Free response test grading method
First Claim
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1. A method for processing free response test questions while maintaining the independence of grades and reducing paper handling comprising:
- selectively associating with a test-taker machine-readable data code associated with the test-taker;
retrievably storing said association;
assembling test-taker materials which bear machine-readable data code associated with the test-taker;
selectively associating with a reader machine-readable data code associated with the reader;
retrievably storing said association;
assembling reader materials which bear the machine-readable data code associated with the reader;
selectively associating with a grade machine-readable data code associated with the grade;
assembling grade materials which bear the machine-readable data code associated with the grade;
selectively associating with a test machine-readable data codes associated with the test;
retrievably storing said association;
assembling test materials which bear the machine-readable data code associated with the test;
selectively associating with a test question machine-readable data code associated with the test question;
assembling test question materials which bear the machine-readable data associated with the test question;
assembling for all test-takers at a grading location test-taker materials, reader materials, grade materials, test materials and test question materials;
receiving selectively generated reader input for assigning a grade to said test materials;
selectively scanning, with a portable sensing device located at the grading location, the machine-readable data codes associated with the test-taker, the reader, the grade for the test question, the test, and the test question, for each question graded by a reader;
wherein the data code associated with the grade is scanned as the grade is assigned;
retrievably storing the data codes scanned by the sensing device and an indication of the time of the scanning; and
processing the stored data codes and the stored data code associations on a computer.
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Abstract
A method and system for grading free response tests including the use of highly accurate machine-readable data codes to uniquely associate test-taker, test and reader/grader, and a portable sensing device which stores codes read by the device for subsequent entry into a host computer. The method permits multiple readers/graders to evaluate the same test without one reader/grader influencing another, while reducing paper handling and key entry of data inherent in large volume paper and pencil testing techniques.
141 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for processing free response test questions while maintaining the independence of grades and reducing paper handling comprising:
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selectively associating with a test-taker machine-readable data code associated with the test-taker; retrievably storing said association; assembling test-taker materials which bear machine-readable data code associated with the test-taker; selectively associating with a reader machine-readable data code associated with the reader; retrievably storing said association; assembling reader materials which bear the machine-readable data code associated with the reader; selectively associating with a grade machine-readable data code associated with the grade; assembling grade materials which bear the machine-readable data code associated with the grade; selectively associating with a test machine-readable data codes associated with the test; retrievably storing said association; assembling test materials which bear the machine-readable data code associated with the test; selectively associating with a test question machine-readable data code associated with the test question; assembling test question materials which bear the machine-readable data associated with the test question; assembling for all test-takers at a grading location test-taker materials, reader materials, grade materials, test materials and test question materials; receiving selectively generated reader input for assigning a grade to said test materials; selectively scanning, with a portable sensing device located at the grading location, the machine-readable data codes associated with the test-taker, the reader, the grade for the test question, the test, and the test question, for each question graded by a reader; wherein the data code associated with the grade is scanned as the grade is assigned; retrievably storing the data codes scanned by the sensing device and an indication of the time of the scanning; and processing the stored data codes and the stored data code associations on a computer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A system for processing free response test questions while maintaining the independence of grades and reducing paper handling comprising:
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printing indicia of and retrievably storing data code identifying each test-taker;
distributing the indicia to each test-taker and affixing the indicia to test-taker materials used by the test-taker;printing indicia of and retrievably storing data code identifying each reader and distributing the indicia to each reader; printing indicia of each grade which can be awarded for a test question response and distributing the indicia to each reader; printing indicia of and retrievably storing data code identifying each test which is to be graded and distributing the indicia to each reader; printing indicia of each test question which is to be graded and distributing the indicia to each reader; printing indicia of and retrievably storing data code identifying each folder which is to be graded and distributing the indicia to each reader; distributing portable data code sensing devices and test-taker materials to the reader; selectively scanning with the portable sensing device the data code indicia associated with the test-taker, the reader, the grade, the test, and the test question, for each question graded by a reader;
wherein the data code indicia associated with the grade is scanned as the grade is assigned;means for retrievably storing the data codes scanned by the sensing device; and means for processing the stored data codes and the stored identifying data codes so as to provide a score for each test question associated with a test-taker. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for scoring and grading a plurality of test materials containing a plurality of free response test questions wherein the responses to the questions are independently assigned a grade by a plurality of readers within predetermined grade scales depending on the response comprising:
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providing a plurality of test-taker material units, each unit being provided with a distinct machine-readable data code indicia means associated with and identifying a test-taker; providing a plurality of reader material units each unit being provided with a distinct machine-readable data code indicia means associated with and identifying a reader; providing a plurality of grading material units each unit being provided with a distinct machine-readable data code indicia means associated with and identifying each assignable grade within the predetermined grade scale; providing a plurality of test material units each unit being provided with a distinct machine-readable data code indicia means associated with and identifying a test; providing a plurality of test question material units each unit being provided with a distinct machine-readable data code indicia means associated with and identifying a test question; associating and retrievably storing data codes identifying test-takers with data code indicia identifying the test-takers on a first computer database; receiving selectively generated reader input for assigning, for each test-taker test question response, a specific grade to be associated with the test-taker, reader, test and test question; selectively scanning with a portable data code indicia sensing device means, for each test-taker test question response, the data code indicia for the specific grade, test-taker, reader, test and test question; retrievably storing said selectively scanned data codes on a second computer database; and processing the stored first and second databases on a computer to provide a score for each test question associated with a test-taker; wherein processing of the stored second database comprises periodically providing a table of readers with a table sweep report; wherein the table sweep report comprises identification of the table and an identification of the time for readers at a table to grade a test question. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. A method for scoring and grading a plurality of test materials associated with a test and test-takers and containing a plurality of free response test questions wherein the responses to the questions are independently assigned a grade by a plurality of readers within predetermined grade scales depending on the response comprising:
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associating each test-taker with a test-taker number, means for retrievably storing the association, storing the association, printing the examinee number in the form of a bar code on self-adhering labels, distributing the bar code labels to the test-takers and selectively affixing the labels to test-takers test materials; associating with each reader a reader number, means for retrievably storing the association, storing the association, printing the reader number in the form of a bar code on self-adhering labels; associating with each test a test number, means for retrievably storing the association, storing the association and selectively printing the test number in the form of a bar code on test-taker test materials and on folder control sheets; associating with a test question a test question number, means for retrievably storing the association, storing the association and selectively printing the test question number in the form of a bar code on test-taker test materials and on the folder control sheets; associating with a folder used to hold a selection of test-taker materials a folder number, means for retrievably storing the association, storing the association, selectively printing the folder number in the form of a bar code on self-adhering labels;
affixing the folder number label on the folder control sheet and affixing the folder control sheet to the folder;identifying each grade within the predetermined grade scale for each test question and printing each grade in the form of a bar code on an essay scoring card; affixing reader number bar code labels to the essay scoring card; selectively assembling at grading tables, test-taker test materials in folders with affixed folder control sheet, readers and essay scoring cards with affixed reader number labels; selectively scanning with a portable sensing device means bar code labels associated with the test-taker, the reader, the grade for the test question, the test, and the test question, for each question graded by a reader; retrievably storing bar codes scanned by the sensing device and the time of scanning; and processing the stored scanned bar codes and the stored bar code associations on a computer to generate a test-taker report. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification