The TEACHER'S QUIZ MAKER is a program which will help make generating student tests a snap. The databases are preloaded with 50 questions (in the registered version) in three formats. Each question can be selected as a fill-in, a multiple choice, or a true/false. The databases are available in a wide variety of subjects and grade levels. The sample questions included in the shareware program are intended for grades 5 - 9. This shareware version is only a sample of what TQM can do (the shareware version may be freely distributed). It has ten categories, each with ten questions in the three formats (so each actually has thirty questions.) You may view the questions on screen or elect to print them as a test sheet. The tests are printed with page numbers, a place for the student's name, a place for the date, and instructions for each question type. The tests are ready to be copied for student use straight from the printer. TQM can be run from either a diskette or copied to a hard drive using the DOS MAKEDIR and COPY command. For example: MD C:\TQM (makes a directory on the hard drive) Copy A:*.* C:\TQM (copies all files from drive A to the hard drive) This program is started by entering TQM at the DOS prompt. You will be shown an introductory screen (along with the annoying shareware message). Eventually you can hit any key to go on. Next, you will be prompted for the password. It is initially set to 'quiz' (all lower case, but you can change it by using a menu option. Now you will see the main menu. Teacher's Quiz Maker Today's Date 1) Select Question Database 2) Display Questions 3) Print Quiz Sheet 4) Test Results Calculator 5) Change Password 6) Install a Question Database 7) Load a Saved Quiz 8) Change A Question ESC to exit Please enter your choice: Database selected = xxxxxxxxxxx # saved = 0 FIGURE 1 The first step is to select a database. You will be presented with the list of what is available. Use the cursor keys to highlight your choice and then press F1 or ENTER to load it. You will be returned to the main menu after the load has completed. VIEW QUESTIONS You may now view the questions using option 2. You will be asked which question you want to see. Enter a number between 1 and 10. You will be shown the question in all three of its forms (fill-in, multiple choice, and true/false.) Press ESC when you are done viewing that question and you will be able to select another. Press ESC again to return to the main menu. PRINT A TEST Selecting option 3 takes you to the test print screen. Here you will be given a list from 1 to 10. Use the cursor keys to highlight a number and press one of the keys listed: Press F if you want that question printed as a fill-in Press M if you want that question printed as a multiple choice Press T if you want that question printed as a True/False Press X if you change your mind and do not want that question printed If you do not want a question printed, leave it as XX. As you make your selections, you will be shown the question at the bottom of the screen along with the answer. Press F1 (or ENTER) to begin printing. The test questions will be printed first, followed by the answer key. Pressing F2 would save the current quiz for later use. This allows you to save up to thirty quiz sheets for future reference or use. This is handy for pre and post testing since you can ask the same questions on both tests - you can alter their forms, however. If you have already saved 30 sheets, the program will give you the option of 'rolling' the database - that is erasing the oldest to make room for the new one. Pressing F3 would randomly generate a quiz based on the number of questions specified by the user. The user specifies the number of each format (example - 0 fill-in, 6 multiple choice, 6 True/False) and the computer randomly selects which questions to include. Pressing ESC will leave the option and return to the main menu. If any changes were made, a message will be displayed giving the option to save the new quiz before leaving. TEST RESULTS CALCULATOR This option is useful for determining % grades, degree of difficulty for each question, and a grade curve for difficult tests. It can be used on any test, not just those produced using TQM. The first step here is to answer two basic questions: How many students took the test? and How many questions does the test contain? Once these have been answered you can display the % grade chart with no further data being needed. (Some tests are easy to figure; a test with 10 questions means that each question is worth 10% - 8 correct answers is a grade of 80%. However, this is not so easy for a test with 27 or 43 questions. This option helps to do the math for you.) If you wish to see the degree of difficulty (a measure of how hard each question was for the students) and/or get a grade curve based on results, you must enter the number of students answering each question correctly on the screen. This may seem like a lot of work, but it is often very useful to have this type of analysis. It can point out problem areas for the class as a whole; areas they did not learn, areas that may not have been well covered during lessons, etc. Also, to be absolutely fair to students, it is often necessary to curve the grades in order to more correctly rate a student's performance as compared to the other students' performances. Not just how many questions were answered correctly. CHANGE PASSWORD Selecting option 4 on the main menu will give you the chance to change your password. You can enter anything you want as long as it is between 4 and 10 characters long. NOTE - the password is case sensitive. Upper case letters are handled differently from lower case. INSTALL A QUESTION DATABASE This option is not available in the shareware version. The registered version allows you to install the question databases (which come on diskette) using this option. The question databases must be installed - they are not usable from the distribution diskette. LOAD A SAVED QUIZ This allows you to load up to any of up to 30 saved quiz sheets. A list of the database names and the dates they were saved is presented. Use the cursor keys to select the quiz you wish to load and press enter. You will be returned to the main menu where you can then display the questions or print the quiz. You can also change the quiz if you wish by using the Print Quiz Sheet option. CHANGE A QUESTION This option lets you replace questions in the databases with ones of your own. Note - you can replace questions, not add more. You will be asked which question to change, shown the fill-in question first and asked for the new question. Type it in (up to 150 characters) and press ENTER. You will then be asked for the fill-in answer. Type this in (up to 30 characters) and press enter. You will now be asked for the new multiple choice question (up to 150 characters.) Then the multiple choices A - D. Note - do not type the letter of the choice (e.g. A. choice one); this will be added by the program. You will then be asked for the correct answer. This can only be 1 letter, A - D (upper or lower case). You will then be asked for the new true/false question (up to 140 characters) and the correct answer. The answer must start with a T or F; after that you have up to 29 more characters for whatever you want. Last, you will be shown the questions and answers you type in and asked if you really want to save it. Remember, this will overwrite the original question PERMANENTLY. If you press F1, the process will be aborted. THE REGISTERED VERSION The shareware version is merely a sampling of what TQM can do. In order to experience its full usefulness, you must register and get the full featured version. The registered version works the same way but can handle databases much larger. Included with the full featured program, registration will get you a free database of your choice (from what is currently available). The cost of registering is $25.00. Each additional questions database wanted is $7.50. The databases now available are: Ancient Civilizations - Egypt Ancient Civilizations - Greece Ancient Civilizations - Rome Birds Computers Countries of the World Earth Formations Electricity Environmental Issues Fish, Amphibians & Reptiles Force & Motion Habitats & Biomes Human Body Mammals Nutrition Oceans of the World Plants Prehistoric Life Rocks & Minerals Solar System Space Exploration State Capitals The Civil War The Continents The Explorers The Government of the U.S. Thinkers and Inventors United States Geography United States Presidents Weather World War I World War II After receiving your registration payment, I will rush you the program, the user manual, and your FREE database (along with any other database you wish to purchase.) Each database purchased is accompanied by a paper list of the questions included. I will also include a binder for holding the manual, question list, and other question lists you might purchase later. Send your $25.00 registration, the name of the free database you want, and any other database you'd like to have ($7.50 each) to: William Jimerson 720 Margo Drive Simi Valley, CA 93065 NOTE - For a limited time I am offering the COMPLETE program, with all 32 databases pre-installed, the manual, and all question listings for only $200.00 - a savings of about $57. It will also be accompanied by a discount certificate for Volume 2 (when it becomes available) for even more savings. Please send a check or money order only (no credit cards or purchase orders can be accepted.) A FINAL WORD TQM is very useful for other things as well. You can use the questions in the databases for student project ideas, discussion starters, research topics, and so on. I am currently working on volume 2 of this program which will include 32 more catagories of questions (if you would like to see a particular subject area covered, send me a note.) I am also working on a companion program which will allow students to take multiple choice and/or true/false tests on the computer. It will have auto grading, student ranking, and grade curving. It will also allow the teacher to view or print the results in several ways. This program will be sent free to all registered users of TQM. If you have any questions or comments, I can be reached online at: WJimer6887@aol.com