Patent Document ID: 8472860
Application ID: 12437619
Patent Flag: 1

Claim One:
1. A computer-implemented method for grading student work on a problem when the student's own steps are shown in detail, said method comprising the following steps: utilizing a computer with a production-rule based system to perform: creating a reference trace representing a best solution path to said problem; creating a student trace of the student's work, wherein creating the student trace comprises the steps of: explicitly tracing the student's work, via a processor, by searching for a specific rationale for appending a step to said student trace; provisionally accepting said step as part of said best solution path, subject to revocation if a better-quality step is later found by a step conflict check; implicitly tracing the student's work, via the processor, in order to assume implicitly taken unwritten mental steps have been carried out prior to said step provided the explicit tracing has failed to justify said step, wherein said step is either rationalized by an assumption that renders said step justified and appended to said student trace even if not explicitly traced or said step is determined to be an error; appending any remaining untraced steps to said student trace and excluding them from said best solution path; scoring said student trace, via the processor, said scoring comprising the steps of: computing a value of said steps in the student's work to form a student value, wherein said student value is a sum of individual stepwise contributions including a component for a correct production and a component for correctly building on prior steps multiplied by a scale factor, excluding any credit for said implicitly taken unwritten mental steps; and, comparing said student value to a total value of said steps in said reference trace, wherein said reference trace includes scores for any of said implicitly taken unwritten mental steps, as a result producing and displaying on said computer at least a partial score for said student for said problem.