eExam -The Online Examination System

Submitted by:

Niraj Lala Y2m004

Department of computer science and engineering National Institute of Technology Calicut-673601 November 2004

Certificate

This is to certify that this mini-project report titled “Online examination System” is a bonafide record of the mini-project done by Niraj Lala (y2m004) of 5 thsemester MCA student, National Institute of Technology, Calicut.

Guide: Professor and Head: Dr.M.P Sebastian Dr. V.K Govindan Asst. Professor Professor Dept. of Computer Engineering Dept. of Computer Engineering NIT, Calicut NIT, Calicut

Acknowledgement I would like to put on records my sincere thanks to: Dr. M.P Sebastian, Asst. Professor. Computer science and engineering department. I would also like to thank all of my friends and well wishers who helped me a lot in the successful completion of mini-project. Niraj Lala

Abstract

The eExam is a web based Online Examination System which will help in conducting the Online Examination. eExam has been developed for conducting multiple choice online test. It has got three sections -1.English, 2.Computer and 3.Mathematics With time limit for each section. The examinee will be able to take up the exam and he/she will also be able to view the results immediately after each section. The system also lets the examinee know about the correct and incorrect answers.

CONTENTS

1. Introduction --------------------------------------------------------------

2. System Analysis -------------------------------

2.1 Problem Definition ---------------------------- 2.2 Existing System ----------------------------------- 2.3 Proposed System --------------------------------- 2.4 System Requirement -----------------------------

3. Examination Procedure --------------------------------------------

4. System Design ----------------------------------------

4.1 System Requirement Specification -----------

4.2 Class Diagram ------------------------------------9 4.3 Use Case Diagram ---------------------------------10

4.4 Sequence Diagram ------------------------------- 11

5. Implementation

5.3 Module I ------------------------------------------

5.4 Module II -----------------------------------------

6. Testing and Maintenance ------------------------------------------ 7. Few Snap Shots -----------------------------------------------------

8. Conclusion ----------------------------------------------------------

9. Reference -----------------------------------------------------------

Introduction

eExam is a cost-effective and popular means of mass evaluation system. The existing system is manual and not secure up to the mark. Computer-based testing can also achieve significant cost-savings, by virtue of the speed at which results are analyzed and presented.

The system we describe is an Internet-Based Testing (IBT) system. There are two types of people who participate in this system one is the user and other is the administrator. The administrator is responsible for writing and scoring examinations. He can add question to the database, add new user to the database and issue a valid ID for that user. The examinee takes up the test and gets the result immediately for each section.

eExam is web based system that provides the facility to conduct online examinations. Following are the modules of eExam software:

(1) Verifier:

This module verifies the authentication of the users/examinees and provides the further access to authenticated users.

(2) Conductor:

This module conducts the examination and provides different menus to users/examinees. The user interacts with the system with module. It provides a user friendly interface to users.

(3) Result maker:

This module declares the marks/result after the examination.

Examination process: First of all the user/examinee gets a valid identification number (same as the roll no for a normal examination).The user can log on with this identification no. and can take up the examination. After logging in the user can see various options and can choose the option from the menu. Results: After completion of examination the administrator can view the results within seconds

System Requirement Specification

System Requirements for eEXAM:--

• Windows 98/2000/XP • • JDK Platform • • Microsoft Access • • Apache Tomcat Server

Design Phase I: - Use Case Diagram

Exam control system

Administrator

Examinee

Save answers

Verify Answers

Generate result

View results

Put Questions

Select Ans

Create/edit/delete Question

Control exam

<<uses>>

<<uses>>

<<uses>>

<<extends>>

<<uses>>

Design Phase II: - Class Diagram

eExam

User User_ID User_name User_address User_age User_sex Select_answer () View_result ()

Administrator

Admin_ID Admin_name Admin_address Admin_sex Admin_sex Create_question () Delete_question () Edit_question () Get_result ()

Server

Select_userDB () Select_questionDB ()

UserDB

QuestionDB

Request for Questions

Display Section n

Send Marked Question

Return to Prompt

Action = Submit or Timer <=0

Mark on Section n

Mark on Section 1

Display Instructions

Select “View” Instruction

Send Question

Invoke Login

Display

Select Exam option Generate Private Key

Send Private Key

Prompt for Exam

Send Exam ID

Send Question

Request for Starting the exam

Display Section 1

Exit Exam Program

Examinee Examination Conductor

Design Phase III :- Sequence Diagram

Implementation Packages used for developing eExam:--

• Macromedia Dreamweaver MX 2004 (JSP) • Microsoft Access (Database) • Apache Tomcat Server (Server)

The whole implementation is done in two modules. The first one is Administrator and the second is Examinee. Module I:- This first module tracks the path of Administrator. In this module it shows how the admin can log into the system with a valid password and can add new valid user to the database. His name and examid is saved in the database .Also he can manipulate the database and add new question in the database from the webpage itself. It also shows how many questions are in database. Module II:- This second module track the path for the examinee .The examinee can log into the system with a valid ID issued by the admin. After successfully login into the system the examinee moves to the instruction web page where he will get instruction about the examination process. Then after clicking the start button the exam starts and timer also starts .In this manner examinee can take up the test and clicking the submit button , he will get the result of that section immediately. At the end system displays the initial web page.

Database Description

In this project the database plays a key role for storing the name, id and marks of the examinee. The are mainly eight tables in this project. The tables are: Examinee: Attribute Name Data type Constraints Examinee name Text Examinee ID Text Primary Key Administrator: Attribute Name Data type Constraints Admin Name Text Admin ID Text Primary Key Questions: Attribute Name Data type Constraints Question Num Text Option1 Text Option2 Text Option3 Text Option4 Text Answer Text Sections: Attribute Name Data type Constraints English Text Computer Text Mathematics Text Marks: Attribute Name Data type Constraints Examinee Name Text Examinee ID Text Primary Key Engmarks Text Compmarks Text Mathmarks Text

Testing

• White-Box Testing:

White-box testing is the testing of the underlying implementation of a piece of software (e.g., source code) without regard to the specification (external description) for that piece of software. The goal of white-box testing of source code is to identify such items as (unintentional) infinite loops, paths through the code which should be allowed, but which cannot be executed and dead (unreachable) code.

• Black-Box Testing: Black-box testing is the testing of a piece of software without regard to its Underlying implementation. Specifically, it dictates that test cases for a piece of Software is to be generated based solely on an examination of the specification (External description) for that piece of software.

• Ad Hoc Testing : A testing phase where the tester tries to 'break' the system by randomly trying the systems functionality. This also includes ‘Monkey Testing’- testing a system or an Application on the fly, i.e. just few tests here and there to ensure the system does not crash out.

• End-to-End testing: Testing a complete application environment in a situation that mimics real-world use, such as interacting with a database, using network communications, or interacting with other hardware, applications, or systems if appropriate.

Maintenance:- The maintenance of system is very simple but enhancement is required and to be carried on.Enhancements to be carried out require inclusion of requirements that have come up after the requirements were frozen. This includes some functionality changes in the Examination procedure as well as including greater details about the Examinee. The system is not a platform dependent.

Few Snap Shots

Security Issues

• In the eExam various security issues have been implemented. like… The examinee can’t open any other page without a valid login. If someone tries to open any page he/she is redirected to the login page.

• The examinee can navigate to the previous page by clicking on the back button of the browser. This navigation should not be allowed. But even if the examinee goes back and tries to take up the exam again ,he/she won’t be able to do so because there will be only one entry in the marks database for a particular ID

• This software can be upgraded in future and many more advanced features can be added to it.

Conclusion

• The eExam is a small but effective system for conducting online examinations.

• Its very small in size and can be stored even if in a floppy.

• Its cost effective.

• It can be easily modified and can be converted to other

useful system. for example it can be converted to Online Quizzing System or Online Feed Back System.

• Its worth trying.

References: -

1. Ian Somerville, “Software Engineering”, Sixth Edition, Pearson Education Ltd, 2002.

2. Page Jones, “Fundamentals of Object Oriented design in

UML”, Addison Wesley Longman Pvt Ltd.

3. Elamsri and Navathe, “Fundamentals of Database

Systems”, Pearson Asia Edition 2000