Scanning Exams: Process and Best Practices

February 7, 2025 Spring 2025 Newsletter

OIRA offers electronic scanning of multiple-choice exams using a blue 5-answer Scantron optical mark recognition form, commonly referred to as a bubble sheet. Currently, we are only using the blue bubble sheets, which are available in our office. 

  • A cover sheet, available here, should be filled out with the class name and number, the professor’s name, the email address(es) for receiving the results, where to send the exams after scanning, and any special requests (e.g. dropping an answer, marking a question as a bonus, allowing multiple answers for a question).

For smooth processing, please take the following steps:

  • Fill out the Answer Key (see below) on the right side only, the left side is for office use.
  • Include the class name in the top margin.
  • Fill in only one answer for each question.
  • Place the Key on top of the exams, with all the exams facing the same direction and secured with a clip or in an envelope.
  • Please ensure your students use a #2 pencil for the answers as ink cannot be read by the scanner. The scanner will not recognize written words either, so the name bubbles must also be filled in with a pencil.

Once the scanning is completed, a link to an Excel spreadsheet with the results is sent to the person(s) listed on the cover sheet. The Excel file includes both the raw number of questions answered correctly and the corresponding percentages. The Excel file also includes multiple tabs, displaying the results in different ways (by student name, by student ID, sorted by score, etc.) The final tab provides an analysis of the questions.

You have the option of either picking up the physical exams in our office, or receiving them through campus mail. It may take a day or two to get them back through campus mail.

Please feel free to contact the office with any questions at any time. Currently, Kim Mentus is the main contact for scanning and may be reached via email – kimberley.mentus@maine.edu or phone 581-1313 – or you may contact Deb Allen at debra.allen@maine.edu or 581-1461.