Scan an answer key for ZipGrade

Problem-Attic can now create a scannable key for ZipGrade. You will see the option on the Format tab under “Include answer key”. It can save you a lot of time, especially when your document has a large number of questions, because you won’t have to enter answers by hand.

To do scoring by ZipGrade, you will need to install the app on your phone or tablet. Here are the links for iOS (Apple) and Android.

Please note:

• Problem-Attic creates only the key for ZipGrade. It does not create the answer sheets that students fill in. You can download them as PDF files from www.zipgrade.com or use ZipGrade’s new online submission feature.

• The scannable key works with all types of documents that you create in Problem-Attic, including flash cards and overheads. In other words, the key is not just for testing. You can integrate questions into a lesson and use ZipGrade to get quick feedback from students.

• The ZipGrade option is an alternative to Problem-Attic’s own scoring app and student answer sheets. No subscription is needed to create a key. The option is available to everyone, and you may prefer it if you’re already using ZipGrade or you want to do scoring with class rosters.

Instructions

Here is a short video which introduces the new option: vimeo.com/419710674.

Here are step-by-step instructions for creating the answer key in Problem-Attic and scanning it with ZipGrade.

1. Open a document you’ve made in Problem-Attic or create a new one. It can have up to 100 questions and be scored by ZipGrade. (The questions should be multiple-choice or multi-select.)

2. Click the Format tab. Under “Include answer key” is a drop-down menu labeled “scan form”. Click the menu and choose “ZipGrade”.

   

3. Click the Make PDF tab. Download the PDF, open it, and go to the last page. You will see the scannable key.

4. Launch ZipGrade on your phone or tablet. Create a new quiz, select the appropriate answer sheet (based on number of questions), click “Edit key”, then click “Scan for key”.

5. Direct your camera to the PDF which you downloaded and opened. You may need to zoom out to see the full key. After you line up the four squares, ZipGrade will take a picture automatically and fill in the answer sheet for your quiz.

   

6. Return to Problem-Attic. Probably you’ll want a different PDF for your students (without the key). Simply go to the Format tab, unselect the option “Include answer key”, then click Make PDF.

That’s it! You can now give the document to students and use ZipGrade to score it.

Technical details

Here are some technical details you should be aware of when using Problem-Attic with ZipGrade.

• Problem-Attic supports the three standard answer sheets in ZipGrade: 20, 50 and 100 questions. It will automatically switch between them based on the number of questions in your document.

• You can’t force Problem-Attic to use a certain answer sheet. That probably doesn’t matter unless your document has fewer than 20 questions and you want to use student IDs in ZipGrade. In that case, because the ID field is on the 50- and 100-question sheets only, you won’t be able to create the right key in Problem-Attic; you will have to enter answers manually.

• If you create a document in Problem-Attic with more than 100 questions, they will all be included in the PDF. But on a scannable key the additional questions (over 100) will be ignored.

• Only multiple-choice and multi-select answers show up on a scannable key. Problem-Attic will skip over other types of questions. But it will respect the numbering, and the key will line up with your document. Similarly, ZipGrade allows a maximum of five lettered answers. For multiple-choice this should be enough, but it may not always be enough for multi-select. Any choices over five will be ignored.

• The steps above tell you how to scan the key while it’s on your screen. This should work fine for all three ZipGrade answer sheets. But it does depend on your screen size and how your PDF reader displays the page. If you have difficulty, you can print the key and scan the paper copy.

If you want to use Problem-Attic with ZipGrade, we hope the scannable key is a nice convenience. Please understand that we’re not able to provide technical support for ZipGrade or answer questions about how to use its many scoring options. If you need assistance with Problem-Attic you can write to us at support@problem-attic.com. If you need assistance with ZipGrade, you should go to its FAQ/Support page.