Multiple test item scoring method

• US 5,709,551 A
• Filed: 11/20/1995
• Issued: 01/20/1998
• 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., Moyer, Judith, Bramlett, William L. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHENG, JOE H
• Application Number:
  US08/559,833
• Time in Patent Office: 792 Days
• Field of Search: 434/118, 434/156, 434/157, 434/169, 434/185, 434/307 R, 434/308, 434/322, 434/323, 434/350, 434/362, 434/365, 382/10, 382/48, 382/59, 382/62, 395/326, 395/329, 395/339, 395/376, 395/401, 395/427, 395/761, 395/762, 395/806, 395/927, 358/444, 358/450, 273/273, 273/429-432
• US Class Current: 434/322
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/00 Electrically-operated teaching apparatus or devices working with questions and answers mechanically operated G09B3/00; computing arrangements G06F
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 706/927 Education or instruction

Abstract

A method for increasing the speed at which test answers are processed. The method receives electronic representations of test answers and organizes the test answers into separate groupings. The method next displays a particular grouping of test answers to a test resolver so that the resolver can score the test answers. In displaying the answers, the method uses a matrix of cells and displays one test answer in each of the cells. The test resolver can thus simultaneously view multiple test answers, which facilitates efficient scoring of the answers.

Claims

1. A method for increasing the speed at which answers to test items are processed by efficiently organizing, grouping, and displaying the answers to the questions such that a test resolver can selectively view multiple answers from a grouping related to the resolver'"'"'s expertise, the method comprising the steps of:

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

b) electronically dividing the test questions by resolution expertise and for electronically organizing into separate groupings answers to questions related to resolution expertise; and

c) electronically presenting to a test resolver a particular one of the groupings such that the test resolver can selectively view and score the answers to the test questions related to the resolver'"'"'s resolution expertise.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of the test resolver simultaneously viewing and scoring a plurality of answers related to the resolution expertise.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of transmitting and presenting to the test resolver in a batch mode an entire set of one of the groupings such that the test resolver can selectively view and score the entire set.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of electronically and simultaneously presenting to the test resolver a plurality of cells with each of the cells containing an answer to a particular one of the test questions from a particular one of the groupings.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising the step of the test resolver selecting particular ones of the cells to score the individually displayed answers.