Wiki source for PCTDataEntryGuidelines
====Editing a Candidate's NPAT Form====
Manually entering and checking a candidate's Political Courage Test
//
These instructions are formerly known as:
2010 Political Courage Test
Data Entry Guidelines
Updated June, 2010//
DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, WRITE ON A CANDIDATE'S TEST
Open the Admin program (admin.votesmart.org/admin) in Mozilla Firefox. Enter your login and password. (User name: npatguest Password: smart) Search by NPAT. Enter last name and state of the candidate, select "Go".
Select the ID number for the proper candidate. Select view for the proper election, scroll down the page, and select "Open NPAT Form". This will display the [[NPATForms NPAT Form]] associated with the candidate's election, and any candidate responses that have been entered or uploaded previously
Use the tab key or mouse to move up and down the page. Use the mouse to check/uncheck responses and to select options from the drop-down menus. You may also use keyboard shortcuts.
**Data Entry and Checking**
Enter data following the rules below. Check data following the rules below fixing any errors made by the person before you. Do not correct candidate mistakes including those in spelling, punctuation, or grammar.
**Yes/No Questions**
Enter the "yes" or "no" as the candidate has indicated
- If a candidate checks off more than one response leave the response field blank and flag it for a staff member.
**Check-off Questions**
Enter the check marks the candidate has indicated.
- If a candidate writes in "yes" indicate such with a check mark response; leave "no"s blank.
- If a candidate writes in a number, leave the response blank and flag it for a staff member.
**Yes/No/Undecided and Multiple Choice Questions**
Enter the answer the candidate has indicated.
- If a candidate checks off more than one response leave the response field blank and flag it for a staff member.
**Level-indicator Questions**
Enter the numbers the candidate has indicated.
- If a candidate has selected two numbers for any one response, leave the field blank and flag it for a staff member.
- If a candidate has checked an option leave the response blank and flag it for a staff member.
**Other or Expanded Principles**
Enter the entire text //exactly// as the candidate has written it.
- Enter the first 100 words. If the candidate goes over 100 words indicate that the candidate's response exceeded the space provided with an ellipse (...) at the 100th word and flag it for a staff member.
- Do not correct misspelled words, punctuation or grammar. We must enter //exactly// what the candidate has written on the Test.
- Enter text in this field even if the candidate has addressed a topic other than that presented by the question.
- For Congressional Candidates only: Flag all Congressional PCTs that do not have all 12 questions answered by the candidate- we may be contacting them later. For any unanswered Abridged PCT question, examine the other or expanded principles to see if that question is addressed in any way. If so, add their other or expanded principle to their citations and change their answer if necessary.
**Legislative/Administrative Priorities**
Enter the entire text //exactly// as the candidate has written it.
- Enter the first 100 words. If the candidate goes over 100 words indicate that the candidate's answer response the space provided with an ellipse (...) at the 100th word and flag it for a staff member.
- **Do not** correct misspelled words, punctuation or grammar. We must enter exactly what the candidate has written on the Test.
===SAVE===
Close the windows or tabs specific to the candidate.
Initial and date the tracking sheet.
Place the Test in the appropriate "To Be Checked" slot.
===Potential Problems===
If any responses are confusing, illegible, or don't fit into the directions above, flag the Test for a staff member to handle.
Please bring any Tests containing profanity or attacks of their opponent(s) to the attention of a staff member.
If a candidate enters a number from the 1-6 Level-indicator Key in the "Other or expanded principles" section, instead of entering the number enter its translation (numbers cannot be viewed on the site), space, hyphen (-), space, the exact text the candidate provided.
Example: 6 - food tax //should be written as// Eliminate - food tax (Always use a hyphen to separate the translation from the candidate's text.)
If a candidate has qualified a response and changed it's meaning by crossing out or adding words do not enter the selection into the computer. Flag it for a staff member. However, if a candidate merely adds an editorial comment at the end of a response that does not dramatically change its meaning enter the selection into the computer noting the editorial comment in the "Other or expanded principles" section. Reference the letter before the response, insert an end parenthesis, space, the exact text the candidate provided.
Example: __x__ h) Support the use of ethanol as an alternative fuel. //under certain circumstances//
You would indicate the candidate's check mark and then in the "Other or expanded principles" section write:
h) //under certain circumstances//
If a candidate writes random responses off in the margins and are not related to any subject, do not enter it.
**ON THE FINAL STAFF CHECK ONLY**
- If the candidate goes over 100 words in "Legislative Priorities" and if more than one priority has been listed, split the words logically between the priorities. Edit for length only, not content. Do not paraphrase.
- Place an ellipse (...) at any point you cut off text.
- Contact candidate if anything needs to be cleared up. Be sure to receive another signature form if there are any changes.
Manually entering and checking a candidate's Political Courage Test
//
These instructions are formerly known as:
2010 Political Courage Test
Data Entry Guidelines
Updated June, 2010//
DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, WRITE ON A CANDIDATE'S TEST
Open the Admin program (admin.votesmart.org/admin) in Mozilla Firefox. Enter your login and password. (User name: npatguest Password: smart) Search by NPAT. Enter last name and state of the candidate, select "Go".
Select the ID number for the proper candidate. Select view for the proper election, scroll down the page, and select "Open NPAT Form". This will display the [[NPATForms NPAT Form]] associated with the candidate's election, and any candidate responses that have been entered or uploaded previously
Use the tab key or mouse to move up and down the page. Use the mouse to check/uncheck responses and to select options from the drop-down menus. You may also use keyboard shortcuts.
**Data Entry and Checking**
Enter data following the rules below. Check data following the rules below fixing any errors made by the person before you. Do not correct candidate mistakes including those in spelling, punctuation, or grammar.
**Yes/No Questions**
Enter the "yes" or "no" as the candidate has indicated
- If a candidate checks off more than one response leave the response field blank and flag it for a staff member.
**Check-off Questions**
Enter the check marks the candidate has indicated.
- If a candidate writes in "yes" indicate such with a check mark response; leave "no"s blank.
- If a candidate writes in a number, leave the response blank and flag it for a staff member.
**Yes/No/Undecided and Multiple Choice Questions**
Enter the answer the candidate has indicated.
- If a candidate checks off more than one response leave the response field blank and flag it for a staff member.
**Level-indicator Questions**
Enter the numbers the candidate has indicated.
- If a candidate has selected two numbers for any one response, leave the field blank and flag it for a staff member.
- If a candidate has checked an option leave the response blank and flag it for a staff member.
**Other or Expanded Principles**
Enter the entire text //exactly// as the candidate has written it.
- Enter the first 100 words. If the candidate goes over 100 words indicate that the candidate's response exceeded the space provided with an ellipse (...) at the 100th word and flag it for a staff member.
- Do not correct misspelled words, punctuation or grammar. We must enter //exactly// what the candidate has written on the Test.
- Enter text in this field even if the candidate has addressed a topic other than that presented by the question.
- For Congressional Candidates only: Flag all Congressional PCTs that do not have all 12 questions answered by the candidate- we may be contacting them later. For any unanswered Abridged PCT question, examine the other or expanded principles to see if that question is addressed in any way. If so, add their other or expanded principle to their citations and change their answer if necessary.
**Legislative/Administrative Priorities**
Enter the entire text //exactly// as the candidate has written it.
- Enter the first 100 words. If the candidate goes over 100 words indicate that the candidate's answer response the space provided with an ellipse (...) at the 100th word and flag it for a staff member.
- **Do not** correct misspelled words, punctuation or grammar. We must enter exactly what the candidate has written on the Test.
===SAVE===
Close the windows or tabs specific to the candidate.
Initial and date the tracking sheet.
Place the Test in the appropriate "To Be Checked" slot.
===Potential Problems===
If any responses are confusing, illegible, or don't fit into the directions above, flag the Test for a staff member to handle.
Please bring any Tests containing profanity or attacks of their opponent(s) to the attention of a staff member.
If a candidate enters a number from the 1-6 Level-indicator Key in the "Other or expanded principles" section, instead of entering the number enter its translation (numbers cannot be viewed on the site), space, hyphen (-), space, the exact text the candidate provided.
Example: 6 - food tax //should be written as// Eliminate - food tax (Always use a hyphen to separate the translation from the candidate's text.)
If a candidate has qualified a response and changed it's meaning by crossing out or adding words do not enter the selection into the computer. Flag it for a staff member. However, if a candidate merely adds an editorial comment at the end of a response that does not dramatically change its meaning enter the selection into the computer noting the editorial comment in the "Other or expanded principles" section. Reference the letter before the response, insert an end parenthesis, space, the exact text the candidate provided.
Example: __x__ h) Support the use of ethanol as an alternative fuel. //under certain circumstances//
You would indicate the candidate's check mark and then in the "Other or expanded principles" section write:
h) //under certain circumstances//
If a candidate writes random responses off in the margins and are not related to any subject, do not enter it.
**ON THE FINAL STAFF CHECK ONLY**
- If the candidate goes over 100 words in "Legislative Priorities" and if more than one priority has been listed, split the words logically between the priorities. Edit for length only, not content. Do not paraphrase.
- Place an ellipse (...) at any point you cut off text.
- Contact candidate if anything needs to be cleared up. Be sure to receive another signature form if there are any changes.
