Description
There are several types of questions that you can add to a Quiz, and this guide will provide brief descriptions of each question type. Select the Additional Information link to learn how to create each type of question.
This Guide Will Help You to:
Question Types
Description
This is not a question, but a description (or instructions) that appear as students move to different parts of the quiz. This is a way to add instructions or reference material to the quiz, including graphics, without having a grade associated. This function can also be used to group common questions.
For more information, visit Moodle.org: Description question type
Drag and drop into text
The drag and drop into text question type will have students drag in missing words into gaps in a paragraph of text.
For more information, visit Moodle.org: Drag and drop into text question type
Drag and drop markers
The drag and drop markers question type allows students to drag an item into an area on a background image. This requires the instructor to upload and then manually add in coordinates for the selected areas of the image in which the instructor wishes the student to mark.
For more information, visit Moodle.org: Drag and drop markers question type
Drag and drop onto image
The drag and drop onto image question type allows students to drag images, words or both onto pre-defined gaps of a background image.
For more information, visit Moodle.org: Drag and drop onto image question type
Embedded answers (Cloze)
Cloze questions allow teachers to create questions within the body of the text itself. It allows multiple choice, short answers, and numerical answer questions. Currently, Moodle ISU does not include a graphical interface to create embedded questions. For HTML cloze question options, contact the ITRC - (208) 282-5880 or email itrc@isu.edu
For more information, visit Moodle.org: Embedded Answers (Cloze) question type
Essay
Essay questions allow students to enter text answers with multiple lines. It can also be used for responses a few short paragraphs in length, however, the ITRC does not recommend it for long essay questions due to user-login session-related issues for security. The ITRC recommends having students submit a file in the Assignment tool for longer responses.
For more information, visit Moodle.org: Essay question type
Matching
Matching questions contain a list of names or statements that need to be matched with another list.
For more information, visit Moodle.org: Matching question type
Multiple choice
Multiple choice offers a list of possible answers for students so that they can select one or more correct answers from the list.
For more information, visit Moodle.org: Multiple Choice question type
Numerical
Numerical questions allow students to enter numerical answers to questions with or without units. It is different from the calculated question in that it does not create questions on the fly, but allows tolerance for numerical response.
For more information, visit Moodle.org: Numerical question type
Random short-answer matching
Random short-answer matching questions look just like Matching questions from the student perspective. The difference is that the sub-questions are drawn randomly from Short-Answer questions in the current category.
For more information, visit Moodle.org: Random Short-Answer Matching question type
Select missing words
The select missing words question type allows the student to choose their answer from a drop-down menu within the question.
For more information, visit Moodle.org: Select Missing Words question type
Short answer
Short answer questions allow students to answer questions in words or phrases. The answers from the students are matched against the possible answer models. In order for the answer to be correct, there should be at least one match. The answer could be case sensitive or insensitive - this means that the student must write the answer word-for-word. However, this could cause issues with capitalization.
[Note: The ITRC recommends that the answer be as precise and short as possible]
For more information, visit Moodle.org: Short-Answer question type
True/false
With a True/False question, students are given a statement in which they have to decide if the statement is True or False.
For more information, visit Moodle.org: True/False question type
Calculated
Calculated questions give teachers the ability to add a question for which the numeric data in the question is selected randomly from a data-set generated by Moodle ISU. Calculated questions offer a way to create individual numerical questions, by the use of wildcards, that are substituted with individual values when the quiz is taken.
For more information, visit Moodle.org: Calculated question type
Calculated multichoice
Calculated multichoice questions give students a list of calculated solutions to choose from. A formula can also be provided to calculate the correct result. For example, if the question is, “What is the correct area of a triangle with base = {b} cm and height = {h} cm?” you could put in the choice text box which says …{={x}+..}... something like “The correct area is {=.5*{b}*{h}}.” Moodle ISU will generate random numbers from the dataset and substitute {b} and {h} with numbers and for those values, Moodle ISU will generate correct answers in the multiple choice.
For more information, visit Moodle.org: Calculated multichoice question type
Calculated simple
Simple calculated questions are similar to Calculated questions, but have easier control for defining the dataset for Moodle ISU to generate numbers randomly. For explanations of the other settings available, refer to the Calculated Question type in this handout.
For more information, visit Moodle.org: Simple calculated question type
Seek Further Assistance
For additional assistance, please contact the ITRC at (208) 282 5880 or itrc@isu.edu