Short Answer

A Short Answer question presents candidates with a single-line text input field. They type a brief response — a word, a phrase, a number written as text, or a short sentence. The response can be auto-graded using evaluation rules, evaluated by AI, or reviewed manually, with an optional rubric for structured scoring.

Writing the Question

Start by writing your question prompt using the content editor. The editor supports rich content including images, tables, equations, and code blocks. You can also set the layout to sidebar to display reference material alongside the question. See Content Editor and Layout for details.

Field Settings

In the Short Answer question editor, go to Answer → Input → Field Settings and click the gear icon. Configure the input field's Label, Placeholder, Hint, Prefix, Suffix, Character counter, Text Alignment (left to right or right to left), and Width. The dialog shows a question preview so you can check the field's appearance before clicking Save.

Input Validation

To validate a candidate's response, click + beside Input Validation under Answer → Input. Choose Should match or Should not match, enter a Regular expression, and provide a custom Error Message. Click Add to apply the rule. If the input does not meet the rule, the specified error message appears. Input Validation controls which responses are accepted by the field; it does not assign a score.

Automated Scoring

Automated evaluation is configured separately from Input Validation, in the Evaluation area's Add Automation control. Validation rules should not be treated as scoring rules.

Virtual Keyboard

For assessments where candidates need to type characters not easily available on standard keyboards — such as phonetic symbols, mathematical notation, or non-Latin scripts — you can enable an on-screen virtual keyboard. Candidates click keys on the virtual keyboard to insert characters into their response.

AI Evaluation

When validation rules are not enough — for example, when any reasonable paraphrase of an answer should be accepted — enable AI evaluation. You provide a grading prompt and the AI scores the candidate’s response automatically. See AI Evaluation for how to write effective grading prompts.

Rubric Scoring

For responses that require structured manual evaluation against multiple criteria, attach a rubric. A rubric breaks the assessment into named criteria, each scored independently. See Rubric Scoring for the two rubric types: Level Selection and Score Entry.

Scoring

Set the question’s point value using the positive multiplier and optionally configure a negative multiplier for wrong answers. Assign dimensions to track competency scores in result reports. See Scoring.

Hint

Attach optional guidance candidates can reveal during the test. See Hint.

Answer Explanations

Add an explanation shown after submission. See Answer Explanations.

Question Metadata

Assign a folder and tags before saving. See Question Metadata.

Preview & Simulation

Use Preview to test the question and simulate how responses are scored. See Preview & Simulation.

Saving

Use Save to stay on the editor or Save & Add Another to immediately start a new question of the same type.