This question type creates an answer box that’s meant for longer, written answers such as sentences, paragraphs, and essays. When you use this feature on your activity, your students will be able to write long responses. When you’re grading these types, the box becomes a scrollable window.

To set up an Open Answer question, choose ‘Insert’ on your toolbar or click down on your activity.  

The Tools menu will pop up. Select 'Open Answer' from the left column.

Your mouse will turn to cross-hairs and the top of the toolbar will tell you to ‘Click in the activity to add a(n) Open Answer.'  Drag your mouse across your screen to create an Open Answer Box. 

Once the Open Answer is on your activity, your toolbar will look like this.

Choose, 'Edit...' or double click the box you just created, and this pop-up will appear:

Set score to 0 if student does not enter an answer: If this option is selected and you've set a score value for the item, the item will be scored as 0 automatically if the student has not entered any text. This could save you some time when grading as you will not have to explicitly set the score.

Students can enter rich text: If this option is selected, students will have access to a rich text editor for this Open Answer. This will allow them to use different fonts, sizes, styles, and alignments to complete their answer. If it is not selected, students will enter their answer using a standard, plain text editor. 

Starter Text: This optional starter text will only be displayed in the edit area before the student begins entering their response. Once they begin typing a response, it will no longer be visible. If you need instructions that will remain visible, we suggest using Teacher Text to add them to your activity above the Open Answer box.

Teacher Notes: Use the "Teacher Notes" field to store scoring rubrics or other information that may be useful when scoring this question. Your students will not see this text. It will be shown to you any time you click an Open Answer question in a student's submission.

Be sure to click Save when you're done.

Number of Points: Open Answer questions in Classwork.com default to 0 points and they cannot be auto-scored at this time. You can still assign a point value to them by clicking the green "1" in the top toolbar after selecting the question box. When students submit, their Open Answer items will display "Teacher Scored." You'll. then assign the score manually while grading, and these points will be added to the student's total score.

Grading Open Answer Questions

Open Answer questions are not auto-graded at this time. After your students complete their submissions, you'll have to review them and assign points to each Open Answer question. Open each student submission, click the student's Open Answer response, then click Set Score. Enter the point value, then click Save.