Office of Educational Assessment

Completing Key Sheets

The key sheet (442K PDF) is a scannable form used to enter the correct answers to exam questions.

  • Several key sheets may be submitted with a scoring job depending on the number of subtests, the number of different item weights, the number of test versions, and the type of scoring method.
  • Each key sheet operates independently of any other, and a score can be derived from a single key sheet or from many key sheets.
  • Likewise, the same question can be keyed on several key sheets with different weights, with different choices, and/or for different score names.

Key Sheet Front

  • Correct Answer Section. Mark the answer(s) for each question to be scored by this key sheet. You may mark more than one correct answer for any given question, but in such cases, you must also mark the “+” bubble to indicate that you intentionally marked multiple correct answers. Students, however, may only mark one correct choice on their answer sheets.
  • Item 1, Number of Marks in Correct Answer Section? Count the number of bubbles you marked in the Correct Answer Section, including “+” bubbles, and enter that number here. Remember, this may be different than the number of questions when there are multiple correct answers for a single question. This number must be right justified, e.g., if there are 75 marks, the left (hundreds) column must be blank or marked as “0”, with a “7” in the middle (tens) column, and “5” in the right (ones) column.
  • Item 2, Which Student Answer Sheets Should Be Scored With This Key? ScorePak® can score multiple versions of the same test. If you mark the bubble next to “All Answer Sheets,” the key sheet will be used to score all answer sheets. If one of the version bubbles is marked, the key will be used to score only those answer sheets marked with the same version. Note: If no version is marked on the student answer sheet, it can only be scored if a key marked “All Answer Sheets” is present.
  • Item 3, Score Name? Scores computed using the key sheet will be stored under the score name marked in this section. Mark a new score name on each key sheet within the same quarter. These names will be used to label test summaries, and to list student scores on rosters.
  • Item 4, Which Scoring Method? Four scoring methods are available:
    • Normal scoring — each correct answer is worth one point and students’ scores are simply their number of correct answers.
    • Percent scoring — student scores are computed as a percentage of the total number of possible points. (Note that you will not get normal scores in addition to percent scores. You can obtain both by marking Normal and requesting Percent in the Special Instructions box on the ScorePak® Service Request form.)
    • Weighted scoring — each correct answer is worth the number of points you specify by marking a weight bubble. You may mark one whole number weight and/or one fractional weight.
    • Scale scoring — used most often with questionnaires, and does not assume that any item alternatives are “correct.” Mark a weight for each possible choice, then in the Correct Answer Section mark the “+” bubble for each question to which the scale applies. Do not mark any answer choices. You may also assign weights for questions which students Omit or Multi/Mark. Use an additional key sheet for each set of questions with different weights.

Key Sheet Back

  • Special Codes are used for less standard scoring services such as assigning score names or indicating that you are scoring a test with more than 150 items. Before using this section of the key sheet, speak to OEA staff regarding its use.