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Opscan Evaluation: User’s Guide

 

About Opscan Evaluation

About Opscan

Opscan Evaluation offers a variety of test scoring and analysis services to the Illinois State University community. As a service of the Center for Teaching, Learning & Technology (CTLT), we provide data and statistics that give you (1) the scores of the students taking the tests and (2) a basis for assessing the reliability and validity of your tests.

Opscan scores optical mark recognition (OMR) sheets and generates results based on the information you provide on the job request form. Scanning jobs are run on a first come, first served basis. Most jobs can be scanned in 15-20 minutes. In some instances, jobs can take anywhere from two hours to overnight.

Please keep in mind that during peak processing times (i.e., midterms and finals), two hours is the average turn-around time. All instructional jobs are run first, followed by institutional evaluations. Additional jobs (research and off-campus surveys) will be completed as time allows, but usually will not take more than two weeks. During the last two weeks of a semester and for two weeks following the end of a semester, we will only run tests and course/instructor evaluations.

Most of the instruction-related services we provide to faculty and staff are free. Scanning forms and services for some grant projects and off-campus jobs are subject to a fee. Please see Opscan staff for more detailed information.

Our goal is to maintain 100% accuracy in scoring and we depend on users to inform us of any irregularities that we may miss. We welcome your feedback. If you have any questions about our services or the results of your scanning job, please call 438-2139 or stop by room 102 of the Instructional Technology Development Center (ITDC) at 301 S. Main Street during the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. We would also like to know if there are any areas that have not been adequately covered in this document or on our website.

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Terminology

We use the regular meaning of the terms such as test, version, score, and answer key. However, to avoid misunderstanding in other areas, we do use some special terminology as follows.

Sheet:
A piece of paper from Opscan with optical scanning bubbles on it. It is the piece of paper that students will fill in when taking a test.
Form:
A version of a test, across all class sections. This is probably best explained by use of a formula: the number of versions of the test times the number of class sections equals the number of forms.
Item:
A question on the test, most often used when analyzing an individual question and the students’ responses to that question.
Job:
A group of keys and tests submitted to our office for scanning and evaluation.
Response:
The answer a student chose for a question, correct or incorrect.

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