Tie Breaker Conclusions please.

[retpsd]

I'll leave the Organization unnamed, but I would like any and all opinions on the following scenario.

Using the information provided from the Organization's Website, please give your conclusion on who placed higher in the example provided below.

From the Organizations Website, here is how an event is scored, and how a tie is settled-

Scoring: Each judge takes all criteria for a category into account and assigns one overall score for each contestant in the form of rank during the group comparison rounds. A highest and lowest rank for each competitor is dropped as a safeguard against human error and/or bias, whether intentional or on a subconscious level. The remaining judges' placements are summed, and the competitor with the lowest sum total receives 1st place in the class. Second lowest sum receives 2nd place, and so on.

Tie Breaker: In cases of ties, competitors ranked higher by the majority of all judges are awarded the higher placements.

Example: There were 4 competitors in the class, the tie breaker is needed to decide the placing of 2nd and 3rd.
The Judge's panel consisted of 7 Judges.
The scores for all 7 judges are provided as follows:

Judge # (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7)
Contestant A 3 1 3 3 1 2 3 (5 Judge -Hi/Low total =12)
Contestant B 2 4 1 1 3 4 2 (5 Judge -Hi/Low total =12)

Using the Organizations tie breaker criteria, please offer your conclusion on which contestant placed 2nd Contestant A or B.

"In cases of ties, competitors ranked higher by the majority of all judges are awarded the higher placements."

 

[grey]

B with 4 of 7?

Not sure what you were asking. A was only ranked higher than B by 3 judges.

 

[retpsd]

B with 4 of 7?

Not sure what you were asking. A was only ranked higher than B by 3 judges.

Thanks man....I'll reveal where they were placed by the organization once we get some more contributions.....PS one of the "they's" I know well.

 

[grey]

Thanks man....I'll reveal where they were placed by the organization once we get some more contributions.....PS one of the "they's" was my wife.

I thought about it and realized I am succumbing to alignment bias. Just because the judges scores are lined up doesn't mean that:
"In cases of ties, competitors ranked higher by the majority of all judges are awarded the higher placements."

actually mean that the absolute number of judges comparing their scores for A and B are counted. They could be using the arithmetic average or the mean score as well..

The Average for A: 2.285714285714286 place across all their judges
The Average for B: 2.428571428571429 place across all their judges

That method places A as the winner.

they could also use the Median:
The Median for A: 1,1,2,3,3,3,3
The Median for B: 1,1,2,2,3,4,4

This method places B as the winner.

The language used does suggest that they simply lined each judges scoring of A and B up though and counted the higher place as the "winner" for that judge.

 

[retpsd]

I thought about it and realized I am succumbing to alignment bias. Just because the judges scores are lined up doesn't mean that:
"In cases of ties, competitors ranked higher by the majority of all judges are awarded the higher placements."

actually mean that the absolute number of judges comparing their scores for A and B are counted. They could be using the arithmetic average or the mean score as well..

The Average for A: 2.285714285714286 place across all their judges
The Average for B: 2.428571428571429 place across all their judges

That method places A as the winner.

they could also use the Median:
The Median for A: 1,1,2,3,3,3,3
The Median for B: 1,1,2,2,3,4,4

This method places B as the winner.

The language used does suggest that they simply lined each judges scoring of A and B up though and counted the higher place as the "winner" for that judge.

Well Grey, I'll tip my hand a tell you the aren't using arithmetic average.
Because the tie happened in a 2nd class where there were 7 competitors the scores were these.
A: 2,4,3,3,5,2,2 =3
B: 1,5,2,2,2,4,4 =2.857142857142857

B: Represents the same competitor in both classes and B's placing was the same in both classes

 

[retpsd]

@grey
Here is how they were placed by the organization.
A: Was awarded 2nd place
B: Was awarded 3rd place

 

[grey]

@grey
Here is how they were placed by the organization.
A: Was awarded 2nd place
B: Was awarded 3rd place

So basically their method is a bit contradicted by the language they used. Seems like bit of a bait and switch for no good reason.

 

[retpsd]

So basically their method is a bit contradicted by the language they used. Seems like bit of a bait and switch for no good reason.

Thanks for hanging in there on this one @grey below is the explanation I received from the shows promoter when I questioned the method that was used to break the tie.....enjoy
Find peace in knowing that after I received the explanation below, and after multiple attempts to explain the error, I then requested that an Officer in the organization review the method used as it was clearly in contrast with what the organization's guidelines are.
I received confirmation today from the organization's President that:
1 The majority method (your first example) was indeed the method that should have been used to break the tie.
2 The placings are being changed.
3 Full restitution / compensations are in process.

Enjoy this explanation:
Yes tie breaking can be confusing.
In Novice Short #46 had a 4th place after dropping the high and
the low. Contestant #45's lowest score after doing the same was a 3rd place. So #45 broke the tie by having higher scores leftover. Talk about close! I hope #46 feels good that her placement decision was so close.


In Open Short there was a similar situation where #46 had two 4th placements leftover and #54 only had one after dropping the high and low.
I hope that this helps and congrats on such a close and great competition!!!
Please let me know if you need anything else.

 

[grey]

I am surprised they are actually fixing their error. Good on them for that.

Congrats to your friend... They must feel a bit better about the outcome now.