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Answer Key
Each scanned-in practice exam is graded against the answer key configured in the Key worksheet.
At any given time only ONE answer key can be loaded. This means all scanned-in practice exams must utilize the same answer key.
Once an answer key is configured it can be exported into a separate file for backup or archiving purposes and can of course also be imported at any time.
This is done through the 'Export Key' and 'Import Key' buttons respectively.
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About Editing Answer Keys:
Exported answer keys should not be edited outside of the regular Scoring spreadsheet. If you want to edit an answer key, simply import it into the current Scoring spreadsheet, edit it, then export it again. This ensures the key remains in a usable format.
Yellow fields in the answer key worksheet can be edited. Please do not edit any other fields as this may impact the functionality of the Scoring spreadsheet.
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Name that Key!
Start by giving your new answer key a name, such as 'Initial Diagnostic' or 'Test 1'.
This name is later displayed on the Student Report and also because the default 'test name' used in the file name of the individual student report (PDF).
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Question Types - optional but very useful!
Each question can be assigned to a question type or category, such as algebra, geometry, trigonometry.
You assign the question to a question type, by entering the Question Type ID (e.g. the number from 1 to 100) into the field called 'Type >>'.
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Student Produced Responses - THE GRID
Just as the multiple-choice questions shown later, each GRID answer can be associated with a difficulty level (1-5) and a Question Type defined earlier.
In the example below, question 9 has a difficulty level of 1 (very easy) and is an Algebra question (Question Type ID: 2 - from the example above).
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If a GRID question has multiple answers, such as question 10, simply enter all of the answer options (max. 7) in the respective fields. In our example, question 10 would be correctly answered if the student entered 3,6, or 9.
Note that the answer shown in the first line (Answer 1 >>) is the answer shown on the Student Report if the student did not answer the question correctly. You should always have an entry in the line labeled 'Answer 1 >>'.
A student's answer of '2/4', '0.5' or '.5 for question 13 would all be counted as correct.
Range answers are entered into the lines labeled 'Range from >>' and 'Range to >>'. Note that the boundaries are not part of the range.
In our example, the range goes from 8 to 9. Eight (8) is not part of the range and hence not a correct answer. Nine (9) is not part of the range, but is listed as a valid answer under 'Answer 1 >>'. A student's answer of 9, 8.1, 8.2, 17/2 would all be correct.
Multipe-Choice Responses
You do not need to administer all 9 multiple-choice sections of a practice SAT, but our spreadsheet will handle if you want to.
Set the radio button to the section type (Reading, Writing, Math w/o GRID, Math with GRID or Experimental).
It is not necessary to enter an answer key for experimental sections as scores will not be counted.
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For each question, enter the answer Key, the optional Question Type ID and the optional Difficulty Level (1-5).
For ACT, you can enter the optional custom Question Type ID (1-100) AND the standard ACT category (UM, RH,...)
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The 'Scaled Scores' displayed in our Student Reports are based on the 'Scales' tables in the Key worksheet, located to the right of the Answer Key section.
You are free to edit the scales to your liking: The scales are saved together with the answer key.
How to read the table?
Example:
A student scores 52 (raw) points in the Reading section. Lookup 52 in the first column (titled: Raw Score) then look at the corresponding value in the 2nd column (titled: Reading). The scaled score for 52 raw Reading points is 650.
A student scores 37 (raw) points in the Writing section. This translates into 60 scaled points for the MCQ only. Taking into account the essay score, and let's say the student scored 8 points on the essay, the scaled score is 590.
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Once they answer key is setup, make sure to create a backup of your work using the 'Export Key' button.
Next: Operation - Selecting the Scan Method >>>