Getting to Know
ACCUPLACER
®
This Quick Start Guide is designed to help you become familiar with ACCUPLACER by demonstrating how to:
 Log in to ACCUPLACER
 Create Branching Profile and Placement Rules
 Create Test Sites
 Administer tests
 Transfer Test Units
 Run reports
 Create Users
We recommend that you follow the steps listed in chronological order to get the most comprehensive look at
ACCUPLACER. However, you will notice that various documents are often referred to in the directions. These
documents can be found when you log in to the ACCUPLACER system under the Resources section.
STEP 1: LOGGING IN TO ACCUPLACER
As an approved ACCUPLACER user, you will receive a registration confirmation email that
includes your username and an account authentication link. Once selected, the link will direct
you to a series of screens that will validate your login credentials.
Once complete, follow the steps below to access your account:
1. Go to www.accuplacer.org, enter your
Institution Administrator Username and
password, and click on the Login button.
2. Review the Permissions Level guide in
the Resources menu under Getting
Started with ACCUPLACER.
Note: Institution Administrators cannot
administer ACCUPLACER tests.
STEP 2: CREATING TEST SITES
Getting to Know
A TEST SITE is online location that must be created in your ACCUPLACER account to test
students. Test Sites protect student privacy by allowing authorized users to access data in a
particular test site. Test Sites can be created based on physical location such as the North
campus and East campus, or can be based on a specific program such as testing for
placement, testing during a summer boot camp, or testing in high schools.
Follow the steps below to create your test site(s):
1. Select the Users menu option.
2. After the Users menu expands, click Site
Profile.
3. Click Add to create a Test Site.
4. Enter the name of your new Test Site and
complete all fields marked with and
asterisk.
5. Press Save.
STEP 3: TRANSFERRING TEST UNITS
ACCUPLACER tests are administered using TEST UNITS. Test Units are a priced product
that unlock all ACCUPLACER tests. Most tests have a value of one test unit per test. Refer to
the ACCUPLACER Order Form to confirm pricing and unit requirements before test day.
Follow the steps below to transfer test units:
1. Select the Users menu option.
2. After the Users menu expands, click Testing
Units.
3. Select your ‘transfer from’ and ‘transfer to’ test
sites from the pull down menus.
4. Enter the number of units to transfer.
5. Click Transfer to complete your transfer.
®
STEP 4: CREATING USERS (SITE MANGERS, PROCTORS AND REPORTERS)
Once you have created all of your test sites, you will need to add USERS to each of your sites.
The ACCUPLACER system is comprised of various useful features. Access to these features is
role-based. User roles, which are determined by the Institution Administrator, include Site
Manager, Proctor, Proctor Reporter, and Reporters.
Follow the steps below to create your users:
1. Select the Users menu option.
2. After the Users menu expands, click
Manage Profiles.
3. Once this menu expands, select
Users Profiles.
4. Click on Add.
5. Provide the requested information
and click Save.
6. Repeat these steps to create
additional users as needed.
Note: For more information about User Roles and
User Permission Levels, review the ACCUPLACER
Permission Levels guide located under the Getting
Started with ACCUPLACER section of the Resources
menu.
STEP 5: CREATING BRANCHING PROFILES
BRANCHING PROFILES are created by the Institution Administrator and/or Site Manager.
Branching Profiles determine which tests will be administered, which background questions
will be presented, what tools will be available for a student to use during testing, and the
format of the score report. There are three parts to a Branching Profile: Test Settings,
Background Question Groups, and tests including WritePlacer® Settings. Each of these should
be configured before creating a Branching Profile.
On the next page, follow the steps to create Branching Profiles:
STEP 5: CREATING BRANCHING PROFILES (CONT’D)
1. Log in as a Institution Administrator or Site Manager.
2.
Select the Test Setup menu option.
Test Settings determine the format for Student Score
Reports and which tools will be available for students
during testing.
Background Questions
Background Questions are questions used to collect
student information.
WritePlacer Settings determine which WritePlacer
prompt is administered.
Note: For more information about creating branching profiles, background
questions, and WritePlacer settings, review the ACCUPLACER User’s Guide
found in the Resources section.
STEP 6: CREATING PLACEMENT RULES
Created by the Institution Administrator or the Site Manager, Placement Rules report
student’s course placement the Individual Score Report (ISR). Placement Rules are based on
placement scores that have been established by your institution.
Follow the steps below to input your Placement Rules:
1. Log in as a Institution Administrator or Site Manager.
2. Select Placement Setup.
Placement Rules can be created after you create your
course group(s), course(s), and majors to generate course
placements a student ISRs.
Course Groups allow you to categorize courses into like
disciplines for reporting.
Courses are an inventory of all courses you plan to use in
your placement rules. Course names appear on the ISR.
Majors are an inventory of all of your programs and/or majors.
Note: Placement rules created using Site Manager login credentials are only visible in that
particular site. For more information about creating Placement Rules and Permission
Levels, review the ACCUPLACER User’s Guide found in the Resources section.
STEP 7: ADMINISTERING TEST
After you complete steps 1 through 6, the ACCUPLACER system is ready to Administer Test.
Follow the steps below to administer a test:
1. Log in as a Proctor and select the Administer
Test menu option.
2. After the Administer Test menu expands, click
Administer New Test Session.
3. Note the number of test units remaining in your
site.
4. From the Select Branching Profile drop-down
menu, select the Branching Profile you want to
use.
5. Click Administer Test and seat the student
when the ACCUPLACER Student Privacy Policy
screen appears.
Note: Tests being administered to students should
always be done in a proctored environment. Review
the ACCUPLACER User’s Guide found in the
Resources section to lean more about proctor
requirements and test administration..
STEP 8: CREATING REPORTS
There are a variety of Reports available within the ACCUPLACER system. These reporting
tools include a comprehensive unit history and test administration report and robust data
configurations for downloading data into student information systems.
Follow the steps below to create reports:
1. Log as a Institution Administrator, Site Manager, or Reporter.
2. Select Reports.
Individual Score Reports provide a copy of the score report
generated at the end of a student’s test session.
Roster Reports includes Placement Roster Reports, Course Roster
Reports, and Score Roster Reports.
Demographic Reports provide a summary of answers to
demographic questions.
STEP 8: CREATING REPORTS (CONT’D)
The WritePlacer Response Report generates a copy of a
scored essay.
Diagnostic Test Reports provides test score roster reports
and summary reports for diagnostic tests.
Test Unit Reports provides a history of when units were
purchased, used, or transferred from site-to-site.
Custom Reports gives you the opportunity to generate
reports that combine different parameters to create unique
data sets.
Note: For more information about creating Reports, review the
ACCUPLACER User’s Guide found in the Resources section
STEP 9: FACULTY REVIEW OF ACCUPLACER USING THE DEMO SITE
The establishment of ACCUPLACER as an assessment program at your institution may
require that faculty and staff review each ACCUPLACER test.
To facilitate faculty review, a Demo Site that contains 25 complimentary test units has been
set up in your account. Within this site are Branching Profiles that will administer each of the
ACCUPLACER tests.
Use the steps below to access the demo site:
1. Log in as a Institution Administrator.
2. Create a Site Manager or Proctor for the
demo site.
3. Log off of your Institution Administrator
account.
4. Log back in using the newly created
demo site login credential..
5. Follow the Administering Test
instructing found in Step 7.
Note: The Demo Site should be used for
faculty and staff review only and should not
be used for testing students. Testing data
created in the demo site is kept separate
from your actual student data.
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STEP 10: JOIN THE ACCUPLACER ELECTRONIC DISCUSSION GROUP
The EDG is an email forum in which ACCUPLACER users can share experiences, questions
and expertise with the ACCUPLACER system. Issues that could take weeks of investigation
can be resolved in a fraction of the time by posing a question that will, in all likelihood, receive
a relevant response from an ACCUPLACER user who has had a similar issue and has already
worked it through. These issues can vary from how to set cut scores to more simple day-to-day
issues.
Who should join the EDG?
The strength of an EDG is in the depth of its members and their willingness to share information which is why all ACCUPLACER users are encourage to join. The service is open to all
ACCUPLACER users and anyone thinking about using ACCUPLACER.
How do you join the EDG?
To join the ACCUPLACER go to http://www.cblist.org/read/all_forums/ and follow these steps:
• Click on "Subscribe" (which is on the far right side of the screen) - for ACCUPLACER
• Type in your email address and password to subscribe as prompted
• Click "Subscribe" (The approval will take up to 48 hours)
Once you have successfully completed the information you will receive electronic mail confirming
your membership.
To login to the ACCUPLACER Discussion Group if you already have joined:
• Click on Electronic Discussion Groups
• Click on "accuplacer" on the left column.
• Type in your email address and click "OK"
© 2015 The College Board. College Board, ACCUPLACER, WritePlacer, and the
acorn logo are registered trademarks of the College Board. All other products and
services may be trademarks of their respective owners. Visit the College Board on
the Web: www.collegeboard.com.