BEC JCE English cheat sheet

The JCE is administered by the Japan Statistical Society (JSS) in cooperation with the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT).

The JCE is offered in two levels: Grade Pre-2 (JCE Pre-2) and Grade 2 (JCE Grade 2); each level certifies practical statistical literacy for its target audience.

Exams are held twice a year, typically in June and November; application periods open roughly two to three months before each test date.

Registration is completed online through the JSS JCE portal; candidates select exam site, level, and payment method during application.

Exam fees differ by level and by whether the candidate is a student or a general applicant; fees are non-refundable after the application deadline.

Candidates receive a printed exam paper and a mark-sense answer sheet; answers are recorded with pencil and machine-scored.

Results are announced online approximately one month after the exam date, and official certificates are mailed to successful candidates.

Special accommodations (extra time, enlarged print) must be requested with supporting documentation before the application deadline.

Scores are reported as pass/fail with a score report; the passing threshold is set per level and revised periodically by the JSS.

A statistical report states the purpose, data source, analysis method, results, and conclusion in that logical order.

Every table and figure must carry a number, a title, and a note giving units, sample size (n), and data source.

Reported percentages should state the denominator; a percentage without its base is incomplete.

Rounding rules: report to the precision of the measurement; do not round intermediate calculations, only final values.

Correlation does not establish causation; a report must not claim cause from observational data alone.

Confidence intervals or standard errors accompany point estimates when sampling variability is relevant.

A report distinguishes fact (observed data) from interpretation (author's inference) using clearly separate wording.

Graphs must use a labeled axis with units and a zero baseline for bar charts; truncated axes distort comparison.

Citation of data sources and methods allows the reader to reproduce the analysis; unattributed figures are a reporting defect.

Pass/fail decisions are based on total score against a cut score set by the JSS; there is no partial credit for unanswered items.

Item types include multiple-choice and short numeric or categorical answers scored against an answer key.

Reliability of the exam is supported by item analysis: difficulty (proportion correct) and discrimination indices.

A well-performing item has moderate difficulty (roughly 0.3-0.8 proportion correct) and positive discrimination.

Scores are equated across administrations so that pass standards remain comparable between June and November sittings.

Descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, score distribution) summarize cohort performance in the official report.

Assessment targets statistical literacy: reading data, choosing methods, interpreting results, and judging validity.

Feedback to candidates is limited to pass/fail and score; individual item responses are not disclosed.

Fairness review screens items for bias in wording, context, and required background knowledge before publication.

JCE Pre-2 syllabus covers data description, basic probability, and elementary statistical inference at an introductory level.

JCE Grade 2 syllabus extends to sampling distributions, estimation, hypothesis testing, and regression analysis.

Core topic: descriptive statistics, including mean, median, mode, variance, standard deviation, and quartiles.

Core topic: data visualization, including histogram, box plot, scatter plot, and their correct interpretation.

Core topic: probability, including conditional probability, independence, and the normal distribution.

Core topic: inference, including confidence intervals and the logic of hypothesis testing (null vs. alternative).

Core topic: association and regression, including correlation coefficient, least squares line, and coefficient of determination.

The syllabus lists learning objectives per topic; exam items are aligned to those objectives and their cognitive level.

Official textbooks and sample questions published by the JSS define the scope and depth expected at each level.