The Multi-Part tool allows you to create assessments that mirror complex, multi-step questions found on standardized tests and commonly used classroom assignments. This feature is a powerful tool across all subjects - including ELA, Math, and Science - to dig deeper into student knowledge by evaluating their comprehension, reasoning, and multi-step problem-solving skills within a single, cohesive item, making it ideal for both summative and formative uses.
Benefits of Multi-Part Questions
Holistic Evaluation: Group related questions (like an evidence-based reading pair or a multi-step math problem) under one core prompt.
Grading Efficiency: View all component answers for a complex question in one place, enabling faster manual review and partial credit assignment.
Structure Preservation: The internal order of Part A, Part B, etc., is always maintained, even when other questions on the assessment are randomized.
Create a Multi-Part Question
Add Content (Optional): If there's a stimulus (a specific content item such as a main text passage, video, image, etc.), that applies to all subsequent parts of the question - start by adding it to your activity, then proceed to attach the Multi-Part question(s) to it (Learn more about adding content items here).
If you don't need a content item for the question, skip this step.
Select Multi-Part: Click on the plus icon and select + Multi-Part question at the bottom of the Add Item window.
If you selected to enhance a content item, this will be the view of the Add Item window:
If you skipped adding a content item, the Add Item window will display in full:
Now, add individual parts
Add the individual parts of the question (Part A, Part B, etc.). You can add any standard question type you want, including multiple choice, short answer, or drawing. You can also add content items such as images, videos, etc.
To add a new part, click the blue plus button within the Multi-Part item and select the question type as normal. Multi-Part will have a minimum of two parts and you can add up to a maximum of ten.
Once added, you can check the structure of your Multi-Part question on the left-hand navigation bar
Note: Once created, multi-part items are explicitly marked as un-shuffleable to ensure their internal structure and intended order (A, B, C...) are always preserved on the student's assessment.
⭐ Pro-Tip: Mimicking EBSR Questions
To create Evidence-Based Selected-Response (EBSR) items common on state tests (where Part A is the answer and Part B asks for evidence), first add a Text content block containing the passage. Then, place your Multi-Part item directly beside it, using Part A for the main question and Part B for the textual evidence.
Move Parts
Individual questions and content items can be moved into a Multi-Part item. This can be done in 2 ways:
Click the triple dots next to an item, select 'Move' and then select the destination location
Click on the item within the left-hand navigation bar, and drag it to the desired location
To separate an item from a Multi-Part question, click the triple dots next to it and then select the designated destination outside of the Multi-Part question:
Scoring
In a Multi-Part question, each part of the question is scored independently and will appear as a separate item on the Responses tab.
Student View (The Assessment Experience) 🧑🎓
On the student dashboard, the Multi-Part question appears as a single, cohesive item. It is displayed as a single question with each part clearly labeled as 1a, 1b, 1c, etc. This gives students a clear view of the entire question.
When assigning with 'Display each item as a separate page', each part of a Mutli-Part question will be considered a separate item.
When assigning with 'Display in random order', Multi-Part questions will maintain the internal order of their respective parts.
Multi-Part Examples
Passage: Elara had always been known for her quiet nature, content to observe the world from the edges of the playground. Her voice was rarely heard above a whisper, and she often deferred to the opinions of others. But when she saw the neighborhood bully, Marcus, corner a younger student and demand his lunch money, something inside her shifted. A fire ignited in her chest, a feeling she had only ever read about in books. With a deep breath, Elara stepped forward, her hands clenched into fists, and said, "Leave him alone, Marcus."
Part A: Which of the following best describes Elara's motivation for confronting Marcus?
A. She was afraid that Marcus would target her next.
B. She wanted to impress the other students on the playground.
C. She felt a powerful urge to protect someone weaker than herself.
D. She was curious to see how Marcus would react to being challenged.
Part B: Which sentence from the passage best supports your answer to Part A?
A. "Her voice was rarely heard above a whisper..."
B. "A fire ignited in her chest, a feeling she had only ever read about in books."
C. "...she often deferred to the opinions of others."
D. "...she stepped forward, her hands clenched into fists..."
1. Water Cycle Analysis
Part A (Categorize): Categorize the different stages of the water cycle (evaporation, condensation, precipitation) by dragging and dropping words into the correct boxes.
Part B (Drawing): Draw a simple diagram showing the path of a water molecule as it moves through the cycle you just categorized.
2. Physical and Chemical Changes
Part A (Matching): Match each example (e.g., melting ice, burning wood, rusting nail) with the correct type of change (physical or chemical).
Part B (Short Answer): Explain why burning wood is considered a chemical change, but melting ice is not.
3. Solar System Facts
Part A (Re-sequence): Re-sequence the planets in our solar system in order of their distance from the sun.
Part B (Fill in the Blank): The largest planet in our solar system is __________.
4. States of Matter
Part A (Multiple Choice): Which of the following describes the molecules in a solid?
Part B (Drag and Drop): Drag and drop the words "solid," "liquid," and "gas" to label the correct containers.
5. Food Web Dynamics
Part A (Matching): Match each animal to its role in the food web (producer, consumer, decomposer).
Part B (Video Response): Record a short video explaining what would happen to the food web if all the producers were removed.
6. Light and Reflection
Part A (True or False): Light travels in a straight line.
Part B (Numeric): If a light ray hits a mirror at a 45° angle, what is the angle of reflection?
Part C (Drawing): Draw a diagram that shows how light reflects off a smooth surface.
7. Properties of Earth Materials
Part A (Categorize): Categorize the following materials (sand, clay, pebbles) based on their ability to hold water.
Part B (File Response): Upload a picture or video of an experiment you conducted to prove your answer.
8. Energy Transfer in a Circuit
Part A (Dropdown): Which of the following is an energy source in a simple circuit?
Part B (Multiple Selection): Which of the following items are conductors?
Part C (Re-sequence): Re-sequence the steps required to build a functioning circuit.
9. Animal Adaptations
Part A (Hot Spot): Click on the part of the camel that is best adapted to living in the desert.
Part B (Audio Response): Describe how that adaptation helps the camel survive in its environment.
10. Plant Growth and Life Cycle
Part A (Match Table Grid): Match each step in a plant's life cycle to the correct description.
Part B (Fill in the Blank): A plant's leaves are responsible for a process called __________, which uses sunlight to create food.
Part C (Drawing): Draw and label a diagram of a plant that shows its root system, stem, and leaves.