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Assessment Question Types: Short Answer

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Short Answer Questions

A short answer question requires Students to write a word or short phrase as their answer. The following are examples of short answer questions:
What is the birth date of Albert Einstein? The correct answer is March 14, 1879.
 
Name the four planets in the inner solar system. The correct answer is Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars.

You can create or edit questions from two locations in the Assessments tool: in an assessment or the Question Database.

Step 1: Locate and click the assessment or click Go to Question Database.

 

Step 2: Depending on whether you are creating or editing a question, do one of the following:

  • If you are creating a question:
    • Click Create Questions.
    • Click Short Answer.

 

  • If you are editing a question, click the question title.

Step 3: Enter a title. The title is helpful for doing searches in the Question Database, where you search by question title.

Step 4: Enter the question in Plain Text or HTML format:

  • To enter the question in Plain Text format, enter the text. The text will appear exactly as you have typed it.
     
  • To enter the question in HTML format, you can use the HTML Creator or hand code the HTML:
    • To use the HTML Creator:
      1. Click the Enable HTML Creator button. The HTML Creator appears.
      2. Enter the question.
    • To hand-code the HTML:
      1. Select Use HTML.
      2. Enter the HTML code.
         
  • NOTE: Depending on administrator settings, the HTML Creator may not be available or it may appear by default.

Step 5: Optionally insert an equation.

Step 6: Optionally add an image to display with the question:

  • Next to Image, click Browse. The Content Browser pop-up window appears.
     
  • If the image file you want to add is on your computer, click the My Computer icon. Your computer's file browser or the Upload Files from Your Computer screen appears.Locate and select the file. The image is added. If the image file you want to add is in the course system, navigate to the file and select it. Click OK. The image is added.

Step 7: Scroll to the Settings section.

Step 8: Under Settings, do the following:

  • Depending on the length of the answers, decide how many text boxes are necessary for Students to enter their answers. For example, if the question is What is the birth date of Albert Einstein and the correct answer is March 14, 1879, then you need one text box. If the question is Name the four planets in the inner solar system and the correct answer is Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars, then you need four text boxes if you want them in a specific order.
     
  • From the Number of answer boxes shown to the Student drop-down list, select the number of text boxes for Students to enter their answers.
     
  • From the Answer box width drop-down list, select the number of characters that can be entered in the answer boxes. A minimum of 10 and a maximum of 100 characters are allowed.
     
  • Next to Answers are case sensitive, select one of the following:
    • If the answer is case sensitive, select Yes. For example, Albert Einstein is correct but albert einstein is incorrect.
    • If the answer is case insensitive, select No. For example, Albert Einstein and albert einstein are correct.

Step 9: Scroll to the Answers section.

Step 10: Under Answers, do the following:

  • In the Answer text text box, enter the correct answer.

    IMPORTANT: The answer is space-sensitive. For example, March 14, 1879 and March14,1879 are different. You may want to give specific instructions about how Students should enter their answer or you may want to enter different variations of the answer text.


     
  • If the answer requires more than one text box, click Create Additional Answers. More text boxes appear.
     
  • In the Value (%) text box, enter the percentage value for the answer. For example, if there is one correct answer, enter 100%. If it is a multi-part answer that is acceptable in any order, enter a percentage for each part so that the total equals 100%.
     
  • Select a grading scheme for the answer:
    • If Students' answer must match the text exactly, select Equals from the Grading scheme drop-down list.
    • If Students' answer must contain the same text in any order, select Contains from the Grading scheme drop-down list.
    • If you want to use a PERL regular expression to evaluate Students' answer, select Regular expression from the Grading scheme drop-down list. Ensure that you entered the regular expression in square brackets in the Question text.
    • Depending on whether you want Students to enter answers in a certain order, select one of the following in the Allow in answer box drop-down list:
      • If Students can enter answers in order, select All Answers for each answer text box.
      • If Students must enter answers in a specific order, select the answer number that corresponds to the answer text box number. For example: For Answer text 1, select Answer 1. For Answer text 2, select Answer 2.

Step 11: To see more options, click the Expand/Collapse icon next to More Options. The More Options section expands.

  • To include a comment about the question, enter it in Plain Text or HTML format in the General feedback text box. The comment appears when Students view their graded assessment.
     
  • To include a note that is visible only to yourself or other Section Designers, enter it in the Section Designer notes text box.
     
  • Place the question into a category. All questions are automatically stored in the Question Database but the Question Database can contain many questions, so we recommend that you organize questions in categories.
    • To place the question in an existing category, select Specify an existing category and from the drop-down list, select the category. Uncategorized Questions is a default category. If you do not specify a category, the question is placed here automatically.
    • To place the question in a new category, select Create a category and enter the category name in the text box.
       
  • To preview the question to ensure it appears correctly, do the following:
    • Click Preview. The question appears in preview mode.
    • To test the grading scheme and feedback:
      • Select your answer and click Grade. The grade appears in preview mode.
      • To test another answer, click Back. The question appears in preview mode.
      • When you are finished previewing the question, click Close. The question appears.

Step 12: Click the Save button at the bottom of the page.