PREP 2015 Question Authoring - Archived

Is there a way to have two answers in a problem, one with unlimited attempts, and one with one attempt?

Is there a way to have two answers in a problem, one with unlimited attempts, and one with one attempt?

by Daniele Arcara -
Number of replies: 3
Is it possible to design a problem with two parts, and have one part with unlimited attempts allowed, and the other part with only one attempt allowed?

This would be done in two steps, where they have to answer the first part correctly before moving on to the second part.

I am trying to design a problem with a calculation in Part a (where they would get unlimited attempts), and then a True/False question on what they just calculated in Part b (where I would only want to give them one attempt to get it right).
In reply to Daniele Arcara

Re: Is there a way to have two answers in a problem, one with unlimited attempts, and one with one attempt?

by Paul Pearson -
Hi Daniele,

Yes, there is a way to do it using a custom answer checker; however, this generally goes against the philosophy of most people who use webwork.  (For instance, I wrote some custom answer checkers to do this and was told by many people that I should remove this "feature", so I did.)

Instead, consider using an all-or-nothing answer grader and withholding feedback so students won't know if their multiple choice answer is correct until both parts of the problem are answered correct:

install_problem_grader(~~&std_problem_grader);

$showPartialCorrectAnswers = 0;
If you really want to check whether your students know the answers to multiple choice questions, code them up separately and put them in a homework set that allows only one attempt per problem (as set in the Homework Sets Editor).

Another possibility would be to follow the multiple choice question by an essay question that gets graded manually, so that you're really probing them for something more than just surface-level knowledge.

Best regards,

Paul Pearson
In reply to Paul Pearson

Re: Is there a way to have two answers in a problem, one with unlimited attempts, and one with one attempt?

by Daniele Arcara -
How about having a homework set where half of the questions allow for unlimited attempts, and the other half only allow for one or a few attempts?

Would that also be considered "against the philosophy of most people who use webwork?"

Because I also have a homework set that I decided to set up like that...
In reply to Daniele Arcara

Re: Is there a way to have two answers in a problem, one with unlimited attempts, and one with one attempt?

by Paul Pearson -
Hi Daniele,

How you choose to configure homework sets is up to you since you are using the problems in the way you think is best and you are not forcing anyone else to do what you're doing.  If you write a pg file (webwork question) that "hard codes" only one attempt allowed, then other people who use that problem are forced to use one attempt (because the option for multiple attempts as set in the homework sets editor has been overridden by a custom answer checker in the pg file).  So, "hard coding" the number of allowed attempts is what goes against the webwork philosophy that professor should be allowed to choose how to use problems by configuring the number of attempts in the homework sets editor.

Best regards,

Paul Pearson