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WirisQuizzes Question Types

The WirisQuizzes plugin adds six question types to the standard Moodle question types. These are similar to these common Moodle question types but with broadly extended mathematical capabilities. We will briefly present each question type on this page while describing how they work with several examples.

Moodle panel to chose a WirisQuizzes question type to add

Essay

Students answer this question type by writing a (usually long) answer inside a text editor. This includes the possibility to insert formulas using the MathType button. This question type does not have automatic grading. The teachers must review the answers and manually grade them – students will not have a complete quiz grade until then.

Use this type to make questions with random wordings, for example, by defining random variables and using them in the question text. You only need to write the question's statement and the algorithm of CalcMe to, in this case, generate the representation of the function.

Essay example asking for the properties of a given function's representation

You can see its dedicated page if you want more information on creating and configuring graphics and plotters. All configurable settings must be defined through CalcMe except the size of the graphic plotters in the question statement. To do so, you must use the following commands:Graphs

  • #yourplottername_desiredsize

  • #yourplottername_desiredwidth_desiredheight

For example, you can display a plotter with a custom size of 400px per 300px by using the syntax #plotter1_400_300 on the question's statement.

The previous essay question's statement modifying the plotter's size

Short answer

Students can answer this question type with a wide range of possibilities. You need to select which one better responds to your needs through the Answer type sidebar.

Sidebar navigation menu through the existing answer types

You can find a detailed description of each of the available options below.

Equation

Students answer this question type by writing a number or short formula, using MathType. This is the most complex question type to make because the student can write an answer in several different ways, and the system must decide if they are correct. That's why this question type has more sections to configure it.

In particular, there is a section called Validation options, which handles how WirisQuizzes interprets formulas from the student.

Short answer example asking for the sum of two fractions

Tip

You can see more details of this answer type here.

Compound answers

From the student's point of view, this type is just a particular type of Short Answer question, but with multiple questions and answers combined into one. For the moment, it's only available for the Equation answer type.

Compound answer preview asking for the perimeter and the area of a given square

In the menu of Create a new question... there is no Compound answer type. Choose a Short answer question.

WirisQuizzes Studio correct answer for the previous compound answer

From the Input options section, set the Grade answer boxes separately checkbox in the Compound answer blank. Then you can list the sub-questions in the Correct answer field, using the form question = answer, one per line. The question is just a label and can be any text. The answer can be any valid Short answer correct answer, including numbers, formulas, and #variables.

You can set the grading of each sub-question. Choose if all sub-answers must be correct or if you want different weights for each sub-answer.

WirisQuizzes input options section with the configuration for the previous question

Text

Students answer this question type by writing a text expression, removing any mathematical comparison.

text2.png

Tip

You can find more details about this answer type here.

Plotter

Students answer this question type by drawing any geometric object on a plotter. With this option, students will be able to draw points, lines, circles, conic sections, and more, and the new evaluation criteria will do the rest.

graphical_answer.png

Tip

You can see more detail about this answer type here.

Sketch

Students answer this question type by drawing through the handwriting tool any geometric object on a plotter. With this option, students will be able to draw points, lines, circles, conic sections, and more, and the new evaluation criteria will do the rest.

sketch_example.gif

Tip

You can see more details of this answer type here.

Statistics charts

Students answer this question type by interacting with a dynamic graph including statistics charts. The following statistical representations are available: bar chart, line chart and pie chart.

statistics_charts_ex.png

Tip

You can see more details about this answer type here.

Multiple choice

Students answer this question type by choosing one (or maybe many) options from a list. You can always define variables and use them in the Question text and Feedback. This question type can also be used in the answer choices.

Note

Moodle now allows questions to have negative scoring, so now you can set grades in a way to discourage answering at random. But keep in mind some web browsers do not allow you to deselect a choice once you have selected it.

multichoice.png

To create the example above, we will create a (random) polynomial and give three answers for the degree, also random. We will set the first answer as the correct choice for convenience, but don't worry, and the system will automatically shuffle the options to the student.

choices.png

The algorithm would be

calc.mc_algorithm.calc.png

Matching

Students answer this question type by choosing a simple label for each item on a list. This question type is just like a group of Multiple choice questions but less powerful on each consecutive one (since the labels are used only once).

Note

The possible answers can be only plain text. You can still use variables as possible answers, but their values must be texts, numbers, or simple formulas (for example, 2\sqrt2 would be converted to 2^(1/2) , but more complex formulas will probably not turn out nicely). On the other hand, questions can be anything, notably complex formulas or plots.

Write the algorithm to define the variables you will use in the Question text and Feedback, and more importantly, in questions and answers.

matching.png

True/False

Students answer this question by choosing between the two options: true and false. You need to define the variables you will use in the question text and feedback to finally determine the boolean Correct answer variable, or it will always be the same.

truefalse.png

The algorithm for such a question should be as you can see below. The variable sol will take the corresponding boolean value depending on whether the condition is satisfied.

truefalse_algorithm.png

Cloze

Embedded answers, or Cloze, allow inserting different question types in one question. For example:

cloze_ex1.1.png

In this example, there is a short answer and a multiple-choice questions. Detailed information on Cloze questions can be found at Moodle docs as the WirisQuizzes type follow the same exact format, with the following features:

  • There is no "Numerical" subtype because none is needed.

  • Variables can be used, but the pound symbol "#" has to be escaped with a backslash (e.g. "\#a" instead of the usual "#a").

The previous question, for example, could be made with the following text:

cloze_ex1.2.png

and in the Define random variables and functions section:

calc.cloze_algorithm.calc.png

Students can still write formulas in their answer with the editor popup by clicking on the square root symbol in the answer blank cloze_ex3.1.png in embedded short answer types. To enable this, select "Math editor in a popup" in the Input options section:

cloze_ex3.2.png

Furthermore, we can notice that the question algorithm assures that the polynomial will have no roots, so the question is not entirely random. If we want to consider the three options, we must change the answer format to add the new variables.

cloze_ex4.2.png

Thus, the variable preceded by the sign = will be taken as the correct one and the others, those preceded by the sign ~, as the wrong ones. The question's algorithm should be something similar, as defined with CalcMe below.

calc.cloze_algorithm2.calc.png

Shuffled answers

By default, multichoice questions in WirisQuizzes Cloze question type are not shuffled. Instead, there are shuffled multichoice types to accomplish this. These are:

Unshuffled

Shuffled

Drop-down

MC

MCS

Horizontal

MCH

MCHS

Vertical

MCV

MCVS

 

For example, if we replace the "MC" above with "MCHS", the question will look like this:

cloze_ex2.1.png

And the multiple choice will be in random order each time.

Remarks

  • Variables can be used in the answer in feedback fields (and only these).

  • In the short answer type ("SA") each answer must be a variable or text, it cannot be a combination of both.

  • If a variable is written as a formula, it will be converted to text inside a multichoice option (i.e. 2^(1/2) instead of 2\sqrt2).

  • Settings in the Validation options section are common for all questions.