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Web Sites>Accountability Services
>Testing Section>Computer
Skills>Handbooks>New>Performance
Sample Items
On-line
Interactive
Sample Performance Items
from the
North Carolina
Tests
of Computer Skills
Student Handbook
(For Students Who Entered
Grade 8 From 2000–2001
and Beyond 2004-2005)
Published
March 2001
TEST
SECTIONS:
I. Desktop Publishing
II. Database Use
III. Spreadsheet
Use
FILE
DOWNLOADS (get files used to answer sample performance questions
below):
Get
Windows files >
Get
Macintosh files >
Fill in your answer each database and spreadsheet
question below and click on the "Submit" button. Desktop
Publishing and portions of Database and Spreadsheet cannot be interactively
scored.
Part
I: Desktop Publishing
The tasks in this section
measure your ability to edit and format a word processing file.
Tasks measure the ability to align text, change font type and size,
use a spell checker, and demonstrate keyboarding techniques.
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Directions:
- Use
your word processing program and the file called WPFILE.
- Read
the scenario.
- Use
the word processing file to respond to the five tasks below.
- When
you have finished the tasks below, print your work. [Printing
is optional for this online version. For the current test,
prints of results are used as evidence for scoring purposes.]
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Scenario:
Your
assignment is to edit and format a student newsletter for
your school. Following the instructions below, edit and format
the word processing file called WPFILE. |
Sample
of file called WPFILE:
- Center
the newsletter title, The Social Studies TV Project Update,
in bold 24-point type.
- In
the first article, The Big Four Became the Big Three,
make the following edits:
- Center
the title in bold 14-point type
- Single
space and left-align the text in regular 12-point type
- Indent
the paragraph
- In
the second article, TV Study to Be Televised, italicize
the title, The Social Effects of Television in 1958.
- Use
the spell checker to make certain all words are spelled
correctly.
- Below
the last article, type the following article: Paying
for Noticeable Names. Remember to:
- Key
as accurately as possible the title and paragraphs in
the the box below
- Center
and format the title in bold 14-point type
- Indent
the paragraph
- Left-align
the text in 12-point type
- Use
correct keyboarding techniques
- Use
word wrap and ignore any differences between what you
key and how the paragraph appear on this page
- Use
the spell checker
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Paying
for Noticeable Names
During
the 1958 television season, advertisers were careful to get
full value for their investments by putting the names of their
companies in the titles of programs such as Lux Playhouse,
The Dinah Shore Chevy Show, and Lawrence Welk's
Plymouth Show. |
Part
II: Database Use
Use
the DBFILE file (available for downloading)
to complete this sample item.
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Directions:
Use your database program and the file DBFILE
- Use
your database program and the file DBFILE
- Read
the scenario.
- Use
the database file called DBFILE to respond to the questions
1 and 2 below.
- Use
the database file called DBSHORT to respond to question
3 below.
- When
asked to "describe the steps you took to find your
answer," use appropriate database terms (for example,
"Sorted the MONTHS EXISTED field in ascending order"
or "Searched the MONTHS EXISTED for all records greater
than 200").
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Scenario:
Your social studies class has created a database containing
information on the 106 network television shows shown during
the evenings in the fall of 1958, the first year that all major
networks had a full evening schedule. The database DBFILE is
complete through December 1998, and your task is to answer the
following questions. |
Sample
of first record of file called DBFILE:
1.
Which program lasted for the greatest number of YEARS ON TV?
2.
Which program had a MONTHS EXISTED number greater than 150 months
and a YEARS ON TV number less than 5?
Explanation:
Use database terms to describe the steps you took to find your answer
for the question 2.
- Close
the database file called DBFILE. Next open the database
file called DBSHORT. Follow the instructions
below:
- Add
a new field named BROADCAST DAY (the new field may be added
before or after any pre-existing field)
- In
the new field named BROADCAST DAY, enter the following day
for each program:
- Wednesday
(for Bat Masterson)
- Sunday
(for the Ed Sullivan Show)
- Thursday
(for Leave it to Beaver)
- Monday
(for This is Music)
- Print
your final DBSHORT file. [Printing is optional for
this online version. For the current test, prints of results
are used as evidence for scoring purposes. Prints for the
database section should show the additional field name and
the new data entered along with the previously existing
data.]
This
question measures your ability to create a new field in a
database and enter data into it.
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Sample
of file called DBSHORT:
Part
III: Spreadsheet Use
Use
the SSFILE file (available for downloading)
to complete this sample item.
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Directions:
- Use
your spreadsheet program and the file called SSFILE
.
- Read
the scenario.
- Use
the spreadsheet file to respond to the questions 1-4 below.
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Scenario:
Your
social studies class is studying advertising on television
in 1958. Your teacher has created a spreadsheet to estimate
the number of viewers in the neighborhood around your school
who would have seen advertisements for nine programs that
were popular in 1958. Your assignment is to test the spreadsheet
by answering the questions below. After answering these questions,
your teacher wants you to add new information to the file,
SSFILE, and create a chart (graph) for presentation to your
social studies class. |
Sample
of file called SSFILE:
1.
If an ad ran for 7 weeks on The Price Is Right, how many
times would the ad have been viewed?
2.
If an ad on Gunsmoke was viewed 1,872 times, how many weeks
did the ad run?
- To
the right of the "Times Ad Viewed" column on the spreadsheet,
label a new column "Network." In the rows under "Network,"
enter the following networks for each program:
- CBS
(for Gunsmoke)
- NBC
(for Wagon Train)
- CBS
(for Have Gun Will Travel)
- CBS
(for The Danny Thomas Show)
- ABC
(for Maverick)
- NBC
(for The Price Is Right)
- NBC
(for Wanted: Dead or Alive)
- NBC
(for The Perry Como Show)
- ABC
(for Sugarfoot)
In
the rows under the "Weeks Ad Ran" column, enter 7 for
each program.
| Question
3 measures your ability to create new data areas (column) and
enter data into the spreadsheet. |
- Using
the spreadsheet you have saved, create a chart (graph). Choose
the chart (graph) that will best display the following information:
- Column
labels (Program, Weeks Ad Ran, Rating, Weekly Viewers)
- All
data in the 4 columns (Program,
Weeks Ad Ran, Rating, Weekly Viewers)
- Do
not include the "Times Ad Viewed" column, the "Network"
column, or "TOTAL VIEWERS WATCHING ADS" row
| Question
4 measures your ability to create a chart (graph) using specific
data within the spreadsheet. |
Print
your final spreadsheet and chart (graph). [Printing is optional
for this online version. For the current test, prints of results
are used as evidence for scoring purposes.]
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