A method, using IBM cards and computer processing, automates examination grading and recording and permits use of computational problems. The student generates his own answers, and the instructor has much greater freedom in writing questions than is possible with multiple choice examinations

Frigerio, N. A.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

June 1969
	 Brief 69-10159 
•
icy C
AEC—NASA TECH BRIEF 
YES
AEC-NASA Tech Briefs describe innovations resulting from the research and development program 
of the U.S. AEC or from AEC-NASA interagency efforts. They are issued to encourage commercial 
application. Tech Briefs are published by NASA and may be purchased, at 15 cents each, from 
the Clearinghouse for Federal Scientific and Technical Information, Springfield, Virginia 22151. 
Computer Grading of Examinations 
Examinations have been graded by computers for 
some years, but these examinations are limited to mul-
tiple-choice questions; the ordinary computational 
problems cannot be used. A method of grading exami-
nations by computer has been required in which the 
student can generate his own answers. 
A method, using IBM cards and computer process-
ing, has now been developed to automate examina-
tion grading and recording; it permits use of the 
computational problems so common in home assign-
ments and written examinations. The student gener-
ates his own answers, and the instructor has much 
greater freedom in writing questions than is possible 
with multiple-choice examinations. Processing takes 
only from 2 to 10 minutes for a class of 100 students 
who can be examined more frequently; thus students 
are encouraged to keep up with their work rather than 
cram for big examinations. 
Port-a-Punch IBM cards are used for recording the 
answers to questions. The first few columns of each 
card P are reserved for identification numbers of stu-
dent, course, and examination, and so on. Then one 
column is reserved for each "choice" answer; six, for 
each numerical answer. These six are coded in modi-
fied exponential form, with the first three columns 
used for significant figures, the last two for exponents, 
and the fourth for exponent sign or special symbol. In 
this fourth column, I signifies "minus", 2 signifies 
"plus", and 3 signifies an unconditional zero. Thus 
the student can differentiate an intended answer of 
zero from a blank one. Thus 6.03 x 10 is punched 
as 603223; 5.67 x 10 1 , as 567108; and 0.00, "none," 
or "impossible," as 000300. The fourth column, here 
underlined, is printed in red on the student cards for 
emphasis.	 -
The instructor generates correction cards by punch-
ing the correct choice(s) for the "choice" answers, 
and upper and lower limits for the numerical answers. 
The ranges between these limits permit acceptance of 
answers differing from the ideal answers because of 
small slide-rule or round-off errors. Besides the straight 
numerical answers, this method has proved to be ap-
plicable to answers involving chemical equations and 
analytical unknowns. 
With this system four examinations can be written 
in less time than is required for one of the standard 
multiple-choice type. This time advantage has been 
used for giving students in the same classroom four 
similar but scrambled examinations. Each version 
carries a code number which the student punches onto 
his answer card(s); the computer senses this number 
and grades the student according to the corresponding 
answer card (s). 
This system has been kept well within the capabili-
ties of the small computers now at many colleges, such 
as the IBM 1620 and the CDC 160A. Outputs include 
complete listings of each student's answer to each 
question, of grades by student number, of student 
numbers and grades in class-rank order, of student 
performance on each question by question and exami-
nation version, and of class means, medians, and 
modes.	 - 
Reference: 
1. N. A. Frigerio, I. Chem. Educ. 44(7), 413 (July 
1967). 
Notes: 
I. This information may interest those concerned 
with educational methods and techniques. 
(continued overleat) 
This document was prepared under the sponsorship of the Atomic 
Energy Commission and/or the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration. Neither the United States Government nor any per-
son acting on behalf of the United States Government assumes any
liability resulting from the use of the information contained in this 
document, or warrants that the use of any information, apparatus, 
method, or process disclosed in this document may not infringe pri-
vately owned rights.
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19690000159 2020-03-16T17:40:14+00:00Z
2. Inquiries may be directed to:
	 Patent status: 
Office of Industrial Cooperation 	 Inquiries concerning rights for commercial use of 
Argonne National Laboratory
	 this innovation may be made to: 
9700 South Cass Avenue 	 Mr. George H. Lee, Chief 
Argonne, Illinois 60439
	 Chicago Patent Group 
Reference: B69-10159
	 U.S. Atomic Energy Commission 
	
Source: N. A. Frigerio	 Chicago Operations Office 
	
Biological and Medical Research Division
	 9800 South Cass Avenue 
	
(ARG-10269)	 Argonne, Illinois 60439
is 
. 
Brief 69-10159	 Category 06


Computer grading of examinations

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