Scantron: Getting Started

Your department can order forms for you.  They should:

1. Fill out the Scantron Order Form located on the Forms page. Be sure to provide a State account number for an ESF recharge. The price is currently $0.20 per form.
2. Email the form to Donna Follett at Moon Library (dbfollet@esf.edu) and she will contact you or your department to arrange delivery or pick up of your order.

Unfortunately, you cannot use any forms from Syracuse University that you may have on hand. Our Scantron machine is configured only to read the green ESF forms.

The students have three fill-able fields: Name, Username, Version.

1. Name is the student's full name.   It will appear in raw scan data only. 
2. The Username field is mandatory if you wish to generate readable grade reports from the raw scan data.  Ideally this should be the student's 8-letter NetID, which is unique to each student.  (This will correspond to the first part of their e-mail address, before the "@" sign.)  The username field is the only field that displays in the grade reports, so it is important to include. 
3. If you have multiple versions of the same test, the version field needs to be filled out (using all four digits - ie, version 0001, 0002, etc).  (If you have only one test version, your students should leave this field blank, as stray marks in this field may interfere with proper scanning.)

The form must be filled out with a No. 2 pencil. Pens should not be used with the green ESF-branded form.

SU’s Office of Disability Services (ODS) has been provided with a supply of the green SUNY-ESF Scantron forms.  Students must use ESF-issued Scantron forms to take the test. SU-issued Scantron forms cannot be scanned at ESF and would need to be hand graded. If you have any questions about ODS, contact ESF’s Office of Student Affairs at 470-6658.

Any ESF faculty member can use the Scantron machine. ESF graduate students may also use the equipment on behalf of a faculty member. Your ESF login will be required to log in to the Scantron workstation.  (SU NetID logins will not work on this workstation.)

The Scantron is on the lower level of Moon Library in Room 9A (first room on the right inside the Room 9 suite).  If the door is locked, please ask a staff member on the first floor to unlock the door.

The Scantron is available for use during regular Library hours. There is currently no reservation schedule - it is first-come, first-served.  (Please note that technical assistance will not be available outside of regular business hours of Monday-Friday, 8 am - 4 pm).

If you are new to the Scantron machine, you can contact Lydia Torres at lptorres@syr.edu to arrange a brief training session (between the hours of 8 am and 4 pm only). This can be done before or after your exam takes place; but if you will be grading an exam for a class/section with a large number of students, it is recommended you have the training session prior to the exam. There are also printed guides available below.

If you are having trouble with the machine or the software, please call 470-6716 or e-mail lptorres@syr.edu for assistance during regular business hours, or stop by Room 101.  There are also basic instructions for clearing paper feeder jams located next to the machine.