Scantron Detailed Instructions

Please note that the Scantron does not read the back of any form.
Use only the front of the green or orange form.
For help call Media Resources at x5061 or x5172.

Blanchard Hall, Room 254


The Basics
To Be Done Once Each Semester for Each Course
To Be Done Each Time You Score an Exam
Maintenance Items Done as Needed


The Basics
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Obtaining a Username and Password – If you do not have a username and password, one must be obtained from Media Resources by calling x5172 and asking for a Scantron account.

Turn all machines on by using the power button on the power strip to the left of the monitor.

Before you begin:
Be sure you have a filled-out answer key, and you have the CRN for your class.
On your answer Key, be sure to pencil in "Test Version," (usually the test version is "A") and if you use the green form, pencil in "Key."
Remember, our Scantron does NOT read the back side of any form. You can only use the front of the answer form.

To Login the Scantron Machine:
Username: .Scantron.records.academic.wheaton (This is case-sensitive, and Note the DOT at the beginning.)
Password: Scann1ng (NOTE the #1) (This is case-sensitive.)
Do NOT check the "Workstation Only" box.

The Scantron software should open automatically. If it doesn't, double-click the ParScore icon on the desktop screen.

Username: firstinitiallastname – for user Jane Doe, username would be jdoe
Password: same as username.

1. Enter username and password above.
2. Click the Change Password button – You will be prompted for the old password, a new password, and to confirm the new password.
3. Click Ok and then login with your username and new password.

Logout

1. While in ParSCORE, click Exit.
2. Click Exit again.
3. In Windows, from the Shutdown area of the Start Menu, choose Shut Down the Computer.
4. Turn power off on the power strip on the table.

Notice that a Troubleshooting section follows at the end of this manual.


To Be Done Once Each Semester for Each Course
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Adding a new course to the Course List:
After login, the course and its corresponding data files must be set up on your system. A course title and a course ID number are required field entries. Once a course has been added to the list for a given semester, it need not be added again.

To add a new course to the Course List: [1-8 will appear on your printout. 1-4 are required.]

* The required fields (below) are marked with an asterisk.

1. From the Course List, select New. The Course Setup dialog box opens.*
2. In the "Instructor’s Name" field, enter the instructor name.*
3. In the "Course #" field, enter the course number (CRN). This entry is required and must be unique.*
4. In the Course Title field, enter the course department and number (i.e. Psyc 101).*
5. In the Description field, enter the full course title.*
6. In the Time field, enter the time of the class.
7. In the Day field, enter the day(s) of the class. (i.e. MWF or TTR, etc.)
8. In the term field, enter the term.
9. Select OK.
10. You will be prompted for a location to save data files to. Select the drive h:\\micah_cp1_server\Vol2\academic\scantron. If there are two identical lines in the selection box, select either one, they both go to the same place.
11. Select the class_files directory for the new course data files.
12. Choose Select.
13. When it asks, "Would you like to create a subfolder," select No.
14. The Information dialog box will now appear, displaying the course ID number. Say OK to the reference # you are shown. Write this down for future reference. The new course should now appear in your course list.
15. When it says, "A new data set is ceated...," select OK.

Importing Student Roster from Banner:
Student enrollment data consists of a record for each student in the class. The record must have an identification number, and also may contain a name, address, phone number, comments, and/or an assigned code. These enrollment records will be imported from the Banner Student system.

To Import student roster:

1. If the course is not yet open, open it by double-clicking its name or by clicking the button labeled "Open".
2. From the Student tab, select Import Student Records from a file icon [third icon from the left]. The Open dialog box appears. Next to "Look in," select the drive: Scantron on Micah_cp1_server\... and the dat_files directory for your enrollment dat_files. [Note: this is a common mistake. People often select class-files at this point. You may have to navigate up and double-click "Scantron on Micah…" to see the dat_files directory.] This is where you find the student roster for your class.
3. In the "Open" dialog box, in the "Files of type" field, select "All Files."
4. Here, do one of two things: (a) In the "Open" dialog box, scroll to the right or find the file with the CRN of your course. When you select it, it will appear in the File name field. or (b) In the file name field, enter the CRN of your course.
5. Select Import, and the import process will begin.
6. When completed, it will say "Enrollment Complete" and you may close the box.
7. If the course is a cross-listed course, you will need to repeat Steps 2-5 with the all CRNs until you have loaded each group of students. When the roster appears, they will all be there.

Creating Score Columns in the Roster:
Score columns hold student scores. When creating score columns in the Roster, you specify a category, the number of columns (items), for the category, and the possible points for each item.

To Create or Add score columns:

1. Open Roster Tab
2. Make sure scores are in raw score mode. This is the little window toward the right of your monitor screen.
3. In the Roster tab, select Create Score Column. This is the 6^th icon from the left that looks like 3 vertical bars. The Add Score Columns dialog box opens.

4. From the Category list column, select a category. Are you grading a Quiz, Midterm, Exam, or what?
5. In the Number of Columns column, enter the number of columns. In almost every case, enter "1."
6. In the Possible Score per Column column, enter the total number of points possible [on this test] for the score column. If there is one point to be given per question, enter the number of questions on the test.
7. In the Add a Subtotal column column, check the box.
8. (To add a score column to another category [another test, lab, survey, etc], repeat Steps 5-7.)
9. Select Add.

Entering Answer Keys

Note that on your answer key form "Key" has to be shaded-in, and "A" has to be filled in under the heading "Test Form."

Answer keys supply ParSCORE for Windows with the data necessary to score tests. Answer keys can be scanned and test answer keys must be entered before scoring tests.

1. Open the "Keys" tab.
2. From the Keys tab, select the exam/test/lab etc. from the Category list.
3. From the Test Version list, select the test version.
4. Identify the type of multiple mark: And or Or. And is almost always to be selected here. This assumes that there is no more than one correct answer for each question. Or can be selected if there are more than one possible correct answers; for instance, the right answer may be B or D.
5. Select the Scan Keys button. The Scanning Forms dialog box appears with the first message, "Uploading form definitions." The second message instructs you to submit the answer key.
6. Place answer key in tray with leading edge to the left, press tray down. release tray with lever.
7. Scan the answer key. If there is more than one answer key, scan all keys.
   5a. If the answer key has multiple or omitted marks, a confirmation messages displays the multiple marks items. You can "Edit" the results in the window (steps 7).
   5b. Select Continue to accept the key, then go to Step 8. Select Edit to make changes online. Select Reject to discard the answer key. If you selected Edit, the edit dialog box opens. Make any necessary changes. Select OK to return to the Scanning Forms dialog box. Select Continue.

8. When scanning is complete, press the End of Batch (large green) button on the front of the scanner.
9. Enter a value in the Subjective Score field, if necessary. (Usually not.)
10. If needed, make any additional edits to answers:
    • If you want the program to ignore a question, leave the corresponding answer field empty.
    • If you want all students to receive credit for a question, enter an asterisk (*) in the appropriate answer cell.
    • Because ParSCORE for Windows does not support mixing of multiple mark answer types, ensure all multiple mark answer types are designated either And or Or.
11. In the Point column, modify question weighting, if necessary.
12. Enter penalty points, if necessary.
13. Confirm that the number of items and the Possible Raw Score [in the bottom field] are the same for each test version.
14. Make any necessary corrections.

Scoring Tests
ParSCORE for Windows supports scoring of test answer sheets with up to 200 test questions and for 26 different test versions. Student answer sheets are processed as long as answer keys for all test versions are entered. Online inspection of multiple or missing marks is available.

Warning: When you are about to score student tests, take care to identify the correct test from the list. If you mistakenly select another test, and it has an identical version number and the same number of test questions, ParSCORE for Windows will score answer forms as if the correct test has been selected.

Open Scoring Tab

To score tests from a scanner:

1. Verify that the answer key has been entered.
2. From the Scoring tab, select the test from the Category list.
3. In the Select a Score Method group box, select Score from Scanner.
4. In the Options box, select the options that you want enabled during scoring. The ones we usually check are as follows:
   Inspect multiple marks – lets you inspect a form with more than one answer given
   Omitted marks – lets you inspect a form with omitted marks
   Print date on form
   Print Raw score on form
   Auto Enrollment – this will allow you to add to the roster anyone who takes the test whose name isn't on the roster in Banner. Maybe it's a late enrollee.
5. Under Error log file, leave it set on "Append Existing File"
6. Click the button "Score". You will have to wait a while as the Scanning Forms dialog box opens with the first message, "Uploading form definitions." The second message instructs you to submit answer sheets.
7. Feed answer sheets into the scanner.
8. [The next four steps may not be necessary, if editing isn't needed.] Select Continue to accept the answer sheet. Select Edit to edit the answer sheet. [If you have to inspect any forms, you will have to lift the Scantron lid.] Select Reject to reject the answer sheet. If you select Edit, the Edit dialog box appears.
9. Correct the identification, version, or exam number, if needed. Correct multiple and omit mark errors. Use the scroll bar to access answer items that are out of view.
10. Select OK to return to the Scanning Forms dialog box.
11. Select Continue.
12. When scanning is complete, press the End of Batch (large green) button on the front of the scanner.

To rescore a test:

When an answer key is changed, use the Rescore roster button to rescore an existing exam. There is no need to rescan test answer sheets. The test is rescored based upon current key data. Updated scores and grades are viewed in the Roster tab.

1. From the Keys tab, select the test from the Category list.
2. From the Version list box, select the test version.
3. Make any necessary changes in the Answer, Point, or Penalty columns.
4. Select Rescore Roster.
5. Go to the Roster tab to view the updated test scores.

Printing Reports
ParSCORE for Windows generates a variety of reports upon request. Roster reports may also be printed from the File menu. The following reports are available: The most common ones are in red.

1. Answer Key Report – prints an answer key for a designated test and test version.
2. Class Response Report – provides a printout of student test responses. It can be generated for each test version.
3. Course List Report – prints course descriptions. The report is unavailable when working in any of the five course folder tabs. It is available only from the Course List.
4. Error Log Report – generated for each batch of score sheets processed. It reports the number of forms rejected and the number of multiple or omitted marks for each student.
5. Grading Criteria Report – prints data from the Criteria. You can print the report exactly as the data is displayed on screen, or print the data in graph form
6. Item Analysis Report – is a statistical report that provides detailed distracter analysis based on raw scores.
7. Progress Report – provides detailed overview of a student’s performance on up to 99 different class assignments.
8. Roster Reports – This is a list of names (or ID numbers, if you select "print without student names" and grades). A roster report can be customized to include or exclude data, and to have data sorted to meet your reporting requirements. Notice the "Print without student names" box. Check it, if that's what you want.
9. Score Distribution Reports – provide an analysis of how student scores are distributed for combined versions of the test. Print both the Percentile and Histogram reports.
10. Student Enrollment Report – prints the complete student record for all students enrolled in the course.
11. Student Test Report – shows a student’s performance on the current test and provides details about the student’s answers to individual test items.

The Roster Report is the most widely used grade report. Follow the screen below. Usually two reports will be printed out – one as shown below, (which will be given to the teacher) and a different one that can be posted in the classroom. For the posted report, make sure the sorting order is on "Student ID" and that "Print Without Student Name" is checked.

Another report that is useful is the Item Analysis Report. It breaks the test down into various statistics, including the percentage of students who got each question right. If you would like to print out this report, go to the file menu "Reports", then Item Analysis. The following window will appear:

1. Label the report in the "Report Heading"
2. Chose the appropriate test. (Usually the first and/or only test in the Category field.)
3. Chose the correct version (almost always "A")
4. Chose the type of report you would like (standard is fine)
5. Enter in the max. number of choices per question.

When you are finished printing reports, close ParScore by Selecting the Close Course button.

Maintenance Items Done as Needed
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Opening a Course
Opening a course listed on the Course List opens the corresponding course folder. Notice that the open course folder always defaults to the Roster tab.

To open a course from the Course List:

1. From the Course List dialog box, select the course by clicking on the row, so that it becomes highlighted. You can use the arrow keys to move up and down the list.
2. Do one of the following:
   • Select the Open button.
   • Press the Enter key.
   • From the Course List, double-click on the row containing the course description.

Deleting Records

Student and Criteria records are deleted in a two-step process. First, they are tagged for deletion. Tagged records are not permanently purged until the Delete button (trashcan icon) is selected. If you change your mind, untag a record by clicking on the cell with the black square.

Warning: Deleted records cannot be recovered. Make backups of your data files prior to purging.

To tag a record for deletion: If you are tagging a student record, place the mouse pointer in the column to the left of the Student ID number and click. If you are tagging a criteria record, place the mouse pointer in the column to the left of the criteria label and click.

To delete a record:

1. Select Delete (trashcan). The Trashcan Alert message box appears.
2. Select Yes to delete the record. Select No to cancel the procedure.

Troubleshooting:

1. Scantron form won't feed. Try pushing the End of Batch button.
2. Scantron scanner seems locked-up. Try pushing the End of Batch button.
3. My login or password won't work. The first time you log in after getting your login and password, use the login name for your password also. So you enter the same word twice.
4. Form becomes jammed in the Scantron. Carefully pull it out, trying not to tear the form. See the following point.
5. Some forms, especially the large orange ones, tend to get jammed. It helps to "curl under" the leading top corner of the form, and sometimes to feed them one-at-a-time.
6. Problems printing on Scantron Forms:
   Our Scantron scanner does not print on the Scantron forms.
7. Problems printing out forms on the HP laser printer.
   Be sure there is paper in the feed tray.
   Be sure the printer is on--the switch is on the lower right front.
   On the printer, try holding down the Shift button and pressing the Continue button--this may kick it in.
   Turn off the printer, wait a minute, then turn it on again.
   Remember, if you have done everything up to the printing of your reports and this HP printer doesn't work. Your work is saved in the program. If necessary, you can come back later when the printer is functioning and print your reports at that time.

Updated 3.06.06