Creating Hot Text Items

Hot Text items require students to select words or phrases in a section of text. The words and phrases appear shaded when students select them. For example, a Hot Text item might provide a sentence and ask students to select all the adjectives in it.

1.To fill out the template, in the Compose Item Prompt section, replace the sample text with the content for the item's question. You can use the toolbar in this box to format text and insert media elements.

2.The Create Hot Text Elements section displays sample text, including a selectable word. Delete this sample text and enter the text content containing the words or phrases students must select.

3.To tag a word or phrase that will be selectable to students, do the following:

a.Click and drag the cursor across a word or phrase to highlight it.

b.Click Set as Selectable below the text box. A border appears around the selected word.

4.Optional: To tag additional words or phrases, repeat steps 3.a–b.

5.Optional: To untag a word you marked as selectable, click that word and then click Clear Selectable below the text box.

6.In the Construct Answer Keys section, enter the item’s highest possible score in the Maximum Score field.

7.To create the answer key for the item, do the following:

a.In the Point field, enter the score for a correct (or partially correct) response.

b.In the provided response area, click the words or phrases that students would select in order to earn the score entered in the Point field.

c.Optional: In the Explanation field, explain why the entered response is worth the score you specified.

8.Optional: If the item has more than one correct or partially correct answer, you can click beside the Point field to create additional answer keys. Repeat step 7 for each answer key you add.

a.Optional: To remove an answer key, click in the tab for that answer key.

9. Optional: If you want to provide a description of the scoring criteria to view in reports for the item, mark the Include Scoring Description checkbox. Then fill out the Description and Exemplar fields that appear.

10.To save the item, click Save above the template.