NZARTX Amateur Examination Paper Generator

February 2018 

Condensed instructions: To produce an examination paper:

If this is the first time you've run the software, scroll down to see more detailed instructions. Read all of the following sections before producing your first examination! This window can be re-sized by dragging.

You can show this help file using either the "Help" button in the program window, or by double-clicking file "Help.htm" in the program folder. You can keep it open while you check and/or print the examination pages, which will open in a new window.

Click on the links below to read more about each topic.

Setting up the Browser
Producing an Examination. Detailed instructions
Administering an Examination. Detailed instructions
Marking an Examination. Detailed instructions
Processing the official results.
Security Features.
The CRC check
About the Program and System Requirements
Copyright notice

Introduction

NZART Examination paper generator NZARTX017a or later must be used from its release date, as it implements the revised and corrected question database produced in 2017.

This software produces papers correctly with current versions of Google Chrome. Other browsers have been known to cause some display issues..

You may occasionally encounter problems with formatting or printing particular papers, since it is impossible to check all combinations of questions before release. If so, just discard the problem paper and generate another one. Report the problem to me, Andrew, at zl1af@outlook.com

 

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Setting up the Browser.

A "browser" is a program normally used for accessing the internet. It can display and print documents formatted in "HTML" (Hypertext Markup Language). This file (help.htm), and all the examination pages are written in HTML.

Most browsers have a print preview option which shows you exactly what you'll see on the printed page, allowing you to check formatting. You may find that to print examination papers with reasonable size text you may have to change the font size.

Example: Set Internet Explorer up like this:

The margins, paper size and orientation should also be set to suitable values. Again, the defaults will probably be OK. If not,

Select "File/Page setup" on the top toolbar. A window will appear with page options.


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Producing an Examination: Detailed instructions.

Start the program.

EITHER:

Click the "Produce Paper" button.

Comments will appear in the "Progress Box". The program first runs a CRC check on all question files to assure that they haven't been altered, and 31 "File OK" messages will appear sequentially. If all pass the check, paper generation starts. (If any paper fails the check, the program halts with an error message. If this happens, exit the program and install it again. Hopefully, the bad file will be extracted correctly this time).

Finally, the "Security Code" of the paper produced will appear. This will be printed on each page of the examination and mark sheets.

The final messages showing in the "Progress Box" will be

"Examination Paper Complete"
"Now click button "View/print paper."

Do it. Your browser will start, and load the master menu page for further operations.

Because of the limitations of HTML documents, each page of the examination must be printed separately.
Yes, this is a pain, but I don't know how to get around it.

Print the examination, if necessary, as follows:

Of course, you can print all these pages in any order you like. Staple the examination paper at top left with the cover sheet on top, followed by the 10 pages of questions. Keep the paper in a secure place until the time of the examination.

OR:

Click "Print New and Complete Exam Paper" button, which will print all the necessary pages to your default printer.

Vital Security Step! When you are sure that you have printed all pages required, press the "Produce Paper" button once again! This will over-write the paper you've produced with a new, different one. The exam you've printed is gone forever, and nobody can cheat by looking at it on the computer.
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Administering an Examination: Planning.

Two Examiners are required to administer each examination. Several candidates may be examined simultaneously using copies of the same printed paper, although 10 is about the maximum number it is sensible to cope with.

The Examination venue should be quiet, well ventilated and friendly. Branch clubrooms, local schoolrooms, church halls may be suitable if several candidates are to be examined. For one or two candidates, a private home may also be used - if you can guarantee freedom from noise and interruptions. A toilet should be available.

You should plan for a total committed time of 3 hours, although usually the procedure won't take this long. Remember that you must

Bring with you

Setting up the Examination.

If there is only one candidate, you might proceed less formally than outlined below. However. if there is more than one, follow these instructions.

  1. Ask candidates to remain outside while you prepare the room.

  2. Arrange each candidate's seating at a desk or table far enough apart so they can't see each others' papers. Each writing position must be well lit. Window light coming from the left of a writing desk is optimum for right-handed writers. Chairs should be comfortable, and the right height for the writing surface.

  3. Place a stapled copy of the examination paper, face up, at each place. Check that the cover sheet is indeed on top. Place a copy of the combined record form and answer sheet alongside each examination paper.

  4. About 5 minutes before the scheduled examination start time, invite candidates into the room. Announce clearly that

     

     

  5. Seat each candidate at a prepared place. While candidates are filling in details on the record form, verify their identification, if this has not already been done. You may need to measure their height for the record form. Check that candidates have not brought any reference material into the examination room. Any sort of calculator, slide rule, or mathematical tables are permitted.

  6. When all candidates are seated and have read the instructions, ask if there are any points of procedure they wish clarified. Give such clarification as is necessary. It may be a good idea to

     

     

  7. Candidates may need to use a toilet during the examination, or require clarification regarding answer marking, answer changing etc. Tell them to raise a hand if necessary to attract the attention of an examiner.

Running the Examination

  1. At the appointed time tell the candidates that they can start. Also that they have two hours maximum, but can leave whenever they are finished.

  2. Remain in the room during the examination. Don't stalk around like a vigilante, but watch for wayward glances and raised hands.

  3. If a candidate wishes to use a toilet, one examiner should escort him or her and remain (politely and unobtrusively) in the vicinity to escort back.

  4. If any candidate finishes early, quietly collect their answer paper, and put it aside for later marking. After handing in the paper, the candidate must leave the examination room.

  5. When two hours have elapsed, announce that the examination is finished. All remaining candidates must stop writing and hand in their answer and record sheets.

  6. Ask remaining candidates to leave the room. Tell them that their answers will be marked immediately, and that they may remain outside to hear their results if they wish.

  7. Don't discuss the examination with any candidate until after marking all answer sheets.

  8. After all candidates have left, mark the examination as instructed in the following section.


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Marking an Examination.

After the examination, collect all remaining candidate's answer sheets. While collecting them, check again that each candidate has filled in their name on their answer sheet. If any candidate objects to you at the conclusion of the examination regarding its contents or conduct, make a clear note of their objection. Ask them to put their objection in writing and mail it to the NZART Examination Co-ordinator, at the address given on the cover sheet of their question paper.

Both examiners must collaborate in the marking. This should be done in the examination room immediately after the examination is administered. The instructions below may seem over-pedantic, but it is very easy to make mistakes.

 

Proceed as follows:

  1. Ask all candidates to leave the room. Tell them they are free to wait to hear the results of they wish to do so.

  2. Find the sheet headed "NZART Examination Marker's Answer sheet". This contains the correct answer to all questions.

  3. Mark each candidate's answer sheet in turn, like this:

  4. Check that the "Security code" on the "Marker's answer sheet" is the same as that on the candidates's answer sheet.

  5. One examiner is the answer reader. He or she reads the correct answer to each question in the words:

    " Question one, answer is a " (or b,c, or d)

     

  6. The other examiner is the answer marker. As each answer is read, he or she repeats

    " answer is a "

    and marks the question as follows:


  7. When ready for the next answer, the answer marker says "OK". The the answer reader then repeats for the next question. If a candidate's answer is unclear, see the next section.

  8. When all questions have been marked, both examiners must count the ticks independently. . When both agree on the total correct, this mark is entered in the designated space on the candidate's record sheet (on the back of the answer sheet).

     

     

  9. Both examiners now enter and sign the result on the candidate's answer sheet, and the ERN (Examination Result Notification) form. Click this link to see a full description of processing the official results.

  10. After all answer sheets have been marked, any candidates who chose to remain may be invited back to learn their results. They may be shown their marked answer sheet, but may not keep it. The marked answer and record sheet remains the property of the NZART. Local examiners may retain photocopies or scans for their records.

Note: Use discretion when telling candidates their results. Some may not wish to have their mark, or their pass/fail grade announced in front of others.

In case of doubtful answers.

Sometimes a candidate may wish to change an answer during the examination. In this case, the examination cover sheet instructs candidates to cross out all of the options (to make the change obvious to you), and enter the letter designating their changed answer in the "Marker" column.

Both examiners should examine the change and must agree on what it means before it can be marked correct or incorrect.

If the change required is unclear to the examiners, the question must be marked wrong. . If the candidate objects to your decision,

Administration: Processing the results:

If the candidate is successful, the form Application for Call Sign needs to be completed by the candidate.

Click this link to see instructions for completing the forms.

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Security Features.

NZARTX incorporates security features which make it virtually impossible for you to inadvertantly generate an illegal examination, or to administer one in a manner which the NZART Examination Co-ordinator cannot detect. Here are questions sometimes asked, and the answers:

Couldn't the examiner choose a paper with "easy questions?"
No. The examiner cannot influence the choice of questions. They're selected randomly, using a random number seed obtained from the host computer's date/time clock. Every paper generated will be different. There are about a million possible different papers.

Couldn't an unethical examiner "modify" the question files supplied to "make them easier?"
No. Question papers can be generated if, and only if, the question files files are exactly as distributed. If any file is altered in any way, the CRC check will fail, and no paper can be produced.

Couldn't the examiner change the questions produced, since they're just in text files?
No. This will be detected in an audit. The "Security Code" printed on every page of the examination and answers sheet is unique. The NZART Examination Co-ordinator has software to reproduce the paper that this security should have generated. Any differences will be obvious. It's impossible to change a paper which still "looks genuine", because it will have the wrong Security code.

Couldn't a candidate cheat by looking at the exam left on the disk beforehand?
No. because if standard security practice is followed, the paper they'll see is different from the one they'll sit. (This means it is quite OK to leave all the software on the Branch computer).

Couldn't a completely ignorant candidate memorize enough answers to the 600 questions to pass?
Yes. Answers to some (Regulations, procedural) questions must be memorized anyway. But memorizing answers to all technical and algebraic questions would be difficult. A candidate who did, would probably pick up enough knowledge while doing so to pass anyway.

Couldn't a candidate "improve his/her chances" by generating a lot of exam papers and noting "which questions are asked most often?"
No. Each question has the same probability of being in any exam. There is no pattern! There are about a million possible, equally statiscally likely, question combinations.
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The CRC Checking Algorithm.

CRC stands for "cyclic redundancy check". CRC checks are based on the properties of binary "primitive polynomials". A binary polynomial is one where all the coefficients are either 0 or 1. A primitive polynomial is one that cannot be factorized.

The M bit polynomial, called the "generator polynomial" is written as an M bit binary number. The message to be checked (here the bit pattern of a text file) is shifted into a shift register from the right, one bit at a time. After each shift, the register contents are exclusive ORed (XORed) with the bit pattern of the generator polynomial. This continues until the complete message has been processed. The final content of the shift register is the CRC value.

For security purposes, the CRC value of each correct file is computed and stored, separate from the file which generated it. It's computed again whenever that file is to be used. If even one bit, anywhere in the file, has changed, the final CRC will be different, the check will fail, and no paper will be generated.

To replicate the security code, you'd have to know three things: The register initialization bit pattern, the actual algorithm and CRC polynomial used (there are many), and the algorithm (unique to this software) used to encrypt the CRC into the Security code. It's mathematically impossible to "break" the code in a finite time.

You can run a CRC check on the files without producing a paper by clicking on "advanced/Check CRC" (Top left corner). This is not particularly helpful, but the button is there for the possible addition of later features, if we think of any.
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Copyright Notice:

Distribution rights of this program are assigned to the NZART, who have the sole right to include the distribution on their website. The authors assert their copyright to the source code. Links to this program may be posted on other websites, but the NZART and code authors expect that in such cases the courtesy of a notification. The full distribution file is not to be posted on websites, included on CDs, or distributed in any other way for which a monetary charge is made. The distribution file may be copied from the NZART website for personal use by anyone.