How do I set up a random question set?

You can create an assessment from a number of questions randomly drawn from a question pool.  Depending on how many questions are in the pool and how many are drawn from it, different students may get different questions when they take the assessment.

Note: You must create a question pool before setting up a random question set in an assessment.  Please see the following articles for more information:

Go to Tests & Quizzes.

Select the Tests & Quizzes tool from the Tool Menu of your site.

Select an assessment.

Random question sets may be added to any assessment in the Working Copies tab.  Select an existing assessment or create a new one.

Create a new assessment.

Create from Scratch with assessment builder selected

For steps to create a new assessment, see How do I create an assessment?

Or edit an existing assessment.

In the Working Copies tab, select Edit from the Action drop-down menu for the assessment.

Note: You cannot add a new random question set to any assessment in the Published Copies tab.

Edit an existing part or add a new part.

An assessment part is used to draw questions from a question pool.  You can edit the Default part in your assessment or create a new part to add questions.

Edit a part.

You can create a random question set using an existing part that has no questions or a part which has already been set up with the Random draw setting.  Select Edit to the right of the part title.

OR add a part.

Select the Add Part link at the top of the screen to add a new part.

Enter a part title and optional information.

If your part does not yet have a title, enter a part title.

Enter a Title into the text box provided.

Note: If the part title is Default, the title will not display for assessment takers.

Add information. (Optional)

You may enter a brief description or instructions into the Information field.

When students are taking the assessment, the part information will display at the top of each page in that part.

Tip: If you are using a part to group together questions corresponding to a reading passage or case study, you can enter the reading or case study in the part information.

Add attachment(s). (Optional)

To provide additional resources related to the part or its questions, select Add Attachments to browse for and upload a file.

Select Random draw from question pool.

For the part Type, choose Random draw from question pool.

Select the pool, number of questions, and type of randomization.

Under Randomization:

  1. Enter the number of questions desired into the text box provided.
  2. Select the question pool from the drop-down menu listing available pools.
  3. Select whether A student's questions are randomized each time an assessment is submitted (i.e., if you allow multiple submissions or a retake, the student may see different questions for each submission) or once for all submissions (i.e., if the same student submits the assessment multiple times, that student always gets the same questions).

Tip: The questions in the pool you select should all test the same knowledge, but with different wording or examples.  Depending on how many questions are available in the selected pool, and how many are drawn, different students may receive completely different questions.

Enter a point value for each question.

  1. Enter a number of point(s) into the Correct answers are worth box.  A point value is required.
  2. If desired, enter a point value to penalize students for incorrect guesses to true false and multiple choice, single correct questions.  In the For 'True False' or 'Multiple Choice, Single Correct' questions, deduct box, enter how many point(s) to deduct from a student's score for each incorrect answer.

Note: Point values entered here override any value that was saved for individual questions in a corresponding question pool.

Save the part information.

Select Save (or select Cancel to exit without saving changes).

View assessment.

You will be returned to the assessment editing screen with the Random draw question set shown.

If you add or modify any questions in the question pool, select Update Questions to the right of the part title to update the questions drawn for the assessment part.

To add more random question sets or any specific questions that all students should answer when taking the assessment, create new parts for the additional questions as described in How do I use and edit assessment parts?