Blackboard Ultra offers two scoring options for multiple-answer questions—Subtract Points for Incorrect Answers and Allow Partial Credit—which significantly impact student exam scores. Understanding these options enables educators to make informed decisions when designing assessments.
Scenario #1 – Subtract Points for Incorrect Answers
This option penalizes students for choosing incorrect answers. Here’s how it works:
- A question is worth 10 points and has 4 possible answers. Of these, 3 are correct.
If the student selects all four answers (3 correct and 1 incorrect), the question’s 10 points are divided by the 4 possible answers, making each worth 2.5 points. For the one incorrect answer, 2.5 points are deducted. This results in a total score of 7.5 points.
If the student selects only 2 correct answers (out of 3 correct ones), the calculation changes. The question is worth 10 points, divided by 3 correct answers, making each worth 3.33 points. For each correct answer not selected, 3.33 points are deducted. If the student selects only 2 correct answers, they earn a total of 6.66 points.
This setting can lead to situations where students earn higher scores by selecting all answers—including incorrect ones—than by selecting only some correct answers.
Scenario #2 – Allow Partial Credit
This option awards points based on the number of correct answers selected, without penalizing for incorrect choices.
- A question is worth 10 points and has 4 possible answers, with 3 correct answers.
If the student selects all four answers (3 correct and 1 incorrect), Blackboard Ultra gives partial credit for each correct answer and does not deduct points for the incorrect answer. As a result, the student earns the full 10 points.
With this setting, students are not penalized for selecting extra answers. They can potentially secure full marks by selecting all options, even if some are incorrect.
Conclusion
Use Subtract points for incorrect answers when you want to discourage guessing or over-selection of answers. This setting enforces a penalty for incorrect responses but can sometimes produce counterintuitive results.
Use Allow partial credit when you want to reward students for identifying correct answers without penalizing them for over-selection. This is particularly useful in assessments where guessing is less of a concern.
By understanding these scoring options, educators can design assessments that align with their pedagogical goals.