How to Add questions to a Moodle quiz

Moodle Help & Support

This refers to Moodle 3.11 from August 2022 onward

Choosing a question type

Navigate to your Moodle module
Click on the title of your quiz.
Then EITHER click on the Edit quiz button on the new screen, OR click on the 'Cogwheel' and select 'Edit quiz' from the dropdown menu.

Main quiz page with cogwheel menu open

4. This will open the Editing quiz page. To add a new question, click on Add and from the dropdown select '+ a new question'

Adding a new question

5. This will open a window with different question types for you to choose from, select the one appropriate and click the'Add' button. See below for a description of each taken from the Moodle.org website:

1. Calculated. Calculated questions offer a way to create individual numerical questions by the use of wildcards that are substituted with individual values when the quiz is taken.
2. Calculated multichoice. Calculated multichoice questions are like multiple choice questions in which the choice elements can include formula results from numeric values that are selected randomly from a set when the quiz is taken.
3. Calculated simple. A simpler version of calculated questions which are like numerical questions but with the numbers used selected randomly from a set when the quiz is taken.
4. Description. This is not a real question. It simply prints some text (and possibly graphics) without requiring an answer. This can be used to provide some information to be used by a subsequent group of questions, for example.
5. Drag and drop into text. Missing words in the question text are filled in by selecting from a dropdown menu.
6. Drag and drop onto image. Images or text labels are dragged and dropped into drop zones on a background image.
7. Drag and drop markers. Markers are dragged and dropped onto a background image.
8. Embedded answers (Cloze). This question type allows you create an interactive question with e.g. 'fill in the blanks', drop-down and numerical responses embedded within it, in the form of multiple choice, short answers and numerical answers. A basic syntax s required to create the questions.
9. Essay. In response to a question (that may include an image) the respondent writes an answer in essay format. The essay question will not be assigned a grade until it has been reviewed by a teacher and manually graded. Until that happens, the student's grade will be 0.
10. Matching. A list of sub-questions is provided, along with a list of answers. The respondent must "match" the correct answers with each question.
11. Multiple choice. In response to a question (that may include an image) the respondent chooses from multiple answers. There are two types of multiple choice questions - single answer and multiple answer.
12. Numerical. From the student perspective, a numerical question looks just like a short answer question. The difference is that numerical answers are allowed to have an accepted error. This allows a continuous range of answers to be set that lets you create questions like "What is a root of x^2 - 3x + 2?" and award different levels of credit depending on the accuracy of the answer.
13. Pattern Match. Allows a short response of up to about 20 words that is graded by comparing against a specified response pattern (model answer), which is set using the OU's pattern match syntax. This question types works best when you are asking for a single explanation that can be marked as right or wrong.
14. Random short answer matching. Like a Matching question, but created randomly from the short answer questions in a particular category.
15. Select missing words. Missing words in the question text are filled in by selecting from a dropdown menu.
16. Short answer. In response to a question (that may include an image), the respondent types a word or phrase. There may be several possible correct answers, with different grades. Answers may or may not be sensitive to case.
17. STACK. An advanced mathematical question type that accepts algebraic expressions as the answer. This permits questions which require the rearrangement of formula as well as calculus and other advanced mathematics. Contains a sophisticated logic tree for providing feedback based on students' responses. Knowledge of Maxima CAS is required to create questions.
18. True/false. In response to a question (that may include an image), the respondent selects from two options: True or False.
19. Variable numeric. Allows a numeric response, expressions are evaluated on the fly and the evaluated expression is compared to the student response.
20. Variable numeric set. Allows a numeric response, question can have several 'variants', expressions are pre evaluated for each question variant.

Constructing a question

Enter the "Question name". This is not the question, just the title for your information, students will not see this.
Enter the "Question text". This is the actual question you would like the students to answer.
Enter the "Default mark" that can be gained from this question. You can amend this later on via the 'question page' if you need to.
Optional: Enter some "General feedback" for the students taking the quiz. This is shown to all students after the quiz whatever their answers. This is a useful tool if you'd like to give students some links to further information, possibly in the module itself, relevant to the question.
Enter the "Answers" for the question. The layout for this section varies for every question. In some case you can even incorporate images into the question; if you choose to do this it's better to upload an image that to paste it in as sometimes this provides an error message.
Optional: Enter some general feedback for students with correct, partially correct and incorrect answers. This doesn't need to be a statement about the correct answer as they can see this at the end of the quiz (dependent on quiz settings).
Optional: Provide some hints to go with the quiz. This feature can be useful if you use the hint text. The other options involve ruling out all incorrect answers or highlighting all correct answers.
You can shuffle the choices if you wish (default is yes)
Ensure that one of the choices (the correct one) has a grade of 100% (or some combination of choices)
Once complete click on the Save changes button.

Entering quiz information