Checkboxes – three different question types in Canvas New Quizzes
There are three variants of questions where the students receive a list of statements and mark the correct answer in the check boxes. For the question types "Multiple choice” and "True or False", only one answer can be correct, but for “Multiple answers” several answers can be correct. Here we explain the question types and their recommended use.
Multiple choice
The question type “Multiple choice” allows you to create multiple answer options that the students then must choose between, where only one of the options is correct. However, you can choose to use differentiated scoring for the various answers, meaning you assign a lower score for “almost” correct answers. There is also the option of shuffling the answers (as in most question types) at the next attempt to answer the questions.
Read more about "Multiple choice" at Canvas Community .
Fits well for questions with common incorrect answers and one correct answer
“Multiple choice” is the most common question type in quizzes, but sometimes it is used because it is easy to assess rather than the question type being suitable for the question. The question type is suitable for questions that have multiple reasonable answers (from the students point of view), but only one that is correct. For example, incorrect answers can be based on common miscalculations by students or concepts that are often mixed up. Keep in mind that the different answer options should be formulated similarly and seem reasonable to avoid making it clear which answer options differ.
Read more about Formulate questions and answer options .
Multiple answers
“Multiple answers” is a variation of the question type “Multiple choice”, except “Multiple answers” allow one or more answers to be correct. Differentiated scoring also works a bit differently. You can choose between the students only receiving points for an “exact match” of the correct answers or that they get “partial points with deduction”. Deductions apply both for if they have missed choosing a correct answer and if they have chosen an incorrect answer.
Read more about "Multiple answers" at Canvas Community .
Recommended for questions with multiple correct answers
Just as for “Multiple choice”, the incorrect answer options should be formulated similarly and feel reasonable for students, as well as also be based on common incorrect answers. You should make it clear to the students that one or more answers can be correct, for example, at the end of the question text.
“Multiple answers” can be used for questions with only one correct answer. Therefore, you can use this question type instead of “Multiple choice” if you want to make it harder for the students to guess correctly.
True or False
“True or False” questions are a simplified variation of “Multiple choice” where the answer option is either “true” or “false”.
Read more about "True and False" at Canvas Community .
Recommended for highlighting important information
This question type makes it easy to guess the correct answer, so it should be used to highlight important information. Otherwise, it is generally better to use a different question type and rephrase the question so that it becomes more open and has multiple answer options.
It is appropriate that the students get only one attempt to pass the quiz with “True or False” questions, or that no feedback is given between attempts. This is to avoid the students taking the quiz again and change all incorrect answers without understanding why the other option is correct.