
                                                                       Page A-1
                      REFERENCE MANUAL


K.  Answer File Preparation and Check 



                  True Answer Check Help
         (Specific help is green on each screen.)


     Answer File Preparation and Check Window . . . A-2
       (1) Load
       (2) Process

           Edit
           Manual
       (3) End 

     Process Verify Window  . . . . . . . . . . . . A-3

     Manual Data Entry Window . . . . . . . . . . . A-4
       Edit
       Process
       Verify

     File Structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-5
       Scanner (*.DAT, *.TXT)
       Answer  (*.ANS)

     Scanner Output Compatibility . . . . . . . . . A-6
       National Computer Systems
       Chatsworth 
       Scantron
       Scanning Systems
       Apperson


----------------------------------------------------------



















                                                                       Page A-2

                  Answer File Preparation and Check Window

There are three operations.  Normally only the first operation is used.  The 
other two provide for complete quality management of the answers.

A. Operations:

   1. Automatically prepare scanner files for scoring.
   2. Edit answer files manually.
   3. Create and verify answer files manually.

B. Control Buttons:

   1. Load

      This button loads files into the left file box.  The source address or 
      folder is listed below the file box.  Select a file to see the file size, 
      date and time.  Double click a file to load it into the word processor 
      you switch on in the CustomA.INI file.

      Two sample scanner files, TESTA.TXT and TESTB.TXT can be loaded for      
      demonstration purposes.  Select one or both for the following operation.

   2. Process

      Select a scanner file and then click PROCESS to create and verify an 
      answer file for scoring by True Score.  The scanner file name is retained 
      with the extension changed to ANS.  Then run True Score to score and 
      analyze the test.

   3. Edit

      An answer file may need editing for a number of reasons: add more test 
      results, right answer in error, two right answers, the students just 
      could not comprehend a question, need to adjust item weight, etc.  Edit 
      can manually verify any answer file.

   4. Manual

      This is a manual backup for creating and verifying an answer file.  You 
      can score and analyze a test even if the scanner becomes unavailable.

   5. End (Next)

      This first part of True Score does not continue into the scoring routine 
      when operated manually.  You must click True Score, under manual      
      operation, to score the prepared answer file.  This gives you total 
      control of all operations.  After the first run, you may have no more 
      need of the file preparation and check routines.  Rescoring can all be 
      done with True Score, under manual operation, alone.






                                                                       Page A-3
                            Process Verify Window            

A.  Automatic reformatting:

    The scanner answer file is reformatted for easy viewing.  A test of 200  
    questions by 200 students can be input.  A scale is inserted after every 
    five answer lines.  The yellow text window indicates restricted input.  You 
    cannot change the text.  

B.  Correct scanner errors:

    Click Check to verify the scanner answers.  The answers are scanned for 
    blanks and input errors.  If found, they are displayed with a request for 
    the correct mark or space. 

C.  Multiple form results in one file:

    The response file from the scanner may contain results from more than one 
    form of the test.  If so, the answer sheets of each form are saved in 
    separate files.  Scanner file Nurse.NCS becomes Nurse1.ANS, Nurse2.ANS, 
    etc. that match the Nurse1.IAI, Nurse1.IAI, etc. files used by True Score 
    to produce one item analysis for the test.

D.  Final Inspection of Prepared Answer File:

    The finished text is shown for inspection.  An answer key, ID coded 
    999000111 is required.  A weight line, ID coded 999000222 is optional.  
    They can be scanned from sheets or entered by hand.  Click Save.  TestA.TXT 
    becomes a new answer file, TestA.ANS, in the right file box.  Run True 
    Score to score and analyze the test.

E.  Attach notes:

    F4=Notes.  Press the F4 key to attach notes to an answer file.






















                                                                       Page A-4
                            Manual Data Entry Window

A. Operations:

Use this to enter test results from small tests or when a scanner is not 
available.  It often takes less time to enter test results than to prepare and 
send the answer forms to and receive the results from a distant scoring service. 

B. Control Buttons:

   1. Edit

      Any character can be changed with two limits: The tenth character is a 
      space.  The answer characters always appear in upper case.

      Enter new answer lines at the END of the file.  The ID numbers can be in   
      any order.

      Edit can also verify any file manually.  This is often done when an 
      answer file is created manually.

      F4=Notes.  Press F4 to read or attach notes to an answer file.

   2. Manual

      Any number or letter (upper or lower case) can be used in the nine-
      character ID field.  The tenth character is a space.  The answer 
      characters are printed in upper case.  The scale lines appear and 
      disappear on their own.

      Enter the test key 999000111 ABCD etc.  Enter a weight line 999000222 
      AAAAAAA etc. (A = 1, B = 2, C = 3, D = 4, E = 5, and blank = 0).  Enter 
      the student IDs and answers.

      The Save button, stores and returns.  The Exit button, saves and returns 
      to the main menu.  Use Edit to continue after exiting Manual.

   3. Verify

      Click Verify to manually verify a file.  The old text appears in the 
      lower green window.  The entry window turns yellow to indicate restricted 
      input.  Enter the key and student answers just as they were entered 
      before from their answer sheets or tests.  If an error occurs, it is 
      displayed with a request to keep the Old or the New.  If you select Old, 
      you still must enter it correctly. 

      The Save button, stores and returns to Verify.  The Exit button, stores 

      and returns to the main menu.  Verify only starts at the beginning of a 
      file to insure that the process is valid, so exit only when finished.







                                                                       Page A-5
                                File Structure

A test of 200 questions by 200 students can be input from a scanner file or 
manually.  Each manual file must have records from just one test form.

A. Answer Files (*.ANS)

All files ready for scoring must carry the (.ANS) extension.  These answer 
files are ASCII text files.  The answer key and weights can be scanned from 
sheets or entered by hand.  The key ID code is 999000111.  The weight ID code 
is 999000222 and is optional.  The following example is the first five students 
and the first 60 questions in the sample answer file 206AA.ANS.  This is also 
the output of a Chatsworth card reader.

     999000111 DBBCCDCDCCCCCADDCCCBCCACCABBCAABBCCDAAAABCAACDCCBBDBCBBBBBCB
     999000222 AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
     ABBEY  EA DBBCCBCDCCCACADDCCCBCCADCABBCAABDCCDAAACBCAACDCCCADBCBBCBBCB
     BABBITTI  DBBCCDCDCCCCCAADCCCBCCACCABBCBABBCCDAAAABCAACDCCBCDBCBBACBCB
     CABALIEFL DBBCCACDCCCCCADDCCCBCCADCABBCBABBCCDAAAABCACCDBCBBDBCBBBBBCB
     DAGUERRLJ DBBCCBCDCCCCCADDCCCBCCACCABBCAADBCDDAAAADCAACDCCCDCBDCABBBCA

Test Form: A.  (This note is separated from data by one blank line.  Press F4 to 
add notes to an answer file.)

B. Scanner files (*.DAT, *.TXT)

Scanner files are also ASCII files.  They must be converted to an ANS file like 
that above before scoring.  There are five scanner companies.  Each scanner can 
create several different output files.  This example uses the National Computer 
Services scanner output.  Each record consists of a number of fields including 
sequence number and answer responses.  Answer responses include blanks (0) and 
read errors (X).  This example is the first five students and the first 10 
questions in the sample scanner file 206AA.FIL.  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Seq #                                 ID#        Name           Answers
   ......                               .........--------------    .........
1...5...10....5...20....5...30....5...40....5...50....5...60....5...70....5.
510000001001092199001   6325 #0001      260      KEY         NS10214223343433
510000002001092199001   6325 #0001      1053     ABBEY       EA    4223323433
510000003001092199001   6325 #0001      1055     BABBITT     I     4223343433
510000004001092199001   6325 #0001      1058     CABALIERO   FL    4223313433
510000005001092199001   6325 #0001      1061     DAGUERRE    LJ    4223323433
510000006001092199001   6325 #0001      1063     EADS        JB    4223343433
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Scores can be sorted by scanner sequence number, student ID#, or by student 
name.  Set the switch in the CustumA.INI file for your choice.

The scanner output for all forms of one test can be placed in one scanner 
output file.  Scan a key at the start of each form in the file.








                                                                       Page A-6
                        Scanner Output Compatibility

The following formats can be used by True Score:

A. National Computer Systems

The current automatic operation is set for National Computer Systems output.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Seq #                                 ID#        Name           Answers
   ......                               .........--------------    .........
1...5...10....5...20....5...30....5...40....5...50....5...60....5...70....5.
510000001001092199001   6325 #0001      260      KEY         NS10214223343433
510000002001092199001   6325 #0001      1053     ABBEY       EA    4223323433
510000003001092199001   6325 #0001      1055     BABBITT     I     4223343433
510000004001092199001   6325 #0001      1058     CABALIERO   FL    4223313433
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

B. Chatsworth

Chatsworth output requires no converstion.  It can be loaded directly into the 
ANSWERS folder.  Key card = 999000111.  Weight card = 999000222.
        ------------------------------------------------------------
        StudentID 1...5...10....5...20....5...30....5...40....5...50
        999000111 DBBCCDCDCCCCCADDCCCBCCACCABBCAABBCCDAAAABCAACDCDBC
        999000222 AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
        ABBEY  EA DBBCCBCDCCCACADDCCCBCCADCABBCAABDCCDAAACBCAACDCCCA
        BABBITTI  DBBCCDCDCCCCCAADCCCBCCACCABBCBABBCCDAAAABCAACDCCBC
        CABALIEFL DBBCCACDCCCCCADDCCCBCCADCABBCBABBCCDAAAABCACCDBCBB
------------------------------------------------------------

C. Scantron

These scanner files are comma-delimited ASCII files.  Each record consists of 
four fields: student ID, test form, unused, and answer responses.  Answer 
responses include blanks ( ) and read errors (CE) with a suggested mark (C).

100932091 ,A, 45,C,C,D,A,A,B,C,B,D,E
270525052 ,A, 45,C,C,D,A,A, ,CE,B,D,D
300841083 ,A, 50,C,C,D,A,A,B,B,B,D,C


D. Scanning Systems

E. Apperson

These scanner files are comma delimited ASCII files with the first line the 
key. The following lines are student answers.  Each part consists of a 
character, "A"; a null, "" or an error message, "input error".  The input error 
is reduced to one character, "X" when loaded by True Answer Check.

"A","B","C","D","E","A","B","C","D","E"
"A","B","C","D","E","","INPUT ERROR","C","D","E"
"A","B","C","D","E","A","B","C","D","E"
"A","B","C","D","E","A","B","C","D","E"

