Office of the Registrar’s Service

The Office of the Registrar at Northwestern University provides OMR scanning of exams and surveys to professors and their assistants.

We offer simple multiple choice test scanning which returns both the answers the students chose, as well as the number correct. We do not provide statistical analysis for exams.

The scanning process produces two fixed-length field plain ASCII text data files. One data file which reports name, ID number, and number of questions correct, a second data file reports for each student a row with a scanning serial number, name, ID, additional individual data as collected, individual answers to each question, and again, a final tally of the number of correct answers for each student.

Both files can easily be imported into statistical software or Microsoft Excel for analysis and record keeping.

Each scanned form is imprinted with a serial number, date, and number correct during the scanning process.

We offer the NCS General Purpose Answer Sheet 4521 for 200 questions or fewer. We offer scanning for this form only. This form is available from the Office of the Registrar for $.10 each. To order answer sheets, send an e-mail to the address below, include your contact information, quantity, and a CUFS number including object code.

NOTE: Please take care in handling the answer forms, folds, tears, stains, and irrelevant pen or pencil marks impede scanning and can result in a failure to read.

OMR - Optical Mark Read

OMR technology detects the absence or presence of a mark, but not the shape of the mark. Software interprets the output from the scanner and translates it into the desired ASCII output. Forms are scanned through an OMR scanner. The forms contain small circles, referred to as 'bubbles,' that are filled in by the respondent. OMR cannot recognize hand-printed or machine-printed characters; an image of the form is not created by the scanner.

Forms

OMR forms are very specialized documents. Timing tracks along one edge of the forms indicate to the scanner where to read for marks. OMR forms also contain ID marks, which look like black boxes on the top or bottom of the forms. Additionally, the cut of OMR forms is extremely precise and the bubbles must be located in exactly the same location on each form.

Accuracy

With a quality printed document, OMR technology can consistently provide 99.9% accuracy on read data.

Optical Mark Read Scanning Service overview and instructions for importing into Microsoft Excel