Categorized test item reporting system

• US 5,433,615 A
• Filed: 02/05/1993
• Issued: 07/18/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NCS Pearson Incorporated (Pearson plc)
• Original Assignee: National Computer Systems, Inc. (Pearson plc)
• Inventors: Clark, Jay V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheng, Joe H.
• Application Number:
  US08/014,108
• Time in Patent Office: 893 Days
• Field of Search: 434/156, 434/157, 434/169, 434/185, 434/307, 434/308, 434/322, 434/323, 434/350, 434/362, 434/365, 434/118, 364/419, 382/10, 382/48, 382/59, 382/62, 395/164, 395/166, 395/400, 395/425, 395/927, 358/444, 358/450, 273/273, 273/430
• US Class Current: 434/322
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/02 of the type wherein the student is expected to construct an answer to the question which is presented or wherein the machine gives an answer to the question presented by a student
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/066 with answer indicating cards, blocks

Abstract

A system for reporting groupings of answers to test questions. The system receives in electronic form answers to test questions, after which the system divides the answers according to predefined categories and organizes the divided answers into separate groupings. The system reports the answers in the groupings. The system can also merge a test answer with other report information to provide an indication of a process used in obtaining a given answer.

Claims

1. A system for processing categorized answers to tests in order to facilitate teaching of material contained within the tests, the system comprising:

a) receive means for electronically receiving a plurality of answers to test questions, the answers each comprising an electronic image of at least a portion of a test answer sheet;

b) organization means for electronically dividing the answers, including the corresponding images, according to predefined categories and for organizing the divided answers into separate groupings; and

c) report means for electronically reporting the answers and the corresponding images in the groupings.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the organization means comprises means for electronically dividing the answers according to incorrect answers and for organizing the divided incorrect answers into separate groupings.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the organization means comprises means for electronically dividing the answers according to correct answers and for organizing the divided correct answers into separate groupings.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the organization means comprises means for electronically dividing the answers according to an analytic resolving process and for organizing the divided answers into separate groupings.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the organization means comprises means for electronically dividing the answers according to spelling errors and for organizing the divided answers into separate groupings.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the organization means comprises means for electronically dividing the answers according to punctuation errors and for organizing the divided answers into separate groupings.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the receive means further comprises means for receiving the images by electronically scanning the test answer sheets.