Session 10: Formatting Exams and Evaluations

Some general rules for preparation of exercises, drills, exams, and other classroom materials:

• Follow standard formatting for paragraphs, beginning in Cell 3 with runovers at the margin
• Words on the same line which are separated by a number of spaces should be separated in braille by three (3) blank cells. Typically, begin these words at the margin with runovers in Cell 3.
• You need to decide if your materials are non-expendable or if the student is expected to write on the materials. If not expendable, the materials are typically bound. In addition, specific directions need to be included in the braille that describe to the student how to supply an answer, such as brailling an answer on a separate sheet of paper. If the materials are expendable, specific directions are also supplied. For example, in a multiple choice exam, a good practice is to put the word "Answer" followed by a colon, followed by just the letter choices on the same line.
• Additional directions which do not appear in the print, but are designed to assist the blind reader, are indented two cells from the print directions and are preceded by a transcribers mark (dot 6 then dot 3 followed by no space).
• Begin brailling directions in Cell 5, with runovers in Cell 5 (blocked). Transcribers notes, if any, begin in Cell 7
• There is no line between the directions and the material
• Brailling unnumbered or unlettered items
  • Begin the question at the margin, with runovers in Cell 5
  • Answer choices begin in Cell 3, with runovers in Cell 5
• Brailling numbered or lettered items
  • Follow the print for numbering and lettering formats.
  • Main items begin at the margin, with runovers blocked in Cell 3
  • If there are subdivisions, begin the main item at the margin, with runovers in Cell 5. Subdivisions follow the "2" pattern -- the first subdivision begins in Cell 3, with runovers in Cell 5, etc.

Some short examples are provided:

Example 1: Simple paragraph question, permanent materials
Example 2: Multiple choice exam, expendable materials
Example 3: Fill-in-the-blank exam