How do I create a D2L Quiz with optional Written Response questions?

Posted in Tips & TricksTagged , , , ,

Written Response, or essay, questions must be graded manually in D2L quizzes. However, you can create optional essay question options in such a way that you are still able to use the points-based grading features in D2L Quizzes.

With that in mind, this is the easiest way to create a D2L Quiz with optional Written Response, or essay, questions:

  1. Determine the number of questions students are required to answer (e.g., 2 out of 4).
  2. Determine the point values for the questions. (They must all be the same.)
  3. Write essay question instructions that include the following:
    1. Instructions that refer to how many essay questions students are expected to answer.
    2. Directions that indicate how students should use the Written Response answer fields. Indicate that students should identify which question they are responding to before beginning their response in the Written Response answer field.
    3. Instructions that apply to all essay responses (e.g., please refer to concepts from our textbook in your responses).
    4. All essay question options in a numbered list.
  4. Using the number you determined in step #1, create the same number of Written Response questions (e.g., if students are required to answer 2 out of 4 essay questions, you would create 2 Written Response questions).
  5. Add the instructions you developed in step #3 to the Question Text field of each Written Response question.

This is an example of the type of essay question instructions you should develop in step #3:

You will choose 2 of the 4 essay questions below to answer.  In each answer field, begin by identifying the question you are answering; you will use each answer field once to respond to 1 question (e.g., use answer field #1 to respond to question #2 and answer field #2 to respond to question #4). In your responses to the questions, be sure to include in-text citations that reference our course text, John Bean’s Engaging Ideas. These are the question options:

  1. What does Bean recommend all instructors do when commenting on student drafts?
  2. Tell me about a time that you used Bean’s “hierarchy of concerns” during a peer review workshop.
  3. How have you applied Bean’s recommendations to your teaching this quarter?
  4. Tell me about your plan for facilitating critical thinking in the classroom next quarter.

For more information on using D2L Quizzes, please see our D2L Quizzes guide.