AssessmentTest:OutcomeProcessing

The optional outcome processing element specifies logic which assigns values to one or more test outcome variables.

The specification states that “Outcome processing takes place each time the candidate submits the responses for an item (when in individual submission mode) or a group of items (when in simultaneous submission mode).”The crucial point here is that outcome processing logic fires at a definite time during test execution i.e.
 * either many times - after each item response has been submitted
 * or exactly once – when all the candidate’s responses are received in one batch

What are the consequences of outcome processing? The values assigned to outcome variables can be used to


 * optionally display test-level (not item-level) feedback to the candidate
 * branch to another section or item within the assessmentTest

We will now look at the outcome processing section which formed part of the test discussed in the outcome declaration section earlier in this chapter

          Instructions for Section A             Instructions for Section B      </rubricBlock> <assessmentItemRef identifier="item434" href="item434.xml" /> <assessmentItemRef identifier="item065" href="item065.xml" /> <assessmentItemRef identifier="item365" href="item365.xml" /> <assessmentItemRef identifier="item656" href="item656.xml" /> </assessmentSection> </testPart> <outcomeProcessing> <setOutcomeValue identifier="NCORRECTA"> <numberCorrect sectionIdentifier="sectionA" /> </setOutcomeValue> <setOutcomeValue identifier="NCORRECTB"> <numberCorrect sectionIdentifier="sectionB" /> </setOutcomeValue> <setOutcomeValue identifier="NINCORRECT"> <numberIncorrect /> </setOutcomeValue> <setOutcomeValue identifier="NRESPONSED"> <numberResponded /> </setOutcomeValue> <setOutcomeValue identifier="NPRESENTED"> <numberPresented /> <setOutcomeValue identifier="NSELECTED"> <numberSelected /> </setOutcomeValue> <setOutcomeValue identifier="PERCENT_CORRECT"> <baseValue baseType="float">100.0</baseValue> <numberCorrect /> <numberSelected /> </setOutcomeValue> </outcomeProcessing> </assessmentTest> Note this particular outcome processing section
 * will execute exactly once, because the enclosing testPart’s submissionMode attribute is set to simultaneous
 * assigns values to each of seven outcome variables
 * For the first six of these, it uses predefined QTI elements to perform the assignment
 * setOutcomeValue – which sets the value of a named outcome variable
 * inbuilt “functions” e.g. numberResponded
 * For the last outcome variable, PERCENT_CORRECT, it assigns the value derived from dividing the value of numberCorrect by the value of numberSelected and multiplying this fraction by the constant 100.