OTS Exam Control Sheets

OTS exam control sheets are standard OTS exam forms which are filled out in a particular way to specify how the exam is to be scored by the OTS scoring programs.  There are five OTS exam control sheets.  A set of the five control sheets is included whenever you request a set of exam scoring forms to be prepared for you.  These control sheets are pre-printed with the course information.  The item bubbles on the pre-printed control sheets are void.  You fill in bubbles on the appropriate control sheet(s) as explained below in order to determine how the exam is to be scored.  Control sheets are submitted for scoring along with the students' exam forms.

The only control sheet which must be submitted to score an exam is the key sheet.  It is used to specify the correct answers.  Scoring specifications, such as item point values, which may be specified using the other control sheets have default values (described below ) which apply if the corresponding control sheet is not submitted.

Key Sheet

The Key Sheet is used to specify the correct answers on the exam items.  Simply fill in the bubbles of the correct answer.  If you are using one or more item types which require or permit multiple bubbles to be filled in (“multiple marks”) then all of the appropriate bubbles for those items should be filled in on the Key Sheet.  The Key Sheet is the only control sheet which must be submitted to score an exam.  As part of the Key Sheet there is a Score Entry section.  This optional section is designed to permit the instructor to enter scores for exams that are manually scored and wish to insert them into the OTS Gradebook.  The Key Sheet in this case would reflect the maximum score possible for this type of exam.

Item Type Sheet

The Item Type Sheet enables you to specify for each question on the exam what type of question it is.  Currently, 10 types of questions are supported.  Click the above link for more information about the types of questions available and how to specify them on the Item Type Sheet.  By default questions are interpreted as being standard single response multiple choice items.  If all of the questions on an exam are standard multiple choice items then you need not submit an Item Type Sheet.

Points Sheet

The Points Sheet is used to specify the point value of each question on the exam.  Question values can range (in whole numbers) from 1 to 30.  Click the above link for information how to fill in the items on the Points Sheet to specify question values.  If a Points Sheet is not submitted then all questions are interpreted as being worth 1 point.  If a Points Sheet is submitted then values need to be filled in only for those items worth 2 or more points.  By default items for which no value is specified on the Points Sheet are assigned 1 point.

Category Sheet

You can use the Category Sheet to group questions into categories.  Up to 12 categories can be specified on an exam.  The scoring and reporting process will provide scores and statistics for each category as well as for the overall exam. Click the above link for more information.  As with the other control sheets except Key Sheet use of the Category Sheet is optional.

Last Response Sheet

The Last Response Sheet must be filled out and submitted whenever you are using an item type for which the score depends upon the number of possible responses and the items for which one of those types have been specified have fewer than the maximum number of responses available on the exam form - 5 response options for A-E items and 26 response options for the A-Z items.  For such items the last (right-most) response option must be filled in on the Last Response Sheet.  More information about these item types and the Last Response Sheet is available through the "Item Type Sheet" link above.