Most Common Question Types

Multiple Choice

In response to a question (that may include a image) the respondent chooses from multiple answers. There are two types of multiple choice questions - single answer and multiple answer.

Short Answer

In response to a question (that may include a image), the respondent types a word or phrase. There may several possible correct answers, with different grades. Answers may or may not be sensitive to case.

Numerical

From the student perspective, a numerical question looks just like a short-answer question. The difference is that numerical answers are allowed to have an accepted error. This allows a continuous range of answers to be set.

True/False

In response to a question (that may include a image), the respondent selects from two options: True or False.

Matching

A list of sub questions is provided, along with a list of answers. The respondent must "match" the correct answers with each question.

Creating a Question Bank

The question bank can be accessed either through the quiz activity or by selecting ‘Questions’ from the course administration menu.

1. Choose a question type from the drop down list

2. Decide on a category for the question (you can create one later if necessary).

3. Choose a name for the question.

This will appear in the list of questions and you will use it to identify the question as you choose it for a quiz.

4. Write the question as students will see it.

The question can contain images, sounds, animations, etc.

5. Choose an image to display.

The image must previously have been uploaded into the course files.

The following options will vary slightly depending on question type.

6. Decide how many marks the question is worth. Default: 1

7.  Decide if you wish to apply a ‘Penalty Factor’ . You can specify what fraction of the achieved score should be subtracted for each wrong response. This is only relevant if the quiz is run in adaptive mode where a student is allowed to make repeated responses to the question. The penalty factor should be a number between 0 and 1. A penalty factor of 1 means that the student has to get the answer right in his first response to get any credit for it at all. A penalty factor of 0 means the student can try as often as he likes and still get the full marks

8.  Add general feedback. This is the text that appears to the student after they have answered the question

9.  Decide if case sensitivity is important

10. Will there be more than one possible answer? Default: One answer only

11. Enter choices/answers, feedback and marks. Default: None

None = no marks

100% = marks awarded as above

12. Save changes.

Adding Questions to a Quiz

Once a question has been created use the

to view the question

to edit the question

to delete the question and

to add the question to your quiz

You can also add questions created by other users of your Moodle. Or import questions from another Moodle.

Creating Categories and Contexts

In order to keep track of large numbers of questions it is possible to create categories.

1. Click on the ‘categories’ tab in the question bank

2. Create the category by defining:

Parent: Default: Top

Decide if your new category be a parent category or a sub-category of another. Choosing 'Top' means that your category is a parent level category, not a sub category. Placing your category in another category makes it a sub-category of the parent.

When more than one sharing context is available you can place your category as a top level category in any of the contexts. (See below for more information on contexts)

Category Name: Type the name of your new question category in the text box.

Category info: Add an optional meaningful description in the category info area

3.  Click the 'Add Category' button.

Your new question category will appear in the list of current categories.

Contexts

Questions can be shared through different ‘contexts’. Think of a ‘context’ as an area within your Moodle site. Each ‘context’ has a separate question category hierarchy which enables you to choose the ‘context’ in which your questions can be shared.

o  Activity context : questions only available to one activity module.

o  Course context : questions available to all activity modules in a course and within the course from the 'Questions' link in the course administration block.

o  Course category contexts : questions available to all activity modules and courses in the course category (remember one course category can contain other course categories, you can share your questions in any or all of the parent course categories).

o  Core System context : questions available in all courses and activities on your site.

The contexts available to you depend on whether you access the question bank from a 'quiz' activity or fromthe course administration menuandon the permissions assigned to you within the structure of your Moodle.

For example, a person assigned teacher permissions at course levelcan only access questions banks for the current course context and current activity context. A person assigned teacher permissions across a course category can access questions for the course category context; course context and activity context.