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Question types

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The course module "Question creation" offers four question types: Single Choice, Multiple Choice, Kprim and Essay. Course instructors can offer participants one or more of these question types to choose from.

Single Choice

Description

A single choice question has exactly one correct answer. To answer, the correct answer must be selected from a list of possible answers.

Example

  • Question: What is the capital of Switzerland?
  • Possible answers:
    • Basel
    • Bern (correct)
    • Geneva
    • Zurich

What to consider

  • Make the question clear and unambiguous.
  • Make sure that only one answer is clearly correct.
  • Avoid misleading or similar answer options.

Enter question and answer options

  • Use the plus and minus symbols to add or remove answer options.
  • Answer options can be moved up or down one position using the double angle icons.
  • As an alternative to the single-line input field, you can select a multi-line input field or a rich text editor ("Formatted") for entering the answer options.
  • Only one answer option can be the correct answer. Therefore, only one answer can be marked as correct.

Multiple Choice

Description

A multiple-choice question, can have more than one correct answer. To answer the question correctly, all correct answers must be selected.

Example:

  • Question: Which of these languages are official languages of Switzerland?
  • Possible answers:
    • German (correct)
    • Italian (correct)
    • English
    • French (correct)

What to consider

  • Make it clear in the question that more than one answer can be correct.
  • Design the possible answers so that they are neither too obvious nor confusing.
  • Check that all correct answers are equally valid and logical.

Enter question and answer options

  • Use the plus and minus symbols to add or remove answer options.
  • Answer options can be moved up or down one position using the double angle icons.
  • As an alternative to the single-line input field, you can select a multi-line input field or a rich text editor ("Formatted") for entering the answer options.
  • Multiple answer options can be correct. All correct answers must be marked as such.



Possible number of answer options

For single choice and multiple choice question types, the number of answer options is not limited. If a minimum or maximum number of answer options is required, this must be noted by the course instructor in the task description.


Kprim

Description

In a Kprim question (true/false principle), a number of statements are given. Each statement must be rated as "true" or "false".

Example:

  • Question: Evaluate the following statements about Switzerland.
  • Statements:
    • Switzerland has four official languages. (true)
    • The highest mountain in Switzerland is the Matterhorn. (false)
    • Zurich is the most populated city in Switzerland. (true)
    • The Rhine flows through Switzerland. (true)

What to consider

  • Formulate clear and concise statements.
  • To avoid misunderstandings, each statement should be clearly identifiable as either "true" or "false".
  • The number of answer options is predetermined (four).
  • Any number of the four answer options can be "correct."

Essay

Description

An essay question is an open question that requires a self-formulated answer to be entered in a text field. No minimum or maximum length for the answer (number of characters) can be specified. Requirements regarding the length of the answer must be specified in the task description.

Example

  • Question: What is the importance of direct democracy in Switzerland?
  • Possible answer: Direct democracy allows citizens to decide on important political issues through referendums and initiatives.
  • Sample solution: Direct democracy in Switzerland gives citizens a central role in political decision-making. Through popular initiatives they can propose changes to the constitution, and through referendums they can vote on laws that have already been passed. This system encourages political participation and ensures that important decisions are widely supported.

What to consider

  • Formulate the question clearly and precisely so that the expected content of the answer is made clear.
  • Avoid ambiguous or overly general questions in order to obtain more precise answers.
  • Create a sample solution that serves as a reference for evaluating the answers. The sample solution should contain a complete and precise answer that covers the most important aspects of the question.


Question bank
CE Self test
CE Practice
Test question types (QTI-Format)