Enterprise Portal: Create a Question Bank Assessment

A Question Bank assessment is a typical question-and-answer style exam, quiz, or assignment. 

Note: This article explains how to create the assessment by using the List View. To learn about the Blueprint method, see: Enterprise Portal: Create an Assessment Blueprint

Before You Begin

1. Complete the basic steps to create an assessment and select an assessment type. See: Enterprise Portal: Get Started Creating an Assessment

2. If this assessment is for Examplify, select the Assessment Options (not required for ExamNow assessments). See: Enterprise Portal: Get Started with Assessment Options

   Note: For help with ExamNow assessments, see: Enterprise Portal: Create an ExamNow Assessment

Procedures

• Add and Edit Questions
• (Optional) Add and Organize Exam Sections
• Enter the Point Values
• Review Question Updates and Version History

Add and Edit Questions

After creating your assessment, as described in the "Before You Begin" section above, the Build Assessment page will appear.

On this page, you can perform several different tasks to set up the questions for this assessment. When you're done, be sure to save your changes by selecting the Save and Continue button (in the top right corner of the page).

• To add previously created questions:
  1. Select the green plus button (on the left side of the screen).
  2. Select Find Questions.

     

     Note: This button is available if you've previously added questions to the selected course.

  3. In the question selection list, select the plus button for each question to include in your assessment, or select the plus button in the header row to select all of them.
  4. When finished, select Save (in the top right corner of the pop-up window).

     

     Note: To deselect a question, hover your mouse over it and then select the X button. 

• To add a new question:
  1. Select the green plus button (on the left side of the screen).

  2. Select the type of question that you want to create.

     Note: For more information and tips about each type of question, see: Enterprise Portal: Basic Steps to Create Questions

• To add exam sections: You might prefer to add the exam sections before you add the questions. See the "(Optional) Add and Organize Exam Sections" section of this article.
• To edit a question: In the table row for the question, select the pencil icon. Then make your changes. Be sure to save your changes.
• To remove a question from the assessment: Select the check box for each question that you want to remove, and then select the Remove button at the bottom of the screen. 
• To move a question up or down within the sequence: Position your mouse pointer on the left side of the question, and then drag it up or down.

  

• To group two or more questions together: Select the check box for each question to include, and then select the Group button at the bottom of the screen. This can be a useful option. Grouped questions will stay together when you move them. Likewise, if you set up randomization in the Assessment Options, then these questions will remain in the grouped order, appearing at a random location in the assessment.

  

• To preview the questions on-screen: Select the Preview button, near the top right corner of the page. The questions are displayed in a  slide-out window.

  Note: You also can preview the assessment in Examplify if you are a course administrator. First, edit the course and add yourself as a Course Admin. Then, log in to Examplify with the same email address and password that you use to log in to your institution's ExamSoft Portal. You'll have access to preview exams for all draft and posted assessments in the courses for which you are a Course Admin. For more information, see: Enterprise Portal: Create and Preview a Practice Exam (Tutorial)

(Optional) Add and Organize Exam Sections

Exam sections create a unique structure for an assessment. You can use them to organize a large exam into smaller units. Exam-takers must complete one section before they can go to the next one. For more information about this feature, the requirements, and the exam-taker experience, see: Enterprise Portal: Overview of Exam Sections

1. On the Build Assessment page, select the plus button (on the left side of the screen).

   Note: You can add sections before, after, or while adding questions.

2. Select Create Section (near the bottom of the menu).

   

3. In the pop-up window, enter a Title (up to 12 characters) and a Description (optional), and add more sections if needed.

   Note: you can add up to 5 sections.

4. Use the Create New Section button to add the remaining sections.
5. Use the up- and down-arrow buttons( on the left) to place the sections in the order that you want them to appear during the exam.

   Example

   

6. Enter a Time Limit for each section, or leave the field blank to allow the time limit to be set automatically based on the overall time limit for the assessment.

7. Select Save Changes (in the top right corner).

   The Build Assessment page now shows EXAM SECTIONS immediately below the Assessment Stats. You'll see an Exam Section tab for each section that you added.

   Example: Exam Section Tabs

   

8. Set up each section:
   • To add questions to a section: Select the Exam Section tab, and then follow the Add and Edit Questions procedure.
   • To move questions to a different section:
     1. Select the Exam Section tab for the section where the questions are currently located.
     2. Select the checkbox for each question that you want to move.
     3. At the bottom of the screen, select Change Section.

        

     4. In the pop-up window, select the section that you want to move them to, and then select Move Questions.

        

Enter the Point Values

By default, each question is assigned one point. You can assign points in various ways.

• To assign points to individual questions: In the row for the question, enter the value in the Points box. (a)
  • Questions must have a point value greater than 0 (zero) to post them. Note: To have a question worth 0 (zero) points, after posting the question, you'll need to choose the Throw Out Question option in the Adjust Scoring section. For more information, see Enterprise Portal: Adjust Questions & Scoring Options.
• To set the total points and distribute them evenly among the questions: Enter a number in the Total Assessment Points box, which is above the question list. Then select Distribute Points to evenly distribute the points among the unlocked questions. (b)
• To give certain questions a fixed value and distribute the remaining points: For example, let's say that you want the quiz to be worth 50 points total. You want the essay question to be worth 20 points, and you want the remaining 30 points to be distributed evenly among the 10 other questions in the assessment. (c) You would complete these steps:
  1. Enter 20 in the Points box. 
  2. Next to the Points box, select the Lock button (which is next to the points box) to prevent changes.
  3. In the Total Assessment Points box above the questions list, enter 50.
  4. Select Distribute Points, and the remaining 30 points are distributed evenly among the unlocked questions.

Tips:

• If you set up exam sections, be sure to do these steps on all sections. Use the section tabs to select each section and enter the point values.

  

• When you're finished adding questions and assigning points, select Save and Continue.

Review Question Updates or Version History

If you select a question for this assessment and it is later edited in the question bank, a notification will appear near the top of the Build Assessment page. You can review the changes and decide whether or not to apply the changes to this assessment before you post it. 

Important: This notification does not appear for changes that were made within the  assessment questions list on the Build Assessment page. You will not be prompted to review those changes. 



If the Question Updates notification appears:

1. Select the Review button.

   On the left side of the slide-out window, you'll see the Version History, which indicates the current version that is in use for this assessment and the latest version from the question bank for the course.

   

2. Select the version that you want to view.

   The question, answer choices, and settings will appear in the main area of the window.

3. Compare the versions.
   • If you want to keep the version that is labeled Active for this Assessment, no action is needed. Select Go Back.
   • If you want to use the version that is labeled New - Active for this Course, select Accept This Version. Then select Accept & Save.

     

1. Select the question.
2. Near the top of the slide-out window, select Version History (below the question title).
3. Compare the versions.
   • If you want to keep the version that is labeled Active for this Assessment, no action is needed. Select Go Back.
   • If you want to use the version that is labeled New - Active for this Course, select Accept This Version. Then select Accept & Save.

Next Steps

You are now ready to select the Post Assessment settings. See: Enterprise Portal: Post an Assessment