Steps to Create a Custom Filter
Defining the Filter
A “filter” is one or more rules for limiting which subordinates of the test units are admitted into the question pool. There are three kinds of filters: Training Unit, Objective, and Question. Which of these are available on a given test depends on the kind of test unit used for that test. The larger the test unit type, the more kinds of filters are available, because there are more kinds of subordinates.
The Filter workscreen lists the Defined Filters. These are filters that have already been defined and preserved as files. On the Filter workscreen you can either:
• Use a defined filter, as-is: By highlighting one of the defined filters and then clicking the Load Defined Filter button (or double-clicking on the defined filter), the filter is tentatively put into service. You will be able to view that filter in the “Current Filter” window. To use the filter, click the OK button. If you decide not to use it, click the Cancel button, the Clear Filter button, or double-click on a different filter.
• Using a defined filter, with modifications: As noted above, by highlighting one of the defined filters and then clicking the Load Defined Filter button, you will be able to view that filter in the “Current Filter” window. To edit or modify the filter, edit the text in the Current Filter window. Click the Check Syntax button to check for errors in the script commands. Then click the OK button.
Nothing you do in the Current Filter window has any affect on the collection of Defined Filters. They remain unchanged, while the Current Filter gets saved with the test. To alter a defined filter itself, you would have to edit the text file in which it is stored. Similarly, in order to create a new defined filter, you must create a new text file containing the filter expression.
Steps to Define a Custom Filter
Creating a custom filter is an advanced feature of VISION. For this reason, you should check with your Systems Administrator before attempting to do so.
Follow these steps to create a custom filter.
1.Click the Load button, then Define Filter and select the type of filter you want to make. Filters will be available depending on the type of test unit you are using.
2.On the Filter window, click the green plus button to add a new filter.
3.In the Filter Designer, enter a title for the filter.
4.Use the drop-down lists to select customizable options.
5.Use the + and - buttons to add or remove filter rules and the "Not" checkbox to use the negative of a selection.
6.When you are finished, click the OK button and then select your filter.
7.If you wish to save your filter for future use, click the Save Filter to File button.
After Creating Filters
Once you have defined a filter, or if you choose not to define a filter, click the Load button on the Load page, and from the menu select "Unfiltered" or "Filtered" to load your question pool. If you are using high-level test units (such as Program units), it could take several minutes to complete.
Defining a Profile
A profile is a set of criteria that you specify for controlling the selection of questions from the pool for the test. When you apply the profile, VISION will randomly select questions from the pool according to the profile you enter. Each time you apply the profile, different questions may be selected, but always according to the same instructions, or criteria.
To define a profile, you begin by clicking the Select button and choosing Define Profile from the menu.
•There you will see the Limits page, where you will decide how you want to limit your test.
•There is also a Weighting page that is available if your test units are Program Training Units (program units that have sequenced objectives) or Program organizers. If the Weighting page is available, you can decide if you want to use it, as this is optional.
If you only enter information on the Limits page, VISION will take each pool of questions for each test unit and combine them into one large pool. And when you apply the profile, VISION will randomly select questions from this one large pool. But when the Weighting page is used, VISION divides the total pool into a group of smaller pools. The following example illustrates the concept.
Limits
There are several ways you can limit your test:
•By points: Enter the total number of points the test will be worth. This will draw from each question's "Points" value.
•By time: Enter the total number of minutes that the test should take. This will draw from each question's "Time to Complete".
•By number of questions: Enter the total number of questions you want on the text. Keep in mind that all other filters applied to the test will reduce the number of questions available.
•By objectives: Use this option to weight each objective in the test (on the Weighting tab). This will not limit the number of questions on the test, but give more or less credit for each objective. Be sure that you have the right amount of questions for each objective if you use this limit.
If VISION doesn’t meet the limit you want
VISION cannot always meet the value you entered on the Limits page. The following is a list of reasons why this might occur:
•There are too many questions that are not active, have zero points, or have no distractors (for Multiple Choice questions only). VISION will ignore these types of questions during the selection process.
•There are not enough questions in a test unit’s pool.
•The percentages are too small. If you have many test units and you are testing a small percentage of the questions from each test unit, the rounding errors may reduce the actual number of questions selected.
If VISION does not meet the value you entered on the Limits page, you can apply the profile again. If you need a test that exactly matches this value, you may have to select or deselect some questions manually, after applying the profile.
Weighting
Exam Weighting is different from Program Exam Weighting for VLS training units!
•The Weighting page will ONLY be available if your test units are Programs or Program Training Units (program units that have sequenced objectives). Weighting is an optional feature.
•If you limit your test by points, by time, or by number of questions, you identify the percentage of the test that will be made up of questions in the selected test unit.
•If you are limiting your test by number of questions, VISION will round any fractions to the nearest whole number. So, 3.49 would be rounded to 3 and 3.50 would be rounded to 4. This is done because you cannot select a fraction of a question.
• Any test unit that has 0% will be ignored when the profile is applied to the test. This means that VISION will not select any questions from the test unit’s pool of questions. If all test units have 0%, VISION will put all questions into one large pool when the profile is applied.
•If you limit your test by objectives, then on the Weighting page you specify what percentage of objectives to include from each type, as well as how many questions to select from each objective of that type.
