Short answer and essay questions have the same layout for question and answer, but you can use the two question types to distinguish free-response questions, such as fill-in-the-blank or completion, from longer questions and answers that ask the student to explain, compare, contrast, or describe.
The short answer (SA) question type is often used for fill-in or completion questions, or when the question can be answered with a short phrase or sentence. However, it is a free-form format and the question and answer can contain any type of content.
Short answer questions include an optional instruction field, a question field, and an answer field. Simply click in any of the visible fields and type or edit as needed.
You can display the answer field and selected descriptors if you select "Preferences > Testbank" from the Tools menu, click the Descriptors tab, and mark the items you want to display. To add or edit shared instructions or edit additional fields or shared descriptors, click the Show Properties button at the bottom of the testbank editing window.
Since some types of short answer questions can be used for plug-in tests, they are eligible to have evaluated answers, or multiple forms of correct answers. A green evaluated answer icon [E] next to the correct answer indicates that multiple answers have been defined.
To add or view alternate correct answers, select the answer and then select "Evaluated Answer Editor" from the Tools menu. Instructions for using the Evaluated Answer Editor are given in a separate section of Help.
When a short answer question needs longer answer blanks or multiple answer lines for lettered parts of the question, select "Change Answer Blank" from the Question menu. A dialog opens for you to select the answer blank width and the number of answer blanks.
If you choose to "Show Labels," the answer blanks are labeled with lowercase letters: a., b., and so on.
Note: The option to show answer blanks must be selected on the Questions tab of the Test Options dialog in order for these multiple answer blanks to appear.
Use the Essay question type when longer sentences or paragraphs are expected as answers. Essay (ES) questions include an optional instruction field, a question field, and an answer field.
Simply click in any of the visible fields and type or edit as needed. Additional descriptors can be displayed if you select "Preferences > Testbank" from the Tools menu, click the Descriptors tab, and mark the items you want to display. To edit shared instructions, double-click the instruction field. To add instructions or edit additional fields or shared descriptors, click the Show Properties icon at the bottom of the testbank editing window.