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AnswerHash.pm -- located in the courseScripts directory
This file contains the packages/classes:
AnswerHash and AnswerEvaluator
AnswerHash -- this class stores information related to the student's
answer. It is little more than a standard perl hash with
a special name, butit does have some access and
manipulation methods. More of these may be added as it
becomes necessary.
Useage: $rh_ans = new AnswerHash;
AnswerEvaluator -- this class organizes the construction of
answer evaluator subroutines which check the
student's answer. By plugging filters into the
answer evaluator class you can customize the way the
student's answer is normalized and checked. Our hope
is that with properly designed filters, it will be
possible to reuse the filters in different
combinations to obtain different answer evaluators,
thus greatly reducing the programming and maintenance
required for constructing answer evaluators.
Useage: $ans_eval = new AnswerEvaluator;
The answer hash class is guaranteed to contain the following instance variables:
score => $correctQ,
correct_ans => $originalCorrEqn,
student_ans => $modified_student_ans
original_student_ans => $original_student_answer,
ans_message => $PGanswerMessage,
type => 'typeString',
preview_text_string => $preview_text_string,
preview_latex_string => $preview_latex_string
$ans_hash->{score} -- a number between 0 and 1 indicating
whether the answer is correct. Fractions
allow the implementation of partial
credit for incorrect answers.
$ans_hash->{correct_ans} -- The correct answer, as supplied by the
instructor and then formatted. This can
be viewed by the student after the answer date.
$ans_hash->{student_ans} -- This is the student answer, after reformatting;
for example the answer might be forced
to capital letters for comparison with
the instructors answer. For a numerical
answer, it gives the evaluated answer.
This is displayed in the section reporting
the results of checking the student answers.
$ans_hash->{original_student_ans} -- This is the original student answer.
This is displayed on the preview page and may be used
for
sticky answers.
$ans_hash->{ans_message} -- Any error message, or hint provided by
the answer evaluator.
This is also displayed in the section reporting
the results of checking the student answers.
$ans_hash->{type} -- A string indicating the type of answer evaluator.
This helps in preprocessing the student answer for errors.
Some examples:
'number_with_units'
'function'
'frac_number'
'arith_number'
$ans_hash->{preview_text_string} --
This typically shows how the student answer was parsed. It
is
displayed on the preview page. For a student answer of 2sin(3x)
this would be 2*sin(3*x). For string answers it is typically
the
same as $ans_hash{student_ans}.
$ans_hash->{preview_latex_string} --
THIS IS OPTIONAL. This is latex version of the student answer
which is used to show a typeset view on the answer on the
preview
page. For a student answer of 2/3, this would be \frac{2}{3}.
'ans_message' => ", # null string
'preview_text_string' => undef,
'preview_latex_string' => undef,
'error_flag' => undef,
'error_message' => ",
$rh_ans->setKeys(score=>1, student_answer => "yes");
Sets standard elements in the AnswerHash (the ones defined
above). Will give error if one attempts to set non-standard keys.
To set a non-standard element in a hash use
$rh_ans->{non-standard-key} = newValue;
There are no safety checks when using this method.
Useage: $rh_ans->data('foo'); set $rh_ans->{student_ans} = 'foo';
$student_input = $rh_ans->data(); retrieve value of $rh_ans->{student_ans}
synonym for input
Useage: $rh_ans->input('foo') sets $rh_ans->{student_ans} = 'foo';
$student_input = $rh_ans->input();
synonym for data
Useage: $rh_ans->score(1)
$score = $rh_ans->score();
Retrieve or set $rh_ans->{score}, the student's score on the problem.
Useage: $rh_ans->throw_error("FLAG", "message");
FLAG is a distinctive word that describes the type of error.
Examples are EVAL for an evaluation error or "SYNTAX" for a syntax error.
The entry $rh_ans->{error_flag} is set to "FLAG".
The catch_error and clear_error methods use
this entry.
message is a descriptive message for the end user, defining what error occured.
Useage: $rh_ans->catch_error("FLAG2");
Returns true (1) if $rh_ans->{error_flag} equals "FLAG2", otherwise it returns
false (empty string).
Useage: $rh_ans->clear_error("FLAG2");
If $rh_ans->{error_flag} equals "FLAG2" then the {error_flag} entry is set to
the empty string as is the entry {error_message}
Useage: $flag = $rh_ans -> error_flag();
$message = $rh_ans -> error_message();
Retrieve or set the {error_flag} and {error_message} entries.
Use catch_error and throw_error where possible.
Useage: $rh_ans -> pretty_print();
Returns a string containing a representation of the AnswerHash as an HTML table.
Useage: $rh_ans->OR($rh_ans2);
Returns a new AnswerHash whose score is the maximum of the scores in $rh_ans
and $rh_ans2.
The correct answers for the two hashes are combined with "OR".
The types are concatenated with "OR" as well.
Currently nothing is done with the error flags and messages.
Useage: $rh_ans->AND($rh_ans2);
Returns a new AnswerHash whose score is the minimum of the scores in $rh_ans
and $rh_ans2.
The correct answers for the two hashes are combined with "AND".
The types are concatenated with "AND" as well.
Currently nothing is done with the error flags and messages.
$answer_evaluator->evaluate($student_answer_string
A filter is a subroutine which takes one AnswerHash as an input, followed by
a hash of options.
Useage: filter($ans_hash, option1 =>value1, option2=> value2 );
The filter performs some operations on the input AnswerHash and returns an
AnswerHash as output.
Many AnswerEvaluator objects are merely a sequence of filters placed into
three queues:
pre_filters: these normalize student input, prepare text and so forth
evaluators: these decide whether or not an answer is correct
post_filters: typically these clean up error messages or process errors
and generate error messages.
If a filter detects an error it can throw an error message using the $rh_ans-throw_error()>
method. This skips the AnswerHash by all remaining pre_filter $rh_ans-catch_error>,
decides how (
or whether) it is supposed to handle the error and then passes the result on
to the next post_filter.
Setting the flag $rh_ans-{done} = 1> will skip
the AnswerHash past the remaining post_filters.
File path = /ww/webwork/pg/lib/AnswerHash.pm
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