Abstract #302081

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JSM 2003 Abstract #302081
Activity Number: 378
Type: Contributed
Date/Time: Wednesday, August 6, 2003 : 12:00 PM to 1:50 PM
Sponsor: Section on Statistical Education
Abstract - #302081
Title: Question Coding for Dynamically Generated Exams
Author(s): Sherstin L. Merx*+ and Gregory L. Snow and Del T. Scott
Companies: Brigham Young University and Brigham Young University and Brigham Young University
Address: 850 North University Ave. #101, Provo, UT, 84604-6502,
Keywords: Sweave ; student evaluation ; dynamic exams
Abstract:

Often it is desirable to have multiple versions of an exam (sample exam, administered exam, make up exam, different exams for each student, etc.) but this multiplies the work of the instructor. Dynamically generating tests is one solution, but this still requires coding for individual questions. We show a method of coding questions for dynamically generated exams. Using the Sweave package for R by Friedrich Leisch (www.ci.tuwein.ac.at/~leisch/Sweave/Sweave-compstat2002.pdf) and the Exerquiz package for LaTeX by D.P. Story (online.redwoods.cc.ca.us/instruct/darnold/StaffDev/Workshop/webeqman.pdf), we present a framework for writing question templates that includes code to randomly generate data and compute the correct answers for the grading key. This allows the instructor to create a background story for a problem, but with different data and answers each time the test is generated. We present examples created for a matrix algebra class and a second-semester linear regression course. Specific examples include how to display and enter matrices, choose random values, extract correct answers from computer output, and generate various types of questions.

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