How to Create a Test Question

Calculated Formula questions present students with a question that requires them to make a calculation and respond with a numeric answer. The numbers in the question change with each student and are pulled from a range that you set. The correct answer is a specific value or a range of values. You may grant partial credit for answers that fall within a range. Calculated Formula questions are graded automatically.

In the example, the numbers 6 and 9 are randomly generated from a range of values set by an instructor.

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If a small glass can hold [x] ounces of water, and a large glass can hold [y] ounces of water, what is the total number of ounces in 4 large and 3 small glasses of water?

When a student views the question, the variables [x] and [y] are replaced with values that are generated randomly from a number range that the instructor specifies.

Creating the Question and Formula

1. Access a test, survey, or pool. From the Create Question menu, select Calculated Formula.

2. The Question Text must contain at least one variable. Surround variables with square brackets. Variables are replaced by values when shown to students.

   1. Variables must consist of letters, but "pi" and "e" are reserved, so you cannot use them as variables. You cannot reuse variable names. Variables can contain more than one character, such as [ab] or [cd].

   2. All other occurrences of the opening rectangular bracket ("[") should be preceded by the backslash ("\").

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3. The Answer Formula is the mathematical expression used to find the correct answer. Choose operators from the functions across the top of the Answer Formula box. In the example, the formula is 4y+3x.

   1. The formula is not visible to students. The system uses the formula to determine the correct answer to the question.

   2. The answer formula tool is written by WIRIS. For more information, see the WIRIS manual.

4. In the Options section, leave the Answer Range at zero if the answer must be exact, or set a range for correct answers. You can also Allow Partial Credit and select Units Required.

5. Select Next to proceed.

Defining the Variables

Use the next page in the process to define the question's variables and select options for the automatically generated set of answers.

1. In the Define Variables section, provide the Minimum Value and Maximum Value for each variable. When the question is presented to a student, the system replaces the variable with a value that is randomly selected from the range you defined. You can use scientific notation in the value boxes. Select the number of Decimal Places for each variable's value.

2. In the Answer Set Options section, use the Calculate Answers To menu to select the number of Decimals or Significant Figures for the generated correct answers. Type the number of Answer Sets, which is the number of possible variations of the question. Select whether the Correct Answer Format is normal or exponential.

3. Select Calculate to generate and view answer sets in the system. Select Next to view the answer sets. You can edit the answer sets on the next page, but it is not recommended to do so manually. Select Back to go to the previous page or Cancel to quit.

Editing the Answer Sets

The last page in the process displays the answer sets that were generated by the system. Each set represents one of the possible variations of the question that can be presented to students.

1. You can change the values of the variables in each answer set by typing in the boxes. Select Calculate to update the calculated answers and save your changes before you submit.

2. Select Remove in an answer set's row to delete it and have the system automatically replace it with another set. If you want to reduce the number of sets, select Go Back and change the number of answer sets in Answer Set Options.

3. Optionally, type feedback for correct and incorrect answers.

4. Select Submit or Submit and Create Another to add the question to the test.

Setting Answer Options

On the first page of question creation, you can select Allow Partial Credit or Units Required. After you select the check box, more options appear.

In the example, you can see:

• An answer that is within plus or minus 4 is awarded 100% of the point total.

• An answer that is within the partial credit range of plus or minus 5 to 8 is awarded 50% of the point total.

The available options include these:

• Answer Range: The range of answers that are awarded full credit. Select whether it is a Numeric range or a Percentage range. If the answer must be exact, type zero for the range.

• Allow Partial Credit: Allow partial credit on a less accurate range of answers. Set the Partial Credit Points Percentage to be awarded if the student's answer is within the partial credit range.

• Units Required: The unit of measurement must be provided in the student's answer. Type the Answer Units and Units Points Percentage to be awarded if the units are entered correctly.

With Calculated Numeric questions, students are presented with a question that requires a numeric answer. The question does not need to be a mathematical formula. You can provide a text question that requires a numeric answer. Calculated Numeric questions resemble Fill in the Blank questions where correct answers are numbers.

Example: If the average human body temperature under normal conditions ranges between 36.5 and 37.5 degrees Celsius, what is the average human body temperature in degrees Fahrenheit?

You can specify an exact numeric answer, or you can specify an answer and an allowable range.

Calculated Numeric questions are graded automatically.

Calculated numeric answers must be numeric, not alphanumeric—42, not forty-two.

Creating a Calculated Numeric question

1. Access a test, survey, or pool. From the Create Question menu, select Calculated Numeric.

2. Type the Question Text and the Correct Answer. This value must be a number.

3. Type the Answer Range. If the answer must be exact for students to receive credit, type 0.

4. Optionally, type feedback for correct and incorrect answers.

5. Select Submit and Create Another or Submit to add the question to the test.

Correct Answer and Answer Range fields support the following types of inputs:

• Scientific notation supports the following forms: 45.6e-6 or 45.6E-6 (using capital or lowercase E).

• The field does not support units (e.g., 25 cm 4.5e4 KHZ are not supported).

• Constants such as “pi” and “e” (Euler constant) are not supported; thus, numbers such as 67e or 4pi are invalid.

In Either/Or questions, students are presented with a statement and asked to respond from two-choice answers:

• Yes/No

• Agree/Disagree

• Right/Wrong

• True/False

Either/Or questions are graded automatically.

Example: Hamlet's famous monologue, "To be or not to be...," is a meditation on suicide. Agree/Disagree

Creating an Either/Or question

1. Access a test, survey, or pool. From the Create Question menu, select Either/Or.

2. Type the Question Text and select a pair of Answer Choices from the menu.

3. Select the Correct Answer.

4. Optionally, type feedback for correct and incorrect answers.

5. Select Submit and Create Another or Submit to add the question to the test.

Create an Essay question

Doesn't seem familiar? Jump to the "Ultra" help about creating essay questions.

Essay questions require students to type an answer in a text box and must be graded manually.

1. Access a test, survey, or pool. From the Create Question menu, select Essay.

2. On the Create/Edit Essay Question page, type the Question Text. You can type directly in the editor or paste a question from another application, such as Notepad or TextEdit. You can use the math editor when you create Essay questions.

3. Optionally, type a sample answer.

4. Optionally, associate a rubric.

5. Select Submit and Create Another or Submit to add the question to the test.

Individual Essay feedback

On the Question Settings page, you can set options for feedback for individual questions.

• Provide feedback for individual answers: Select this check box if you want your feedback for individual answers to appear to students. Though a Response Feedback text box displays by default, students will not see any feedback you add unless you select this check box. You cannot provide individual feedback for answers to True/False, Ordering, and Matching questions.

• Add images, files, and web links to individual feedback: You can add images, files, and web links to individual feedback you provide.

For File Response questions, students upload a file from their computers or the Content Collection as the answer to the question. Students can create work before a test and submit the file with their submissions, particularly if it requires a large amount of text. You grade these questions manually.

Example: Create a diagram of a simple relational database and save it in an image format such as PNG. Upload the file to this question.

You can download the files and then review and assess the submissions later without an active internet connection. You need to be online to access the Grade Center to assign grades.

You cannot add File Response questions to surveys.

Creating a File Response question

1. Access a test or pool. From the Create Question menu, select File Response.

2. Type the Question Text.

3. Optionally, type feedback for correct and incorrect answers.

4. Optionally, associate a rubric.

5. Select Submit and Create Another or Submit to add the question to the test.