Transformation Glossary
Within this glossary, Score, Constant, and Term are defined as follows:
Score refers to any of the three score types — raw, bonus, or transformed.
Constant refers to a numerical value which is the same for all students. It does not refer to a score.
Term can be either a score or a constant.
AVERAGE returns the average of ‘N’ terms. Missing scores will be treated as zeros.
ScoreName = AVERAGE (term1,term2,…,termN) Ex: Average all four exams the student should have taken (EXAM1, EXAM2,EXAM3, and FINAL), and call the result AVERAGE, or AVERAGE = AVE (EXAM1, EXAM2, EXAM3, FINAL).
xAVERAGE returns the average of terms, dropping the lowest “n” scores. All missing scores are dropped. Additional lowest scores are then dropped up to the drop count. If the number of missing scores exceeds the drop count, only the non-missing scores are averaged.
ScoreName = xAVERAGE (dropcount,term1,term2,…, termN) Ex: Find the average of EXAM1, EXAM2, EXAM3, and FINAL, i.e., excluding the lowest 2 scores, and call the result AVERAGE, or AVERAGE = xAVE (2, EXAM1, EXAM2, EXAM3, FINAL), dropping lowest 2 scores.
COPY creates a new score identical to an existing score. If the original score is missing, the resulting score is also missing.
ScoreName = COPY (term1) Ex: Make a copy of EXAM1 and call it MATHCOMP, or MATHCOMP = COPY (EXAM1).
DIVIDE computes the quotient of two terms. If any score is missing, or if the denominator is zero, the resulting score is missing.
ScoreName = DIVIDE (term1,term2) Ex: Divide MDTRM1 by 2, and call the result MIDTERM, or MIDTERM = DIV (MDTRM1, 2).
DROP returns the sum of a set of terms, dropping the lowest “n” scores. All missing scores are dropped. Additional lowest scores are then dropped up to the drop count. The sum is based only on non-missing scores and constants.
ScoreName = DROP (dropcount,term1,term2,…,termN) Ex: Add together the two highest exams among EXAM1, EXAM2, and EXAM3, and call the result BEST2OF3, or BEST2OF3 = DROP (1, EXAM1, EXAM2, EXAM3).
EXCLUDE assigns a null value (not zero) to student scores which fall outside specified minimum and maximum constant values. If the original score is missing, or outside the specified range, the resulting score is also null. The most common usage is to assign a “passing” grade to students whose scores are between some value (commonly 70) and 100. All students outside this range would receive a null score.
ScoreNameA = EXCLUDE (scorenameB, lowestvalue, highestvalue) Ex: Assign a score to all students whose score on EXAM8 is greater than or equal to 70 and less than or equal to 100, and a null score to all others, or PASS8 = EXCLUDE (EXAM8, 70, 100).
INCREMENT adds a term to a score. All terms must have a value to produce a new score value.
ScoreNameA = INCREMENT (scorenameB, term2, …, termN) Ex: Adjust each student’s score on MDTRM1 by adding 3 points, or MDTRM1 = INC (MDTRM1, 3) Ex: Give a TOTAL score, only for students who took allfour exams, or TOTAL = INC (EXAM1, EXAM2, EXAM3, EXAM4)
LIMIT assigns minimum and maximum constant values to student scores which fall outside those limits. If the original score is missing, the resulting score is also missing.
ScoreNameA = LIMIT (scorenameB, lowestvalue, highestvalue) Ex: Give a score of 0 to all students whose score on EXAM8 is less than 0, and give a score of 100 to all students whose score is greater than 100, or EXAM8 = LIMIT (EXAM8, 0, 100).
LINEAR performs a linear transformation (Y = aX + b) on a score. If the original score is missing, the resulting score is also missing.
ScoreNameA = LINEAR (scorenameB, multiplier, constant) Ex: Compute GRADE by multiplying TOTAL by 12, and adding 25.76 to the product, or GRADE = LINEAR (TOTAL, 12, 25.76).
LOOKUP gives a constant value to one score if the value of the original score is within a given range. If the original score is missing, or outside of the given range, the resulting score is also missing.
ScoreNameA = LOOKUP (scorenameB, lowestvalue, highestvalue, constant) Ex: Compute GPA by checking to see if TOTAL is between 95 and 97, or GPA = LOOKUP (TOTAL, 95, 97, 3.9).
MAXIMUM chooses the maximum of a set of terms. The largest non-missing score will be selected.
ScoreName = MAXIMUM (term1,term2,…,termN) Ex: Find the largest of 100, QUIZ1, and QUIZ2, and call that value HISCR, or HISCR = MAXIMUM (100,QUIZ1,QUIZ2).
MINIMUM chooses the minimum of a series of terms. The smallest non-missing score will be selected.
ScoreName = MINIMUM(term1,term2,…termN) Ex: Find the smallest of 10, QUIZ6, and QUIZ7, and call that value LOWSCR, or LOWSCR = MINIMUM (10,QUIZ6,QUIZ7).
MISSING substitutes a constant for missing scores.
ScoreNameA = MISSING (scorenameB, constant) Ex: Substitute 0 for missing values of EXAM1, or EXAM1A = MISSING (EXAM1,0).
MULTIPLY computes the product of a series of terms. If any score is missing, the resulting score is missing.
ScoreName = MULTIPLY (term1,term2,…,termN) Ex: Multiply the product of FINAL and QUIZ1 by 2, and call the result TOTAL, or TOTAL = MULT (FINAL, QUIZ1, 2).
PERCENT computes percent from a score. If the original score is missing, the resulting score is also missing. Scores greater than 100% value will lead to percent scores of 100.
ScoreNameA = PERCENT (scorenameB, 0%value, 100%value) Ex: Compute the percent scores (PCT3) for EXAM3 (the minimum value of EXAM3 is 0, and the maximum is 37), or PCT3 = PER (EXAM3, 0, 37).
PSLOPE performs a linear transformation on a score. If the original score is missing, the resulting score is also missing. Calculates ‘a’ and ‘b’ for Y = aX + b, based on two pair of numbers.
ScoreNameA = PSLOPE (scorenameB,old1,new1,old2,new2) Ex: Calculate grades from this linear table:
92= 4.0
86= 3.5
80= 3.0
74= 2.5
68= 2.0
56= 1.0
or
GRADE = PSLOPE ( TOTAL, 92, 4.0; 80,3.0)
Note that this will not work with a non-linear table such as:
92= 4.0
87= 3.5
80= 3.0
72= 2.5
68= 2.0
60= 1.5
56= 1.0
STANDARD returns a standardized score for which you specify the mean and standard deviation. The default values of mean=50 and standard deviation=10 will be used if you do not specify other values. If the original score is missing, the resulting score is also missing.
ScoreNameA = STANDARD (scorenameB, newmean, newsigma) Ex: Transform MDTRM1 to a standard score called STDSCR with a mean of 100, and standard deviation of 15, or STDSCR = STANDARD (MDTRM1, 100, 15).
SUBTRACT finds the difference between two terms. If any term is missing, the resulting score is missing.
ScoreName = SUBTRACT (term1,term2) Ex: Subtract EXAM1 from FINAL, and call the difference IMPROVE, or IMPROVE= SUB (FINAL, EXAM1).
SUM adds the terms listed. Missing scores will be treated as zeros. No score is computed if all terms are missing.
ScoreName = SUM (term1,term2,…,termN) Ex: Add PAPER1 to EXAM1 to get TOTAL1, or TOTAL1 = SUM ( PAPER1, EXAM1)