This guide pertains to Ultra Course View.
If your course is in Original Course View, see the Original Course View tutorial collection.
Multiple Answer Test Questions: Two Grading Options
A test question contains four total answers, three of which are correct. If the student selected all four of the options, how would you account for the wrong answer? The guide below details two methods of awarding points for multiple answer test and quiz questions.
Scenario #1 – Subtract Points for Incorrect Answers
If the question is worth 10 points and the student selects all four possible answers, they will receive a score of 7.5 out of 10. Blackboard Ultra takes the overall point total for the question and divides it by the number of possible answers. This amount is then deducted from the overall total for each incorrect answer selected.
In the example below, each of the four answers are worth 2.5 points (10 total points ÷ 4 answers = 2.5 points per answer). Since the student selected one wrong answer, 2.5 points were subtracted from the ten possible points that they could have received, resulting in them earning 7.5 points.
Example: All four answers selected.
However, if the student selects only two correct answers, they will receive a score of 6.66 out of 10. Blackboard Ultra takes the overall point total for the question and divides it by the number of possible correct answers. This amount is then deducted from the overall total for each correct answer that was not selected.
In the example below, the student would lose 3.33 points (10 total points ÷ 3 correct answers = 3.33 points per correct answer) for not selecting one of the correct answers, resulting in their total score being a 6.66/10.
In this scenario, a student can earn more points for selecting all of the answers, including the wrong answer, rather than erring on the side of caution and only selecting two of the three correct answers.
Example: Two correct answers out of three selected.
Scenario #2 – Allow Partial Credit
If the question is worth 10 points and the student selects all four possible answers, the student will receive a 10/10 score. Despite the student selecting a wrong answer, no points will be deducted.
Example: Three correct and one incorrect answer out of four selected.
