Table of Contents
Meet RajaMark, your reliable helper to automate the grading of multiple-choice question (MCQ) answer sheets. By leveraging Tesseract OCR for handwritten text recognition and OpenCV for image preprocessing, RajaMark can swiftly and accurately interpret handwritten answers (A-E) beside question numbers. This automation eliminates the tedious and error-prone manual grading process, making it ideal for educational institutions seeking a more efficient grading solution.
In addition to grading, RajaMark offers tools to compile class results, allowing educators to aggregate individual scores and generate comprehensive reports on class performance in quizzes and tests. This feature helps teachers quickly identify trends and areas for improvement, streamlining the assessment process. Overall, RajaMark is a valuable resource for schools and universities aiming to improve the speed and accuracy of MCQ evaluation while reducing the workload on educators.
RajaMark requires (either one):
- the 64-bit version of Microsoft Windows 10 or later. These versions of Windows should include the required Windows PowerShell 5 or later.
- ChromeOS.
To install RajaMark:
- Click here to access our Google Drive.
- Download the .exe file.
- Click the .exe file and allow it to make changes to your computer for execution.
- You are all set.
- Upon first launch into the system, you will be asked to enter your email and password to log into your existing account in the Login page.
- If you have not set up an account before, click the “Don’t have an account? Register here” button. If you have already registered an account, go to Login.
- You will be asked to give your email and password that you intend to use. Upon completing the registration, you will have to enter your password once again for confirmation.
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Click the “Register” button once you have filled in the required information for registration.
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You will be redirected to the Login if you have registered successfully.
- In the Login page, fill in your email or username and password then click on the “Log in” button.
- If you have forgotten your password and wish to create a new one, proceed to Forgot Password.
- Click on the “Forgot Password?” button.
- Enter your registered email address to receive a password reset link to change your password.
- You will be shown with this message if you have entered a valid email address.
- After successfully logged in, you will now see the Homepage (dashboard page) like the picture below:
- If you wish to log out, navigate to the navigation bar located at the leftmost of the screen and click on the “LogOut” button. You will then be redirected to the Login page again.
- Exam Page
The Exam Page contains all exams that have been created. The exams can be edited or deleted from this table. The date of creation will also be displayed on this page. It is also possible to create a new exam from this page.
- User Manual Page
The User Manual Page contains the documentation of the user manual that provides detailed instructions on how to use this system effectively.
- LogOut
Navigate to the navigation bar located at the leftmost of the screen and click on the “LogOut” button if you wish to log out from your account.
- Go to the Exam page.
- Click on the “Create” button to create a new examination/quiz.
- Enter the examination’s details and grading’s criteria.
- Scroll down to enter the answer scheme.
- Click the “save” button to create the examination record.
- The examination record is successfully created.
- Go to the Exam page.
- Click on the “edit” icon for the specific exam to be edited.
- Enter the changes required in the Edit Exam page.
- Scroll down and click the “save” button to apply the changes.
- Go to the Exam page.
- Click on the “eye” icon for a specific exam to view the exam’s details.
- You will be directed to the Exam Details page.
- Go to the Exam page.
- Click on the “eye” icon to view the exam’s details.
- Once redirected into the Exam Details page, navigate to the list of students’ records and click on the “eye” icon to view the student’s details, “note” icon to edit the student's details or “trash” icon to delete the student's information.
- On the Student’s Details page, click the “Edit Result” button to make changes to the student's details.
- Go to the Exam page.
- Click on the “eye” icon to view the exam’s details.
- Click on the “Upload answer” button to upload the sample answer scheme.
- Once redirected into the Answer Scheme page, click the “+” icon to upload the sample answer scheme.
- Upload the answer scheme file.
- If the image processing fails, try to upload another file with a clearer view of the answer scheme.
- Wait for the file to be processed.
- Click the “confirm” button to apply the answer scheme.
- Go to the Exam page.
- Select the exam you wish to grade.
- In the student column, locate and click the "Add" button to input student data.
- Enter the student's ID and name into the designated fields.
- Click the "Upload" button to update the student's answer sheet.
- To add the student's answer sheet, either drag a file or use the "Choose files" option to select the file from your computer.
- After selecting a file, refer to Image Preprocessing for more details.
- The student's details will be displayed on the page for confirmation.
- Repeat steps 2 to 7 to add more students as necessary.
- Once you have finished adding all students, click the "Save" button to save the student records.
- Once a file is selected for upload, the system will begin processing the image.
- After successful processing, users are required to enter a file name for saving and the author's name. (In case of processing failure, refer to Troubleshooting for more info)
- Click on "Extract this file" to initiate OCR processing.
- The system will commence extracting text from the image.
- Upon successful extraction, the extracted text (answers) will be displayed.
- If the extracted data is incorrect, users may request a reupload. Otherwise, proceed to Step 7 of Upload Student Answer if no issues arise.
- Go to the Exam page.
- Select the eye icon of the exam you wish to view.
- Upon uploading students' answers, the system will automatically calculate the score for each student and calculate the mean and median score of the class. (Refer to Upload Student Answer to know more about uploading student’s answer)
- To generate a report, click on the "Generate Report" button.
- The report will include statistical measures such as the median, mean, and other relevant statistics.
| NO | Issues | Issue Description | Solution |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Poor Image Quality | OCR accuracy may decrease if the input images are of low resolution or contain artifacts such as blurriness or distortion. | Ensure that input images are clear, well-lit, and have sufficient resolution. Avoid using images with excessive noise or compression artifacts. |
| 2 | Unsupported Fonts | Certain fonts or styles may not be recognized accurately by the OCR system, leading to errors in text extraction. | Whenever possible, use standard fonts and avoid decorative or obscure fonts that may not be recognized reliably by the OCR system. |
| 3 | Complex Layouts | Documents with complex layouts, such as tables, columns, or mixed fonts, can pose challenges for OCR algorithms and result in incorrect text extraction. | If possible, preprocess documents to remove complex layouts or convert them into simpler formats before performing OCR. This can help improve accuracy and reduce errors. |
| 4 | Handwritten Text | Our product is encountering difficulties accurately recognizing handwritten text | For handwritten text, please ensure that the handwriting is clear and legible, and that the document is properly scanned or photographed for optimal results. |
If you encounter any issues with the OCR system that cannot be resolved using the provided solutions, please contact our support team for assistance:
Email: [[email protected]]([email protected])
- Student names and student IDs do not need to follow a specific order. Either one can be written first.
- The system will recognize student names and IDs after the colon (:) symbol. Avoid using other symbols such as arrows (->) or hyphens (-) before writing the name and ID.
- The phrases "Student Name" and "Student ID" are case-insensitive. You can write them as "sTuDeNt nAmE" or "sTUDENT ID", and the system will still recognize them.
- Student Name and Student ID must be written in a single line only.
- Student answers must be written in vertical format and each answer is separated by a new line.
- For best OCR text extraction, use white blank paper only instead of foolscap paper or grid-lined paper.
- Ensure students format answers consistently and legibly to aid OCR accuracy.
- Advise clear separation of answers for each question to minimize ambiguity.
- Caution against overlapping answers to enhance OCR interpretation.
- Scan answers at high resolution in well-lit conditions for optimal recognition.
- Encourage manual review of extracted text for clarity before submission.
- Ensure students use dark, bold pens or pencils for writing to improve OCR readability.
- Remind students to avoid excessive use of decorative elements or symbols that may interfere with OCR recognition.
- Provide guidelines for students to write numbers and symbols clearly, especially those prone to misinterpretation.
- Advise against folding or creasing answer sheets, as it can distort text and hinder OCR accuracy.
- Recommend students to use a ruler or straight edge for neat alignment of answers to improve OCR alignment.
- Provide clear handwriting guidelines to optimize OCR recognition; for example, require all multiple-choice answers to be in capital letters.
- Conduct regular practice sessions to familiarize students with handwriting recognition and improve their writing.
- Offer constructive feedback to students to enhance handwriting quality and OCR accuracy.
- Provide comprehensive user training to educators to address accuracy challenges effectively.
- Develop a standardized answer sheet template with clear instructions and designated areas for answers to facilitate OCR processing.
- Encourage students to practice writing in a consistent style and size to aid OCR recognition.
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Optical Character Recognition (OCR) | The technology used to convert different types of documents, such as scanned paper documents, PDF files, or images captured by a digital camera, into editable and searchable data. |
| Resolution | The level of detail that an image holds. In the context of scanning, it measures the number of pixels per inch (PPI) or dots per inch (DPI) in a digital image. |
| Layout | The arrangement of text, images, and other elements on a document or webpage. |
| Handwriting Recognition | The process of converting handwritten text into digital text. It involves analyzing and interpreting handwritten characters to recognize and convert them into machine-readable text. |
| Calibration | The process of adjusting and fine-tuning equipment or software to ensure accuracy and consistency in performance. In the context of scanning, calibration may involve adjusting settings such as brightness, contrast, and color balance to optimize image quality. |
| Standardized Format | A predefined layout or structure that follows specific guidelines or conventions. In the context of answer sheets, a standardized format ensures consistency in the presentation of questions and answers, facilitating accurate interpretation and grading. |
| Alignment | The positioning of text or objects relative to a reference point or line. In the context of OCR, alignment ensures that text is accurately detected and interpreted within predefined boundaries or regions. |
| Noise | Random variations or interference in an image that can degrade quality and affect OCR accuracy. |
| Preprocessing | The process of applying various techniques to raw data, such as images or text, to improve quality, enhance features, or prepare it for further analysis. |
1. Which platforms are RajaMark compatible with?
A: RajaMark is designed to be compatible with multiple operating systems, which are Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS.
2. How does RajaMark automate answer sheet grading?
A: RajaMark assumes the adherence of the answer sheets uploaded to a standardized format and layout, and conducts recognition of students’ handwriting with OCR technology to compare the answers with the sample provided.
3. What format should the answer sheets uploaded be in?
A: The answer sheets should have the answers consistently written next to the corresponding question numbers in a predetermined manner and written in Capital Letters (e.g., letters A-E)
4. How does RajaMark ensure its accuracy in text recognition to compare uploaded answer sheets with the sample answers?
A: While we try our best to produce the most accurate text recognition results using OCR technology, it is inevitable to face minor inaccuracies in detecting the handwritten answers. Hence, we highly advise users to conduct a thorough checking of the graded answers and make the necessary corrections on the Student Answer Page.
5. Can I modify the grading system for a subject?
A: Yes! After the user has created a subject under the Exam Details page, a default grade will be automatically set for the subject and users can click “Edit” to amend the existing grading system.