Verbal Workout

Brief Overview of the project:

This educational application is intended as an aid to the students preparing for the GRE general test, to build their vocabulary skills.

The application has a database of 3,600 words and their synonyms. Each word and it’s synonym(s) is displayed in alphabetical order. The user can browse the list automatically, using the Browse and Stop buttons. A Navigation Bar is provided by the application to help the user to browse the word-list manually.

The user can move onto the next word as per his wish, after he has finished memorizing the current word. The ability to jump to the first word starting with a particular letter is also provided. This enables the user to start browsing midway through the database.

A facility is provided to enable the user to mark any word as a tough word, and to browse only the tough words instead of all the words.

The user is also allowed to edit entries, so that he can add any alternate meaning, or change the synonym to what he/she feels is more appropriate.

New words can be added to the database. The word is automatically placed in it’s correct alphabetical position.

These facilities allow users to customize the application to their specific skill set.

A unique feature of this application is the voice capability it provides. A button is provided which when pressed, the current word and its meaning are spoken aloud through the multimedia PC speakers. We have made use of the Microsoft Speech API to provide this useful resource.

In addition to these revision facilities, a timed test facility is also provided. A specified number of words are picked at random from the database. They are displayed to the user along with 5 alternatives, to be answered in the given time. The user’s responses are noted and at the end of the test he/she can view the results. The application keeps track of the number of times a word has been used in a test, so that repetition of the same words is avoided. The user can review the test for the purpose of self-evaluation .If the user desires, the current test score along with 4 previous scores on the test, along with the average time taken per word, are displayed to allow the user to judge his progress on the word-list.

Detailed Description:

The application has a simple and intuitive user interface. The main window shows the word and its associated synonyms. The following control options are provided on the navigation bar, for manual browsing:

1. First Word

2. Previous Word

3. Next Word

4. Last Word

Browsing of the words in the database is in alphabetical order.

The “Sentence” button brings up a sentence showing use of the word in the proper context.

The interface also has a check box to mark the word as a tough word. Marking of the current word as a “tough word” is left as an option to the user , instead of predefined levels of difficulty for the words. This allows the user to tailor the database according to his own level instead of imposing a specified difficulty level on him. As he progresses, the words initially marked tough can be unchecked to normal difficulty level.

The Settings option of the menu has ‘Browse tough words only’ item to allow the user to revise words marked as tough only in order to skip over the known words.

The user can browse the list automatically, in a hands-off manner, using the “Browse” and “Stop” buttons. The Browse button displays a word for 15 seconds before moving on to the next one. The Stop button stops the auto browsing.

Speech Capability:

‘Say’ Button : This invokes the Microsoft Speech API . The word and the associated meanings are spoken aloud in a clear manner so as to facilitate ease of understanding and remembering vocabulary through the means of audio aids.

Automatic browsing is further enhanced by usage of the Speech Capability in the browse feature . When the “Say words while browsing” option is selected, the words and the corresponding meanings are spoken aloud one by one until the user clicks the stop button.

Menu Item Descriptions:

“Edit” Menu Item:

It has two options:
1. “Add an entry”

This option allows the user to add a new word to the existing database. The new word is placed in it’s correct alphabetical position by the application.

Extensibility: This facility makes the application extendible so that the user can use this application to study words not originally in the database, yet get the advantages of testing etc. offered by the application.

2. “Correct an entry.”

This option allows the user to correct any existing entry in the database. Due to this, any errors that might creep in the database are avoided. This option also doubles up as a means to update the existing entries with alternate meanings not already provided by the database.

“Go” Menu Item:

It gives the option to “Jump to letter” . The user is prompted to enter the alphabet(s) from which he wishes to start studying the words. The application jumps directly to the first word beginning with the specified alphabet(s).

This provides the user with a facility to study the word-list in parts, not necessarily in alphabetical order.

“Test” Menu Item:

This option activates the Timed Online Test . Initially user is prompted to enter the number of words he wants to be tested with. The application gives a specific time limit depending on the number of words entered. According to the entered input , the program generates a list of the specified number of words using a random number generating algorithm. One by one these words are displayed to the user along with 5 options for each word. The user can select one of these words by means of a radio button and then proceed to the next. Before proceeding he can also change his choice. But once he has gone to the next word, the user is not allowed to review his previous answer. The score is updated on the screen as soon as he reached the next word on the test. He can quit the test at any time. If he does not finish the test in the stipulated time, the test times out and the unanswered questions are counted as wrong.

Also, all the words the user gets wrong on a test are automatically marked in the database as “ tough words”. Thus the test also tailors the database to the user’s skill set.

The moment he quits, The score is displayed . He is allowed to review the test just taken . This displays each word answered wrongly in the test. For each word in the test the following information is displayed:

1. The word.

2. The correct answer.

3. The option which the user selected (may be the same as the right or maybe another word)

4. The number of times the word has occurred in the test earlier and how many times the user has got it right. This facility provides the user with an useful utility to judge his performance till date on that particular word.

The review also shows the average amount of time (in seconds) the user needed to answer a question on the test.

“Help” Menu Item:

The GRE Verbal Workout provides an extensive help on using the software most effectively so that the user can master the vocabulary list as well as possible in the quickest possible time frame . It provides some sample plans of study along with use for making optimum use of this educational vocabulary building tool . The Help is illustrated with screen shots which makes it easy to use for even a novice .

The Database:

The main component of the project is the database of the words and their synonyms. The database also has other fields in addition to these, to provide the ability to keep track of difficult words and to keep a count of the number of times a word has appeared in tests and the number of times the user has marked the correct answer.

The database uses the following fields:

· Word

· Meaning (synonym 1)

· Alt meaning (synonym 2)

· Difficult Field

· Level (Counts wring words)

· Usage (Actual count)

· Sentence

The word is kept as the primary key and the entire database is kept sorted on the primary key.

The tough word setting of the application sets the boolean field “toughness” of the database to true or false. Add Entry and Correct Entry options perform updation of the database.

Speech Capability :

The application makes use of the Microsoft Text to Speech Engine. The string from the database is taken , composed in the desired form and passed to the speech engine functions which then handle the actual details of converting into the appropriate speech sound .

Applications:

The General GRE Test contains a verbal section which requires the student to have a thorough knowledge of a large number of words. It is not possible to acquire this through reading books alone. An interactive environment speeds up the learning process and it guaranteed to increase the grasping power for new words .

This application , Verbal Workout, provides a systematic tool to study the words which is easily adaptable to users with varying verbal skills. The Test Option of the application also allows self-evaluation based on current and previous performances.

This need not be restricted to usage by students taking the GRE test. Others with similar requirements of increasing their word power can constructively make use of this application.

Platform and Runtime Environment:

The database has been created using Microsoft Access . The application has been coded in the Microsoft Visual C++ Environment. The DAO methodology is used to access the database from VC++.

The application can run on any Windows 9x platform. Mfc42.dll and the Microsoft Jet DAO Engine is required to be installed on the machine for the application to run. For the text to speech conversion options to run , the Microsoft Text to Speech Engine is required to be installed on the concerned machine .

The hardware requirements include a Pentium class machine or better with multimedia support.

The installation includes a .zip file which contains the following :
1. The GrePre.exe executable application file

2. The Microsoft Access database file

3. The help file, which can be run independently or through the Help Menu in the application.

These 3 files have to be present in a single directory. The choice of the directory name and drive is left to the user as per his/her convenience.