Each subtest requires a minimum of two CCs cards.

 

Cognitive subtests

Cognitive subtests must have a *col card, and they must also have a *key card with the right answers.

 

The number of columns mentioned on the *col card tell Lertap the number of items in the subtest.  The default response code set for cognitive items is Res=(A,B,C,D).

 

The CCs card order for cognitive subtests is:

*col  (a required card)

*sub

*key  (a required card)

*alt

*wts

*mws

 

The *key, *alt, and *wts cards require a character for each item in the subtest. If there are five items, there must be five entries on the *key card; the *alt and *wts cards, if used, must also contain five entries.  There may be spaces between the entries.  We like to put a space after every five entries as that way the card is easier to read; we also like to use a fixed-pitch font with CCs cards, such as Courier New, so that when we use *key, *alt, and *wts cards the entries on all cards line up.

 

*mws cards are unique in that they correspond to just a single item.

 

Affective subtests

Affective subtests must have a *col card, and they must also have a *sub card with the AFF control word on it.

 

The number of columns mentioned on the *col card tell Lertap the number of items in the subtest.  The default response code set for affective items is Res=(1,2,3,4,5).

 

The CCs card order for affective subtests is:

*col  (a required card)

*sub  (a required card; must have AFF on it)

*pol

*alt

*mws

 

If used, the *pol and *alt cards require a character for each item in the subtest. If there are five items, for example, there must be five entries on these cards (if they're used).

 

*mws cards are unique in that they correspond to just a single item.

 

Control words

The *sub card may have a number of control words on it; these are summarised in the tables below:

 

*sub control words for cognitive subtests:

CFC

Optional.  Means "correction for chance".  Adjusts subtest scores for the (estimated) effects of guessing.

Mastery

Optional.  Gets Lertap to produce its mastery test analysis and report.  Also acts as if the PER control word had been used, causing the PER score to appear on the Scores report.  (Note: this control word is the same as using Mastery=70; a default mastery level of 70 is programmed into the System worksheet.)

Mastery=

Optional.  Lertap will produce a mastery test analysis and report, using the cutoff figure found after the equals sign.  Also causes a PER score to be created.  Example: Mastery=65

MDO

Optional.  Gets Lertap to turn off its missing data item scoring.  Causes a non-response to be scored as zero points.  (A click here will whisk you away to more about MDO.)

Name=()

Optional.  Whatever is found between the parentheses is used as a header on some of Lertap's reports, such as Stats1f and Stats1b. While the header can have any length, something less than 40 characters is best.  Example: Name=(SOC 505 FINAL, November 2003)

PER

Optional.  Causes a percentage of maximum possible score to be created; this will appear as a column in the Scores report.

Res=()

Required if the default Res=(A,B,C,D) setting is not appropriate.

SCALE

Optional.  Causes a z-score to be computed and added as a column in the Scores report.

Title=()

Optional.  Provides a short label for the subtest score.  This will appear as a header at the top of a Scores column.  Should be no longer than 8 characters.  Example: Name=(SocFinal)

Wt=

Optional.  Applies only when there are multiple subtests.  Determines how the subtest's score comes into the total test score.  Example: Wt=0.5

 

*sub control words for affective subtests:

AFF

Required.  The appearance of the AFF control word on a *sub card is the only way Lertap knows a subtest is of the affective type.

MDO

Optional.  Gets Lertap to turn off its missing data item scoring.  Causes a non-response to be scored as zero points.  (A click here will whisk you away to more about MDO.)

Name=()

Optional.  Whatever is found between the parentheses is used as a header on some of Lertap's reports, such as Stats1f and Stats1b. While the header can have any length, something less than 40 characters is best.  Example: Name=(WA/Maui beaches survey, January 2004)

PER

Optional.  Causes a percentage of maximum possible score to be created; this will appear as a column in the Scores report.

Res=()

Required if the default Res=(1,2,3,4,5) setting is not appropriate.

SCALE

Optional.  Causes a new score to be computed and added as a column in the Scores report.  The new score is the original score divided by the number of items in the subtest.

Title=()

Optional.  Provides a short label for the subtest score.  This will appear as a header at the top of a Scores column.  Should be no longer than 8 characters.  Example: Name=(BeachSur)

Wt=

Optional.  Applies only when there are multiple subtests.  Determines how the subtest's score comes into the total test score.  Example: Wt=0.75

 

The order of the control words is not important.  For example, the following two cards accomplish the same thing:

*sub Title=(NewsQuiz), PER, SCALE

*sub SCALE, Title=(NewsQuiz), PER

The control words may be abbreviated, or expanded.  The following cards result in the same actions:

*sub AFF, Name=(Beach survey 1), Title=(Beachin)

*sub Affective, T=(Beachin), N=(Beach survey 1)