This utility program helps teachers quickly and easily generate tests where the student is asked to select the correct answer from a group of answers to a posed question. It provides an input screen to facilitate data entry and a printed output to be used to generate multiple copies.
HIGHLIGHTS
• Rapid entry of questions and answers on the screen entry form
• Provision for up to 100 questions (each with six possible answers) on each test.
• Questions and answers may be imported from a favorite word processor
• Completed tests may be saved for future use
• Answers may be printed in random order for distribution to alternate classroom rows or different class periods
• Ability to search the definition data base for a specific word or phrase
• Entered questions and answers may be easily changed/deleted
• Additional questions and answers may be added to offer greater student challenge
DISPLAY FIELD AND BUTTONS
Question/Answer Entry field - The large Question/Answer Entry field provides for data entry (up to 250 characters for each question and for each answer). Clicking on the ENTER button adds the entered question/answer sequence to those previously entered. All questions/answers retrieved from the data base are displayed in this field for review. Note: The original sequence of entry will always prevail when viewing the questions/answers on the screen. The questions/answers, however, will always be printed on the test in a random order. It is easily possible then to generate several “unique” copies of the same test to distribute to alternate rows of a classroom or for use in different class periods.
Quit Button - At any time you may elect to quit the program. This button and the Quit item in the File menu will return you to the desktop.
Title Button - You may provide a title for the quiz you generate which will appear at the top of the printed page. Simply select this button, click the cursor in the field, type in the title and again press the Title button. The program will accept the title and clear this field. You may change the title at any time by again pressing the Title button and changing the previous entry.
Scrolling Buttons - Two scrolling buttons are located to the right of the Question/Answer Entry Field. When the combined length of a question and its answers exceeds the size of this field these buttons allow the user to scroll the unseen portion of the display into view.
Enter Button - Use this button to tell the program that the text entered in the Question/Answer Entry Field is to be added to those questions and answers already entered. Whenever changes are made to previously entered questions or answers this button must be used to notify the program to add the new material to the quiz file.
Delete Button - It is possible at any time to modify any previous entry. If you wish to completely eliminate any question/answer, however, simply locate (see below) the question with its answers and press the Delete button. The question and all the associated answers will disappear.
Locate Button - Enter up to 15 characters in the Question/Answer Entry Field that are contained in a previously entered questions or answers. When the Locate button is pressed the program will search all data to locate a question or answer containing the characters specified. If a match if made the question/answer is displayed in the Question/Answer Entry Field. Note: The program will locate ALL questions and answers which contain the search characters. If the question/answer located is not the one desired simply continue to press the Locate button.
Direction Buttons - Two direction buttons are located in the lower right corner of the program display screen. The button with the arrow pointing to the left will initiate displays of questions/answers in a direction toward the beginning of the list. The button with the arrow pointing to the right will initiate displays of questions/answers in a direction toward the end of the list. You will hear a beep when the beginning or end of the list is reached.
The Option key may be used in conjunction with the direction buttons. When the option key is pressed with the arrow pointing to the left the first question/answer will be displayed. When the option key is pressed with the arrow pointing to the right the last question/answer will be displayed.
MENU ACTIONS
New - The New item in the File menu will clear all previously entered questions/answers. The program returns to the condition in which it is first entered. This is a good action to take when creating a new test.
Save As Menu Item- It is possible to save the tests you generate in the Multiple Choice program by selecting the Save As item in the File menu. A window will open asking in what folder you would like to save the file. You will also be asked to provide an appropriate file name for future reference.
Import Menu Item - The program also provides for importing files of questions and answers from a favorite word processor. The process is very simple. A new file (a new page) is created in the word processor. The text of the question (to a limit of 250 characters) is entered as appropriate followed by a carriage return. The symbol • (option-8) and a space is entered to identify one of the answers to be associated with the previous question (each answer may also contain up to 250 characters).
The result in the word processor might look something like the following:
Why should anyone purchase this program?
• It is the easiest way to generate multiple choice tests
• It is very inexpensive
• Unique copies of the same test inhibit cheating
• Questions and answers may be created in a favorite word processor
• All of the above
The output from the word processor must be in a “TEXT” format (most word processors provide for this format).
You will use the Import item in the File menu to identify your TEXT file to the Multiple Choice program. The questions and answers will be read into the program’s environment and immediately made available for printout. Of course it is possible to add additional questions and answers to this data base and supply an appropriate title for the quiz.
Print Quiz - When all question and answers are entered selecting this menu item will initiate the quiz printout. Note that questions are printed in a random order each time this option is selected.
Quit Menu Item - At any time you may elect to quit the program. This menu item and the Quit Button will return you to the desktop.
First Question Menu Item - This provides a quick method to jump to the first question/answer in your group of entered questions/answers. The first question/answer is immediately displayed on the screen.
Last Question Menu Item - This provides a quick method to jump to the last question/answer in your group of entered questions/answers. The last question/answer is immediately displayed on the screen.
Expand Display Menu Item - You have the option of increasing the size of the initial Multiple Choice Test Generation Display if your screen can accommodate a larger size. The program increases the display size by 20 percent each time this menu item is selected until a maximum screen display is reached.
Reduce Display Menu Item - You have the option of decreasing the size of the initial Multiple Choice Test Generation Display if your screen can accommodate a smaller size. The program decreases the display size by 20 percent each time this menu item is selected until a minimum screen display is reached.
Help Menu Item - When you’ve lost your way you’ll find this item under the Instructions menu. You may query this material at any time.
RAPID MANUAL DATA ENTRY
While data entry of questions and answers may be accomplished using a favorite word processor the Multiple Choice Program offers an easy method to accomplish the same objective. The user simply types in a question with several answers in the large field (the Question/Answer Entry Field) in the display. When the data is complete simply press the ENTER key. As each question/answer group is entered the Questions field will change to reflect the current total entered.
CONFLICTS
Nota bene: This program will not run if the utility Double Scroll is active. If you have Double Scroll in your system access the control panel for the utility and turn it off for the duration of your use of the Multiple Choice program.
SHAREWARE NOTICE
The Multiple Choice Quiz Generation program is shareware. The demonstration version provides a good indication of the program’s capabilities but the printout has been modified to garble every fourth question/answer. To obtain the release version send $10 to:
Dale Blackwell
12621 Neon Way
Granada Hills, California 91344
We’ll return your release version by e-mail if you prefer — or by snail mail if your Internet connection does not provide for file transfer.
We welcome your questions comments about our program. You may send them to the above address or to:
