source, and that was marked wrong, they you have found an error in the exam and should tell PADI.

I wasn't the one taking the course and yes she passed. I passed my OW exam over 30 years ago, thanks for your concern but this isn't about that. I emailed PADI about my concerns with the test. On the off chance I receive a response I will post it to this thread.

Despite the similarities of the OOA and Level Off signals and how a single graphic depicting one or the other and forcing a student to choose can be ambiguous and unfair, let's accept that I was in error about the OOA signal question and concentrate on the other two. As I said there was a 4th question, I was hoping someone who recently took the test might recall having a problem with it. Whatever it was, my girlfriend and I debated the answer, she was going to go with the "correct' one, I gave her reasons why it wasn't the best choice, and I was wrong.

There were two emergency procedures offered as possible answered, the emergency buoyant ascent and the emergency controlled ascent, one of them, I believe the latter was the indicated "correct" one. It is my opinion that neither one is correct as it was not an emergency situation as it was presented. One or b oth of those included using the buddies alternate air source but so did the one we chose which was to use the buddies alternate air source and do a normal ascent.

The way you worded the bottom terrain/visibility question is not how I recall it but now it's coming down to memory which can be faulty, if it WAS worded as you put it, I wouldn't have had an issue with it.

 

[tursiops]

I wasn't the one taking the course and yes she passed. I passed my OW exam over 30 years ago, thanks for your concern but this isn't about that. I emailed PADI about my concerns with the test.

There were two emergency procedures offered as possible answered, the emergency buoyant ascent and the emergency controlled ascent, one of them, I believe the latter was the indicated "correct" one. It is my opinion that neither one is correct as it was not an emergency situation as it was presented. One or b oth of those included using the buddies alternate air source but so did the one we chose which was to use the buddies alternate air source and do a normal ascent.

The way you worded the bottom terrain/visibility question is not how I recall it but now it's coming down to memory which can be faulty, if it WAS worded as you put it, I wouldn't have had an issue with it.

This reads like the two of you did the exam working together.

 

[BoltSnap]

This reads like the two of you did the exam working together.

So sweet but I doubt very much that PADI, or any other agency, designed the exam as a group cooperation exam.