In a fill-in-the-blank question, learners can fill in one or more blanks in a sentence or paragraph using a dropdown menu or typing the correct answer. You can create new questions within an existing Test or Question Bank or directly from the Questions tab. 

Creating a Fill-in-the-Blank Question

1. In the Enter question text box, type in your question.
   

   Use the Rich Text Editor to edit the question text or add an equation.

   If the question requires scrolling, you will see a Back to Top arrow above the Save button.

2. In the question text box, highlight the word you would like your learners to fill in and click Add Blank.
   

   The text is added to the Drop Down and selected as the correct answer. You can add multiple blanks to a question.

3. Click Add distractor and type in an additional dropdown option that is not part of the correct answer.
   

   Repeat to add more distractors.

   Click the vertical dots to the left of a distractor to rearrange them.

4. Optionally, add additional distractors for any / all blanks.
5. From the Options tab, you can
   • Change the Question Type.
     

     Most details—like answer options and settings—are preserved, but major changes may need additional edits or input.

   • Adjust the Question Settings.
     • Set the question Mode of Drop Down or Text Entry.
       

       Distractors will not be lost when switching between modes.

       • Drop down - Shows pre-populated answer choices and distractors.
         • Instructors can add multiple correct answers for any / all blanks.

         • As long as the learner selects one of the correct options, the response is counted as correct.

       • Text Entry - Requires learners to type an answer choice. 
         • An initial keyword is added for each blank based on the question text.

         • Only one keyword is required, but instructors can add additional keywords for any / all blanks.

         • As long as the learner's response matches one of the keywords for the blank, the response is counted as correct.

     • Unique Drop Downs - Create separate dropdown options and distractors for each blank in the question.
       • When selected, answer options for each drop down have a checkbox that you can select to allow multiple answers as correct.
     • Duplicate Answers - The learner can choose the same answer for more than one blank in the question. This can be used when more than one blank has the same answer or to increase the difficulty level of the question. When this is on, answer options will not be removed from drop downs when a learner selects them for a blank.
       • When selected, answer options include a menu on the left side where you can indicate it as correct for a particular blank. You can mark multiple items as correct for the same blank.
   • Choose the Scoring Options.
     • Toggle on Extra Credit to allow students to earn additional points for this question, which will be added to their total exam score. This will be the question's default setting, but it can be adjusted individually for each test.
     • Choose the Scoring Type from the dropdown.
       • All or Nothing - Learners receive full credit for a correct answer OR no credit for an incorrect answer.
       • 0 / 1 Partial - Learners earn points for correct answers AND no points for incorrect answers.
       • Rationale - Learners are assessed on whether they understand the cause and effect relationships between blanks. The total possible score is calculated as the number of blanks minus one times the points setting. The first blank does not score the learner points. If the learner gets the first blank correct, they earn points based on how they answer the rest of the blanks. If the learner gets the first blank wrong, they earn no points for the rest of the blanks, regardless of whether the blanks were answered correctly or not.
       • By Blank - Instructors can award partial credit for the question, with each blank having a different point value. A learner's total possible points equals the sum of points for each blank.
     • Change the Points value of the question.
   • Link a Narrative or Case Study to your question. When linked, click Preview to open a preview modal for the narrative / case study.
     

     A narrative is a descriptive passage, special instruction, a table, image, or other information that you can link to one or more questions. When taking an online exam or printed test, narratives are presented to the learner along with the questions they are linked to.
     A case study is a set of one or more tabs with descriptive passages, special instructions, tables, images, or other information that you can link to one or more questions. Case Studies are typically used to mimic information as it would be displayed in a patient’s medical chart. When taking an online exam or printed test, case studies are presented to the learner, along with the questions they are linked to.

   • Disable Spell Check so that the browser does not identify misspelled words and learners cannot access the browser spell check feature. Spell Check is enabled by default.
     

     This setting is only available for Fill in the Blank questions in Text Entry mode.

6. From the Metadata tab, you can view or edit metadata tags associated with the question.
7. From the Feedback & Rationale tab, you can enter
   • Instructor Annotations are additional notes that learners will never have access to, regardless of exam settings.
     

     Use the abbreviated Rich Text Editor to format the question text and / or add a file.

   • Rationale refers to the reasoning or justification behind the question's answer. Understanding the rationale behind a question can help clarify its purpose and relevance.
     

     Use the abbreviated Rich Text Editor to format the question text and / or add a file.

   • Advanced Feedback, when toggled on, allows you to enter specific Correct and Incorrect Feedback for each answer option in each blank.
   • Correct Feedback is positive reinforcement of the correct answer.
   • Incorrect Feedback can be constructive criticism or additional information that helps clarify why the learner's response is incorrect.
8. From the Additional Information tab, you can reference an article from our Knowledge Base that is relevant to your task. You do not need to switch between the EchoExam interface and the Knowledge Base.
9. Optionally, you can click the Desktop, Tablet Portrait, and Mobile Portrait icons to preview how the question is displayed on different devices.
10. When finished, click Save.