Creating Simple Text Entry Items

Simple Text Entry items require students to type a written response in a provided text box. You can choose what kind of toolbar to include in the text box. These items must be scored by an authorized user in Reporting.

For example, a Simple Text Entry item might ask students to write a short essay about their favorite historical figure.

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.To specify the height of the students' text box, enter a value in the Number of Rows in Text Box field.

3.To specify the type of text box that will be available to students, select an option from the Text Editor to Show Student drop-down list. The following options are available:

• Plain text: Students will not be able to format their entered text or use spell check.
• Plain text + spell check: Students will not be able to format their entered text, but they will be able to use spell check.
• HTML: Students will be able to format their entered text, but they will not be able to use spell check.
• HTML + spell check: Students will be able to format their entered text and use spell check.
• HTML + numbered/bulleted lists: Students will be able to format their entered text and create lists, but they will not be able to use spell check.
• HTML + spell check + numbered/bulleted lists: Students will be able to format their entered text, create lists, and use spell check.

4.To fill out the rubric for the correct, full-credit response for the item, do the following:

a.To specify the maximum score for the item, enter a value in the Points field in the upper-right corner of the rubric.

b.In the Description field, describe how a student must respond to the item in order to earn full credit.

c.In the Exemplar field, enter an example of a response that would earn full credit.

5.Optional: The template automatically creates a rubric tab for each possible score a student could earn, based on the maximum score. To fill out any additional rubrics for the item, do the following for each available rubric:

a.Click the tab for the required rubric’s score.

b.Enter a description and exemplar for that rubric’s score

6.Optional: If multiple scoring criteria should be used to evaluate the student’s response, you can click Add More at the bottom of the page to create a separate rubric for each criterion. For example, you could create separate rubrics for Spelling, Syntax, Comprehension, etc.

a.Repeat steps 4–5 for each separate rubric you create.

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