Appendix B: Text Response Questions Formatting Toolbar

In addition to the standard test tools described in the section Test Tools, students can use a formatting toolbar above the response field for text response items. The formatting toolbar allows students to apply styling to text and use standard word-processing features.

Table 6 provides an overview of the formatting tools available.

Table 6: Description of Formatting Tools
Tool Description of Function
Bold, italicize, or underline selected text Bold, italicize, or underline selected text.
Remove formatting that was applied to the selected text. Remove formatting that was applied to the selected text.
Insert a numbered list Insert a bulleted list. Insert a numbered or bulleted list.
Indent a line of selected text. Indent a line of selected text.
Decrease indent of text Decrease indent of text.
Cut selected text Cut selected text.
Copy selected text Copy selected text.
Paste copied or cut text Paste copied or cut text.
Undo the last edit to text or formatting in the response field Undo the last edit to text or formatting in the response field.
Redo the last undo action Redo the last undo action.
Use spell check to identify potentially misspelled words in the response field Use spell check to identify potentially misspelled words in the response field. For more information, see Spell Check
Add special characters in the response field Add special characters in the response field. For more information, see Special Characters.
Text-to-Speech button Listen to selected text being read aloud.
STT Enable speech-to-text (dictation).

Spell Check

The spell check tool identifies words in the response field that may be misspelled (see Figure 1).

Figure 1: Spell Check Sample

spell check tool in use

  1. In the toolbar, select spell check icon. Potentially incorrect words change color and become underlined.
  2. To exit spell check, click spell check icon again.

Special Characters

Students can add mathematical characters, accented characters, and other symbols.

  1. In the toolbar, select insert special character icon.
  2. In the window that pops up, select the required character.