Award Partial Credit in a Multiple Choice Problem

Tags: educator how-to

You can configure a single select problem so that specific incorrect answers award learners partial credit for the problem.

In the following example, the learner selected a wrong answer and received partial credit.

You can specify what percentage of the points for the problem a learner receives for an incorrect answer. If you do not specify the percentage, the system uses the default of 50%.

For an overview of partial credit in problems, see Awarding Partial Credit for a Problem.

To configure a single select problem to award partial credit for a specific answer, you add the following attributes to the problem OLX.

• Add the partial_credit="points" attribute to the <multiplechoiceresponse> element.

• For each answer that you intend to award partial credit, in the <choice> element set the value of the correct attribute to "partial".

• Optionally, define the percentage of the problem score to award for each answer. Add the point_value attribute to the <choice> element, and enter its value as a decimal. For example, add point_value="0.25" to award 25% of the points to learners who select that answer. The percentage awarded should reflect how close the learner has gotten to a full understanding of the concept. If you do not add the point_value attribute, the system uses the default of 50%.

For example, the following OLX shows a single select problem that provides partial credit of 25% for an answer option.

<problem>
  <multiplechoiceresponse partial_credit="points">
    <label>Which of the following is a vegetable?</label>
    <choicegroup type="MultipleChoice">
      .
      .
      .
      <choice correct="partial" point_value="0.25">tomato </choice>
    </choicegroup>
  </multiplechoiceresponse>
</problem>

Shuffle Answers

Optionally, you can configure a single select problem so that it shuffles the order of possible answers.

For example, one view of a problem could be as follows.

Another view of the same problem, for a different learner or for the same learner on a subsequent view of the unit, could be as follows.

You can also shuffle some answers, but not others. For example, you might want to include the answer “All of the above” and have it always appear at the end of the list, but shuffle the other answers.

You can configure the problem to shuffle answers using the advanced editor. To add shuffling to a single select problem, you add shuffle="true" to the <choicegroup> element.

<problem>
  <multiplechoiceresponse>
    <label>What Apple device competed with the portable CD player?</label>
    <choicegroup type="MultipleChoice" shuffle="true">
      <choice correct="false">The iPad</choice>
      <choice correct="false">Napster</choice>
      <choice correct="true">The iPod</choice>
      <choice correct="false">The vegetable peeler</choice>
    </choicegroup>
  </multiplechoiceresponse>
</problem>

To make the location of an answer fixed in a shuffled list, add fixed="true" to the choice element for the answer.

<problem>
  <multiplechoiceresponse>
    <label>What Apple device competed with the portable CD player?</label>
    <choicegroup type="MultipleChoice" shuffle="true">
      .
      .
      .
      <choice correct="false" fixed="true">All of the above</choice>
    </choicegroup>
  </multiplechoiceresponse>
</problem>

Then, you select Settings to specify an option other than Never for the Randomization setting.

Answer Pools

You can configure a single select problem so that a random subset of choices are shown to each learner. For example, you can add 10 possible choices to the problem, and each learner views a set of five choices.

The answer pool must have at least one correct answer. It can have more than one correct answer. In each set of choices shown to a learner, one correct answer is included. For example, you can configure two correct answers in the set of choices. One of the two correct answers is included in each set that a learner views.

You configure the problem to provide answer pools by editing the OLX for the problem in the advanced editor.

• In the <choicegroup> element, add the answer-pool attribute, with the numerical value indicating the number of answer options to show to learners. For example, <choicegroup answer-pool="4">.

• If you include more than one correct answer among the options, for each correct answer add an explanation-id attribute with a unique value to the <choice> element: <choice correct="false" explanation-id="correct1">.

• If you include more than one correct answer among the options, for each <solution> element, add an explanation-id attribute and a value that maps back to a specific correct answer. For example, <solution explanation-id="correct1">.

• Place the <solution> elements within a <solutionset> element.

Note

If the choices include only one correct answer, you do not have to use the explanation-id in either the <choice> or <solution> element. You do still use the <solutionset> element to wrap the <solution> element.

For example, for the following single select problem, a learner will see four choices. In each set, one of the choices will be one of the two correct choices. The explanation shown for the correct answer is the one with the same explanation ID.

<problem>
  <multiplechoiceresponse>
    <label>What Apple devices let you carry your digital music library in your pocket?</label>
    <description>You can select only one option.</description>
    <choicegroup type="MultipleChoice" answer-pool="4">
      <choice correct="false">The iPad</choice>
      <choice correct="false">Napster</choice>
      <choice correct="true" explanation-id="iPod">The iPod</choice>
      <choice correct="false">The vegetable peeler</choice>
      <choice correct="false">The iMac</choice>
      <choice correct="true" explanation-id="iPhone">The iPhone</choice>
    </choicegroup>
    <solutionset>
      <solution explanation-id="iPod">
        <div class="detailed-solution">
          <p>Explanation</p>
          <p>The iPod is Apple's portable digital music player.</p>
        </div>
      </solution>
      <solution explanation-id="iPhone">
        <div class="detailed-solution">
          <p>Explanation</p>
          <p>In addition to being a cell phone, the iPhone can store and play
           your digital music.</p>
        </div>
      </solution>
    </solutionset>
  </multiplechoiceresponse>
</problem>

See also

About Single Select Problems (concept)

Add a Single Select Problem (how-to)

Single Select Problem OLX Reference (reference)

Edit Single Select Problems using the Advanced Editor (how-to)

Maintenance chart

Review Date	Working Group Reviewer	Release	Test situation

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