SJT Rating and Ranking: How PSP Practice Scoring Works
Understand independent six-point ratings, ranking and single-choice exercises. See how PSP practice feedback works and what it cannot tell you.
Rating and ranking are different tasks. PSP’s EO, AO, HEO and AP SJT banks use independent six-point ratings. You judge each of five actions from 1 (highly inappropriate) to 6 (highly appropriate), and you may use the same rating more than once.
This article replaces earlier wording that confused rating with ranking and described an unsupported universal publicjobs scoring model. The existing URL is retained so older links reach the corrected explanation.
Three response formats
| Format | What you do | Can responses share a value? |
|---|---|---|
| Independent rating | Assign a scale value to every action | Yes in PSP six-point practice |
| Ranking | Put actions in a unique order | Each position is used once |
| Single choice | Select one action | You choose only one |
Your invitation and familiarisation material specify the actual task. An older self-assessment, another grade’s booklet or a previous competition does not establish the current format. Publicjobs directs candidates to competition-specific instructions through its test advice.
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Try original Irish-format practice before your test.
Six-point SJT ratings, numerical and verbal practice, with PSP scoring explained. Check your competition booklet for the official format and timing.
How PSP six-point practice is scored
For each action, PSP compares your rating with its suggested rating:
- Exact match: full practice credit.
- One scale point away: half credit.
- Further away, or unanswered: zero credit.
For example, if the suggested rating is 5, a response of 5 receives full credit, 4 or 6 receives half credit, and 1, 2 or 3 receives zero. There are no negative marks in this PSP practice score. Suggested ratings and explanations are independent learning aids. They are not publicjobs’ marking scheme, calibrated ability scores, pass predictions or evidence of your order of merit.
Why repeated ratings are useful
Two actions can both be highly inappropriate. You do not need to make one artificially better just to use different numbers. Equally, two reasonable actions can deserve the same rating while addressing different parts of a problem.
Assess the action as written. Check its evidence, authority, consequences and urgency. Do not assume a later step will fix an omission unless the action includes that step.
Use feedback to improve your reasoning
When your rating differs from the suggestion, identify the fact that led you to your choice. Read the explanation and check whether you assumed information, authority or follow-up that was not stated. A practice disagreement is a reason to inspect the rationale, not proof that the official assessment will award or deduct the same marks.
PSP material is original and AI-authored and reviewed. It is not official or recalled assessment content, and AI review is not human expert or psychometric validation.
Try six-point practice
Try a free six-point SJT and read the worked feedback without an account or card. For Administrative Officer preparation, try the AO sample or open the AO mock: 10 scenarios in 50 minutes, with five independently rated actions per scenario. The AO mock format and timer are PSP practice settings, not confirmed vacancy 9005 specifications.
Read the SJT practice guide for more examples. AO also has secondary single-choice job-simulation practice, clearly labelled as a different response format. Match your preparation to your own assessment instructions.