If you use Google Forms for quizzes it is important to know how the scoring works. By default questions such as paragraph text and time are marked incorrect regardless of what the student submits. Google Forms has become a staple tool in the educational sector, particularly for conducting quizzes. However, like any tool, to extract its maximum potential, it’s essential to know its nuances. One common concern teachers have is about questions defaulting to being marked as incorrect.
Turning on Quizzes
To turn your Google Form into a self grading quiz, click on the settings cog in the upper right. Click on the 3rd tab “Quizzes” and toggle on “Make this a quiz.” The default is to release grade “Immediately after each submission.”
Any question types that can not be automatically graded by Google Forms are marked incorrect by default. Suggestion to choose “later, after manual review” if you have any of these question types.
Certain Question Types in Google Forms Default to Incorrect
Using Paragraph, Linear scale, Date, or Time as a question type does not auto grade. By default the score will count as a zero until graded by the teacher and the score is released.
Try This Quiz
After submitting the quiz and answering all of the questions notice I only scored a 2 out of 18, which is from the multiple choice question.
Scoring Questions Manually
To view student responses to questions, click on “Question” in the Google Form. Use the drop down to choose the question to score. Type in the score if less than full credit or click on the green checkmark to give full credit. Click save at the bottom. Repeat per question.
Release the Scores
Do not forget to release the scores once you’ve gone through and given points for all the questions that required manual scoring, click back on the Summary tab. Scroll down a little and under the Scores section, click on “Release scores.”
Tips for Using Google Forms Quizzes
1. Understanding the Grading System
Google Forms allows automatic grading for specific question types, such as multiple choice, checkboxes, and dropdowns. For others, like short answer and paragraph, manual grading might be necessary.
Quick Tip: Always review the default grading before sending out the quiz. This ensures that correct answers are not marked as wrong.
2. Use Question Formats Wisely
– Multiple Choice: Ideal for questions with only one correct answer. Ensure you shuffle the option order to prevent pattern guessing.
– Checkboxes: Best for questions with multiple correct answers. Make sure to specify how many options students should select.
– Dropdown: A compact alternative to multiple choice. Good for long lists of options.
– Short Answer: Use for one-word or one-sentence answers. Be wary of potential variations in answers.
– Paragraph: Ideal for subjective answers that require manual grading.
3. Include a Mix of Question Types
Balance your quiz with objective and subjective questions. While objective questions can be graded automatically, subjective ones offer insights into a student’s thought process.
4. Feedback is Key
For automatically graded questions, you can set feedback for both correct and incorrect answers. This immediate feedback can be instrumental for student learning.
5. Shuffle Questions
Google Forms allows you to shuffle questions so that each student gets a uniquely ordered quiz. This reduces the chance of copying.
6. Utilize Section-Based Quizzing
Sections can be used to group questions based on topics or difficulty levels. You can also use branching logic to navigate students through different paths based on their answers.
7. Limit Response Editing
Once students submit their answers, you can restrict them from editing their responses. This can help in maintaining the integrity of the quiz.
8. Review Grades
After the quiz, always review the responses. It’s possible that the system might mark some answers incorrectly due to variations in the phrasing of the answer. For example, “World War 2” and “World War II” are the same answers but may be interpreted differently.
9. Utilize Add-ons
There are several Google Forms add-ons specifically designed for educators. Try Quiz Helper by Alice Keeler.
10. Keep Parents in the Loop
Google Forms allows you to send email notifications. Consider sending quiz results to not only students but also their parents. This can foster a collaborative environment for the student’s growth.
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