Classic Quiz, Mulitple Answer Scoring

[wagnerpj63]

When using the classic quiz option for mulitple answers, we are seeing an issue with the grading option. Students are getting points counted off for incorrect answers but not credit for not picking an incorrect answer. Consider the scenario below. The student is expected to select 3 correct answers out of 4 choices. Student A selects 2 corrent and one incorrect. They receive a score of 8.33/25. 2 right, 1 wrong. 

Same question, student B just chooses all 4 answers. They receive a better score (16.67/25) because they had 3 correct and 1 incorrect. How can this be corrected? We cannot expect teachers to look at every question like this. It defeats the purpose of using an online quiz to score.

[mzimmerman · Accepted solution]

Hi @wagnerpj63

The article at https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Instructor-Guide/How-do-I-create-a-Multiple-Answers-quiz-question... gives an explanation of how multiple answer questions are graded:

• To calculate scores for Multiple Answers quiz questions, Canvas divides the total points possible by the amount of correct answers for that question. This amount is awarded for every correct answer selected and deducted for every incorrect answer selected. No points are awarded or deducted for correct or incorrect answers that are not selected. For example, an instructor may create a Multiple Answer quiz question with 9 points possible that includes three correct choices and two incorrect choices. If a student selects two correct answers and one incorrect answer, they would be awarded 3 total points for that question. This would be calculated by awarding 3 points (9 total points divided by 3 correct answers) for each correct answer and subtracting 3 points for the incorrect answer.

Points are awarded bases on the answers that are selected, not on the answers that are not selected.  In your example, the reason that student B got a higher score is because they selected all 3 correct answers, whereas student A only selected 2 out of 3 correct answers.

If the question had 2 correct and 2 incorrect answers, then student B would have gotten 0 points by selecting all 4 answers, whereas student A would have gotten 50% credit for selecting 2 correct and one incorrect answer.

Given the way that multiple answer questions are scored, you might consider not telling students how many answers are correct in the question.