Today was the first quiz in MMC 2100. I like to give a quiz before we have an exam. The students can see the format of the quiz/exam, and we can practice the testing procedures.

With a class of 260, preparing the quiz involves logistics:

• Preparing three versions of the same quiz to reduce the temptation of looking at a classmate’s answers.
• Having copies made — and ordering about 10-15 extra copies just in case a few quizzes have a problem and need to be replaced as the quiz is being taken.
• Making sure to have Scantron sheets and pencils.
• Bubbling in answer keys.
• Preparing an envelope for the testing center with information about the quiz and the Journalism Department’s billing information.

This morning, I picked up the quizzes, took them to my office, and began scrambling them — ABC,ABC. I was counting along and got to 210 when I ran out of B and C. Having counted, I knew that I was 20 short of each B and C — and not that I just had 20 extra copies of A.

Fortunately, the quiz was still two hours away, so more copies could be made. But that speaks to the importance of making sure you’re ready to go into a quiz before the time to go into the quiz…and to the importance of counting.