Errors in FSA module?

[ajstudies]

See threads here: http://www.actuarialoutpost.com/actuarial_discussion_forum/forumdisplay.php?f=217

I have found several errors in this module, and so have some of the other candidates. At first it was just things like typos in the pdf's (and I didn't even post about them--just ignored them), but now we are starting to find errors in some of the spreadsheets. So far nothing major that affects understanding (I don't think), but I'm sure the SOA wants this module to be as high quality as possible.

So where is the appropriate place to report such problems?

PS - This is NOT a complaint. I would rather have it rolled out when it was with these minor issues than to have had to wait a few months for it to be perfect.

[MSikaras]

Please report such errors to fsamodules@soa.org. The staff who manage this email box will route the information to the appropriate volunteer teams.

Thank you,
Martha Sikaras

[Go FAP yourself]

. . . and don't hold your breath. There are obvious, glaring, mistakes in the FAP material that were reported to the SOA nearly 2 years ago that have still not been corrected.

PS. This is a complaint.

Don't get me wrong; in general I like the FAP. But the "control cycle" being followed to fix problems seems to be seriously broken.

[bdschobel]

This is in response to your complaint. (Thanks for letting me know what it was; I wouldn't have recognized it otherwise! :rolleyes: )

We will be revising the FAP modules one by one throughout 2008, reflecting the many complaints that have been received from the 5000 or so registered candidates. We know -- and have known for a long time -- that many of those complaints are valid, but it's usually unnecessary to drop everything and fix them immediately.

Bruce

[Go FAP yourself]

Fair enough. I certainly realize that many of the same resources that would be needed to fix the errors are the very same resources that were responsible for finishing the production of the FAP and FSA modules (and trust me, nobody wanted to see further delays there). Mostly I was just hoping that now that those resources are freed up, they can turn back to fixing up some of the issues with the first pass through. Sounds like they will be doing just that.

[bdschobel]

Yep.

Bruce

[bojengis]

Would it be too much to ask to get some sort of Errata Page? It seems that if there are known errors that cannot immediately be fixed, they would at least be known and the actuarial student can move on.

[JMO]

Would it be too much to ask to get some sort of Errata Page? It seems that if there are known errors that cannot immediately be fixed, they would at least be known and the actuarial student can move on.
Just a comment here. Even doing an errata page would require research to determine whether the reported errors were actually errors or an incorrect perception by the student. So don't expect an errata page to appear immediately. It might come out before the changes are actually made. . . But then again, it might not.

[bdschobel]

I agree: Preparing an errata page is almost as much work as fixing the errata.

Bruce

[Dee for 3]

I suppose anyone who feels strongly about an errata page could create an unofficial one here on the AO, under the appropriate module section. Then others could go there to compare thoughts on what they think is wrong, and they'd all be in one place. Of course, it would be up to the individual to verify that the errors are real, but at least people could compare notes. Just a thought.