Multiple Selection questions allow more than one correct answer.
Create a Multiple Selection question
Click on the blue + button to open the 'Add Item' window
Choose "Multiple Selection" from the Free Questions list
Type a question, edit the choices, and specify the correct answers by clicking on the squares to the left!
Transfer multiple answer choices from Google Doc or Word
If you have your questions and answer choices list in a Google Doc or Word format, you can copy/paste all answer choices in one go. First make sure your answer choices are separated into separate lines. Then copy/paste from your document into the first answer choice field in Formative. Our system will separate the answer choices to separate fields based on the location of the line break from your document.
Adjust question settings
Answer Choice Explanations are immediate feedback notes teachers can add to answer choices that help their students understand any misconceptions they may have as soon as their score is returned.
Students will not be able to submit their work without providing an answer
Switch scoring method for this question from auto-grading to a rubric based grading.
Switch on the ability to allow Partial Credit* for Multiple Selection question types to take auto-grading up a notch by allowing your students to get credit for answering part of the question correct. (Find out more about how Partial Credit grading works for Multiple Selection questions below.)
Add a whiteboard style box for your students to showcase their work
You can also add hints for your students, and tag your question to standards.
Randomize Order (Paid Teacher / School & District feature only)
If you subscribe to the Paid Teacher plan or are a member of a School & District licensed organization, you can also randomize* the order of the answer choices to mix things up a bit.
Note: When randomizing the order, the randomization will appear only on the students' end. The teacher's version will remain in the original order, including within the Preview mode. The responses tab for the teacher will also present the answers in the original order.
Strikethrough feature
Your students will have the option to eliminate incorrect answers by using the strikethrough feature. Please note that this feature is only available at the moment. If a student used the strikethrough and then navigated outside of the assignment, when they return the strikethrough markings will be gone and only the correct answer that was check marked will be preserved.
NEW! Quick Math Button
Are you using the Math Keyboard to enter answer choices often? Formative now offers the option to add a Math Button to the answer choice fields within several question types, inlucing Multiple Selection questions, for quicker access to the Math Keyboard.
This will eliminate the need to repeatedly click on the little plus button and choose the Math Keyboard from the dropdown menu.
To enable access to the quick math button:
Click on "My Account" from the left side menu, and then "Settings"
Locate the field "Show math keyboard in answer choices" and toggle it ON
Once this setting is toggled on, you will see a Math Button added next to the little plus button within your answer choice fields. Clicking this button will immediately bring up the Math Keyboard.
*Partial Credit
How we grade the "Allow Partial Credit" feature in Multiple Selection questions
When toggling on "Allow Partial Credit"** you can choose between subtracting points for incorrect answers, or not subtracting points for incorrect answers.
If you choose to subtract points for incorrect answers the formula will be:
Let's take a look at an example of how this works in practice.
Here is a Multiple Selection answer key:
Here are some examples of student responses to this Multiple Selection question, along with their auto-graded scores.
Student A
Student B
Student C
If you choose not to subtract points for incorrect answers:
Let's take a look at an example of how this works in practice.
Here is the same Multiple Selection answer key as before:
Here are the same examples of student responses to this Multiple Selection question, along with their auto-graded scores, when choosing not to subtract points for incorrect answers.
Student A
Student B
Student C


























