Understanding questions in Nubric

A Nubric question combines a problem statement, answer definitions, scoring, and feedback. The question type determines how students respond and how Nubric evaluates their responses.

This article explains how these components work together, whether you create a question manually, generate it with AI, or adapt it from the Content Bank.

What It Is

A question is an assessment item within a quiz. It defines what students are asked to do, which responses receive credit, and what feedback is available.

Question types

Nubric supports two question types:

• Open Answer: Students enter their own mathematical expression or numerical value, which Nubric evaluates using the expected answers and evaluation settings.
• Multiple Choice: Students select from predefined options, each with an associated score and optional feedback.

The following table compares how the two types work.

Choose Open Answer when students should produce their own result. Choose Multiple Choice when students should select from the options you provide. Both formats can be used for calculations and conceptual questions.

Statement

The statement presents the problem. It can include instructions, numerical values, mathematical notation, and references to variables.

The MathType editor lets you insert mathematical expressions into the statement.

The statement tells students what is required, but it does not configure grading. For example, writing “Give your answer as a simplified fraction” does not automatically enforce that requirement: the Open Answer evaluation settings must also be configured accordingly.

Answers and scoring

Answer definitions determine which responses receive full credit, partial credit, or no credit.

• Open Answer: Expected mathematical answers have associated scores and evaluation settings used to compare student responses.
• Multiple Choice: Each option available to students has an associated score.

In both types, answer-specific feedback can explain why a particular response is correct, partially correct, or incorrect.

Open Answer evaluation

In Open Answer questions, evaluation settings control how student responses are compared with the expected answers. Depending on the configuration, they can:

• Accept mathematically equivalent expressions.
• Require a particular mathematical form, such as a simplified expression.
• Allow numerical differences within a tolerance.
• Control how units are interpreted.

Evaluation settings are defined per answer, so different expected answers can use different rules.

Feedback

Nubric distinguishes between two kinds of feedback:

• General feedback: An explanation for the question as a whole, regardless of whether the student's response is correct.
• Answer-specific feedback: An explanation associated with a particular expected answer or answer option.

General feedback can explain a solution method. Answer-specific feedback can address a particular error or explain the score associated with a response.

Question settings and randomization

Question settings provide additional control over how a question is generated and how mathematical input is interpreted. Available settings include variables, constants, functions, units, and input conventions.

Some settings apply specifically to questions where students enter mathematical expressions. Question settings also let you define random variables and expressions to generate different versions of a question.

Why It Matters

The grading configuration must reflect the task described in the statement. Understanding the relationship between question content and evaluation helps you:

• Choose the appropriate response format.
• Accept the answers you intend to accept.
• Require specific mathematical forms when needed.
• Assign partial credit consistently.
• Provide explanations that match the question and its possible responses.
• Check that randomized versions remain valid.

How It Works

When a student attempts a question, Nubric presents the task, processes the response, and determines the score using the question's configuration.

Presenting the question

The student sees the statement together with an answer field or a list of options, depending on the question type. If the question uses random variables, Nubric generates the values and calculates the expressions needed for that version, keeping the statement and answers aligned.

Evaluating the response

When the student submits a response, Nubric uses the answer configuration to determine the result. For Open Answer, it checks whether the response meets the conditions defined for an expected answer. For Multiple Choice, it identifies the selected option and its associated score.

Scoring and feedback

Nubric assigns the corresponding score, including partial credit where configured. Answer-specific feedback can explain the result, while general feedback can describe how to solve the problem.

Previewing a question lets you test this process before using it with students: submit different responses and check that the scores and feedback match your intended grading.

Key Rules or Behaviours

• The question type determines both the student's response format and the evaluation approach.
• Instructions in the statement do not automatically configure grading rules.
• Open Answer evaluation settings can differ between expected answers.
• Equivalent mathematical expressions are accepted only when the configuration allows them.
• Both question types can use partial credit, feedback, and randomization.
• General feedback and answer-specific feedback serve different purposes.
• Questions created manually, generated with AI, or copied from the Content Bank can be reviewed and edited.

Examples

Open Answer: require a simplified fraction

A question asks students to calculate 1/4 + 1/4 and give a simplified fraction.

Although 2/4 and 1/2 have the same mathematical value, the teacher configures the evaluation to require a simplified fraction. The statement communicates the requirement, and the evaluation settings enforce it.

For a worked example of this configuration, see Require simplified answers in a fraction addition question.

Multiple Choice: explain a common error

A question asks students to solve 2x + 3 = 11. The teacher includes 4 as the correct option and 7 as a distractor.

The correct option receives full credit. The distractor receives no credit and can include feedback reminding students to subtract 3 before dividing by 2. General feedback explains the complete solution.

For a worked example of answer options, scoring, and answer-specific feedback, see Create a multiple-choice equation solving question.

Randomization: vary the values

A right-triangle question uses variables for the two shorter sides and calculates the hypotenuse from them. The statement and expected answer use the values generated for that version.

The numbers can change between versions, while the method and evaluation settings remain the same.

For a worked example combining random values, a calculated answer, and numerical tolerance, see Create a randomized right-triangle hypotenuse question with tolerance.

Common Misunderstandings

The statement determines how the answer is graded

The statement presents the task. Answer definitions, scores, and evaluation settings determine grading.

Open Answer accepts only the exact expression entered by the teacher

Open Answer can accept equivalent mathematical expressions, depending on the evaluation settings and any required answer form.

Multiple Choice evaluates the selected option through mathematical comparison

The score is associated with the selected option. Mathematical comparison settings are used for Open Answer responses.

Writing feedback changes the grading rules

Feedback explains the result or solution. Answer definitions and evaluation settings determine how the response is graded.

Related articles

• Configure an open-answer question.
• Configure a multiple-choice question.
• Evaluation options.
• Question settings.
• Understanding Algorithm Mode in Nubric.
• Build from scratch: guided tutorials.
• Using Nubric: overview.