Create a Question Sequence

A question sequence consists of narrative text and/or a graphic followed by a series of question items maintained in a sequential order.

When you add a question sequence to an assessment you are creating, the entire sequence is added as a single unit. For example, if you have added five questions to an assessment definition you are building, and then add a question sequence that includes five questions, you then have ten questions. However, once the assessment definition has been created, you can delete individual question items if you don't want all questions in the sequence.

The procedure to create a question sequence is very similar to the procedure to create a standalone (non-sequence) question item. Before attempting to create a question sequence, you should be familiar with creating independent question items. Refer to Create and Align Question Items.

Create a Question Sequence

1. Log in and select Assessment Library from the Assessment menu.
2. In the Curriculum drop-down, select the curriculum area where you want to add the question sequence.
3. Click the Question Items tab.
4. Click Add New to add a question.
   • To add questions without first selecting a curriculum area, click Add New on the Question Items page.
   • To add the question to one of the sets of questions stored at a curriculum area, click the checkmark icon next to that curriculum area, and then click Add New on the Library Detail page.
   • If these options do not appear, you do not have the required security privileges.
5. On the Add Question Item page, define the question.
   
   • In the Stored at field, click the Select link and specify where in the curriculum the new question item will be stored. Use the > icons to expand the outline. Click the checkmark icon to select the desired area once it is in view.
   • In the Tags section, select the descriptors that are optionally defined by your school district, and you will only see tags here if any have been defined.
   • In the Question ID (optional) field, either leave the field blank to use a default value or enter an ID if you want to assign the ID that was used in the original source for the question item.
   • In the Question Type field, select Question Sequence to define a question sequence is not actually a single question, but a related series of questions presented sequentially.
   • In the Options, select the Allow Internal Question Randomization checkbox if you want the sequence of questions to appear in a random order when printed on student forms.
   • In the Text Format field, select Plain Text to enter question item text with html formatting or Stylized Format to display a formatting toolbar to format the question item text.
   • In the Question Text field, enter the narrative text that will accompany the question sequence. To learn how to use HTML to format plain text, refer to the Using HTML to Format Plain Text section that follows.
   • In the Special Accommodations (optional) field, optionally enter special accommodations information that can be printed or will appear on the screen for a student needing special accommodations.
   • In the Notes (optional) field, enter notes for the person proctoring or overseeing scoring of the test. Test-takers do not see this text.

6. When you are finished defining the first part of the sequence, click Accept.

7. On the Layout page for the Question Sequence, review your narrative. If you want to edit it again, click Edit.

Add Question Items to the Sequence

Use the links In the Question Sequence section below the narrative text to add a new question item to the sequence (or to transfer an existing independent question item into the sequence). A sequence should have a minimum of two questions added to it.

If you want to remove the question from the sequence, do not click Delete, as this deletes the question itself from the Question Item Library. You must first click the magnifier icon for the question to delete, and then click Delete.

Add a new question to the sequence

1. Click + Add New Question to Sequence, and then follow the procedure in Create and Align Question Items.
2. After you have added the question, return to the question sequence by clicking Question Sequence in the Navigation path.

Add an existing question to the sequence

1. Click + Add Existing Question(s) to Sequence.
2. In the Add Existing Questions to Sequence screen, review the Existing Addable Questions section. Select the question(s) you want to add to the sequence, and then click Add Questions.

Rearrange the order of questions within the sequence

1. To change the order of questions, display the Question Item Listing page for the curriculum where the question is stored.
2. Click the magnifier icon for the question sequence to display the Layout page for the Question Sequence.
3. Click the magnifier icon for the question you want to move.
4. Click Edit.
5. On the Edit Question Layout page, scroll to the bottom of the page to display the Position this question where in sequence? section. Select the desired location.
6. Click Accept.