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Media Production Services

Tests & Exams

Limitations

The scanning software does have a few limitations that you need to be aware of:

  • If a respondent does not clearly erase an answer before changing it, the scanner may read this as a multiple answer and report an error. This can be avoided by educating students on how to fill in their answers, stressing to students to clearly and fully erase answers when changing them.
  • The scanner only reads HB lead pencil marks. Pen, marker and nonHB lead are not readable. The scanner will produce an error message when processing sheets filled with these kinds of marks. This can be avoided by ensuring that students use HB pencils when filling out their response sheets.
  • There is a limit of five possible choices to a single question. The response sheets for tests have five possible options per question.
  • The software is capable of processing only one response per question on the answer key. The weighted file may be used to give credit for a second answer also deemed to be correct or to give part marks for answers other than the correct answer.
  • Only one answer is allowed per question on the Scantron sheet.
  • A Scantron Answer Sheet only allows for 100 questions (50 per side). If you have a exam with more than 100 questions, then you must treat the exam like 2 separate exams, 1-100 and then 1- however many more (If you have 120 questions, then 1-100 with an answer key, and then in another pile 1-20) This is the only way to process more than 100 questions – they must be separate.

Enhancements

The process of replacing the hardware and software that is used to scan examination sheets has made it possible to look for ways to enhance the service for customers.

The following enhancements have been incorporated into the system:

  • Multiple versions with amalgamated results
  • Zero out questions, including in multiple versions
  • Exception or difference reporting, identifying:
    • Student IDs in the Registrar’s class list for whom there is NO MARK
    • Student IDs NOT in the Registrar’s class list for whom there is a mark
    • Duplicate student IDs (with sequence number in original scan)
    • For multiple versions, student IDs where version could not be determined
  • Reports in printer independent format returned on CD only. Result reports will not be printed but files will be copied onto CD’s provided by the faculty.
  • Scores in spread sheet ready file format, also WebCT and Gradebook specific data files
  • Weighted questions and answers, based on customer supplied file