Students: Answering Formative Questions | Formative Help Center (2024)

See our student resource article for accessing formatives, teacher-paced mode, navigating through sections, and checking your scores.

Text to Speech

If your teacher enabled Text to Speech on a formative, you will see the icon on the Learning Tools menu to the right side of your screen. Click the icon to enable the reader and to reveal the control bar, then click on the text itself to start the reader. You can adjust the speed of the reader, pause/unpause, and stop the reader from the control bar. To close the reader simply click on the icon again:

Basic question types you are probably familiar with include:

Multiple Choice

Select only one correct answer.

Eliminate incorrect answers using our strikethrough feature.

Please note: the strikethrough will remain only while you are working on the question. If you navigate out of the formative and return to it later, your strikethrough markings will not appear.

Multiple Selection

Select multiple correct answers.

Eliminate incorrect answers using our strikethrough feature.

Please note: the strikethrough will remain only while you are working on the question. If you navigate out of the formative and return to it later, your strikethrough markings will not appear.

True or False

Select one correct answer between True or False.

Short Answer

Type your response into the text field.

Free Response

Type your response in the form of an essay. Use our Styling and Hyperlinking menu bar to style your response, add attachments by clicking the little plus button within the text field. If your teacher enabled the feature, you can also view your word count. Your teacher may have also added a "Show Your Work" box to this question, or even added a grading rubric that you can view.
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Formative has some more complex question types that you may not have seen before, please use this guide to help you answer them! If you run into any issues, it's always best to ask your teacher for help first.

Categorize

Your teacher will provide a prompt and then have items on the left side that need to be placed into categories on the right side.

You can either drag the item from the left side to the category on the right, or you can click on the 6 dots to the left of the item, then click on the blue plus sign under the category!

To change categories, just tap the "x" to remove the answer and send it back to the left side. Your teacher can create answers that don't fit in a category, or there may be more than one for each category, or an unused category!

Drag and Drop

Your teacher will present either text or an image with empty spaces, called "drop areas" to which you can drag and drop an answer. Answer choices will appear below the prompt.

The answer choices can also be text or images and they need to be moved into the correct drop areas.

You can drag the answer to the drop area by clicking and holding, then releasing onto the right spot, or you can click once on the answer to select it and then click once on the drop area where it should go.

If you want to remove your answer, just tap the "X" next to where you placed it in the prompt! It will return to the answer section and you are free to select it again and move it into any available space.

Here is an example animation for a drag and drop question with a text prompt:
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Here is an example animation for a drag and drop question with an image prompt:

Note: Your teacher may provide more answer choices than drop areas or vice versa!

Troubleshooting Drag & Drop:

What if your drag and drop answer choices aren't "sticking" where you put them?

You may be on a slow network or have other software using up your bandwidth. Try this:

Resequence

This type of question will have a prompt from your teacher and a number of options. Click and hold on the dots icon to the left of the answer you want to select, then drag it where it belongs in the order:

Matching

Matching questions will prompt you to drag and re-organize the tabs on the left column to match to the tabs on the right column. Click and hold the dots icon to the left of the tab you want to select, then drag it where it belongs.

Match Table Grid

You may have seen this question type on surveys or worksheets before. There will be rows and columns with radio buttons or checkboxes. Depending on your teacher's setting of this question, you may be able to select only one answer in each row, or multiple answers.

If the table contains circle radio buttons - you will need to select one choice from the radio buttons. You will not be able to de-select a radio button, but you can change it by clicking on a different answer in that row. You can only pick one in each row.

If the table contains square checkboxes - you will be able to select multiple choices in each row. You will also be able to deselect your choices.

Inline Choice

Your teacher will set up a prompt that has one or more drop-down menus. Click on the dropdown and select the answer from the list. If you need to change your answer, just click and select something else.

Fill In The Blank

Your teacher will set up a prompt that has one or more blank fields for you to fill out manually. Click inside the blank field to fill in your response. If your teacher intended for the answer to be a math equation or symbol, the in-app math keyboard will pop-up for you as soon as your click into the blank field. Otherwise, the answer will be text base and you will use your device's keyboard to enter it.

Hot Spot and Hot Text

For a "Hot Spot" question, your teacher will upload a picture or document and place clickable spots on it. Answer the prompt by clicking on a spot and a checkmark will appear. Once you've selected a spot, you can remove the checkmark by clicking again or you can leave it and continue the assignment.

The clickable areas can be dots, circles, squares, or rectangles. In the example below there are different shape and size clickable areas on 14 states and one Great Lake. In this example, the prompt is "Select Nebraska!" and the teacher has set this question to limit students to choosing only one answer, so clicking on a different state changes the location of the checkmark.

Your teacher may set up the question with multiple selection available, in which case you will have the option to checkmark more than one "spot".

Hot Text is similar! Your teacher will provide a prompt and there will be text box below. Anything selectable will be highlighted in blue and will become a darker shade of blue when you hover over it with your cursor. To select elements from the text as your answers to the prompt simply click on your selection(s). When selected, the word or phrase will have a rectangular border around it. Need to deselect it? Just click it again and the border will disappear.

Numeric

A numeric question will open a math keyboard when you click into the answer space. You can use the buttons to create or answer equations in math and science classes. Navigate between the tabs for more functions and symbols. Long-press some of the buttons for additional functions. We have a whole article on how to use the math keyboard for numeric questions.

If the text turns red, it means you have not typed into all the available spaces (such as when writing out a fraction). The keyboard is not a calculator and won't do the math for you. It only provides the symbols to write your answer.

For questions without the dedicated math keyboard, you can also check out this LaTeX guide for ways to type symbols into your answers!

If your teacher enabled access to the integrated calculator in Formative, you will see the calculator icon on the Learning Tools menu to the right side of your screen. Click the icon to access the calculator. To close the calculator either click on the icon again. Click here for calculator tutorials

Graphing Question

In this version of the Graphing question type, responses are recorded directly within the graph!

If your teacher enabled access to the integrated calculator in Formative, you will see the calculator icon at the bottom right corner of your screen. Click the icon to access the calculator. Click here for calculator tutorials

File Response

You may have a prompt requesting that you upload a file. This can be a PDF or other document, an image, or a video. You can upload from your device or from Google Drive.

In this example, the question has a rubric, which is linked from the left side under the question number!

(Please note that after clicking "Upload File," the user will be prompted to allow access to their device and then an explorer window will open to navigate to the file's location. This is not shown on the GIF above.)

Troubleshooting File Response:

👩‍🎓 I got an error:

👩‍🎓 I'm not sure I uploaded the correct file:

👩‍🎓 I uploaded the wrong file:

👩‍🎓 I need to upload multiple files:

Audio Recording

You might be prompted to record audio for a question. For audio recording to work, you must have a microphone (such as the built-in one on your laptop) and you have to allow Formative to use it to record responses.

If this is your first time recording audio, there will be a prompt on your browser asking you to allow Formative to record sound and use your microphone. Select yes.

Read the question, then tap the "Record Audio Response" button to begin recording. It starts immediately and you'll see the button turn into a red "Recording..." notification. Tap on it when you're done!
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You can playback your audio and if you aren't satisfied with it, tap the blue "Record New Audio Response" link to try again.

Troubleshooting Audio Recording:

What if the audio isn't recording and you don't hear anything on playback?

You may need to enable the microphone in two places: Your device (laptop, tablet, phone, or computer) and your browser (Chrome or Safari). (Also double check that your speakers are set up when playing back recordings!)

Video recording

Video recording works a lot like audio recording! Your teacher will provide a prompt and you'll have the option to record video using your device's camera, upload an existing video, or record your screen as you do work on your computer.

Record using your camera and microphone:

You have to allow Formative to access the device's camera (and microphone, if needed). You may have to allow access twice: Once for your browser and once for the device.

To upload a previously recorded video file, select "Upload a File." Give Formative permission to access files on your device, then the explorer window will pop up, allowing you to navigate to your file and select it.

Supported file types for video recordings are mp4, mov, webm, 3gpp, 3gpp2, flv, wmv, and mpeg. Videos must be 10 minutes or less.

Drawing / Show Your Work

Any time a Drawing question or the "Show Your Work" box comes up, your teacher is asking you to write, draw, type, highlight, measure, or otherwise show the work you've done on a whiteboard to answer the question.

To get started answering using a whiteboard, click on the "Show Your Work" button wherever you see it on a formative.

Once you are in the drawing / show your work box, you can read the question and click the down arrow icon to minimize it. This will give you more room to answer.

Your teacher may have an image, graph, or worksheet as the background for the whiteboard, or it could be blank.

You can use tools like lines or scribbles, shapes, writing text, and more!

Editor Tools in Drawing

Select

This tool allows you to select, reshape, resize, and rotate any image or object on the Drawing canvas. This is also the tool the system will default to when exiting a text field or a math field. Before attempting to adjust previously entered items on the Drawing canvas, click on this "Select" tool and then proceed to click on the item itself.

When the Select tool is on, a Delete tool will appear as well. Clicking on the Delete tool will remove the selected item.

Pan

This tool lets you move around the canvas to create more space to work. Simply click on this tool and then click and drag the Drawing canvas around. Drawing is infinite, so students can truly work without limits!

Change text / line size, color, and quality

Click on the top tool in the toolbar to adjust the size and color of both lines AND text. Adjust opacity and define dash lines, fill shapes, and/or multi-touch drawing at your preference.

To make the pen into a highlighter, just change the color and adjust the slider so it's more transparent.

Scribble / Line

Click this tool to enable free drawing on the Drawing canvas. Select between entering straight lines or freestyle scribbling.

Add Shapes

Click this tool to enter pre-designed shapes. You can select between polygon, circle or rectangle. Once selected, click on the Drawing canvas and drag your shape to the size and location and location of your choosing. Need to readjust the size and/or location of your shape, or to rotate it on the screen? Click on the "Select" tool and then on the shape again - drag the shape from the corner to adjust the size, use the rotation dot to rotate, or drag and drop the shape to a new location on the screen. To delete a shape, click on the Eraser tool and then on the shape.

Add Math

Select this tool to launch Formative's Math Keyboard (Equation Editor) and enter mathematical and scientific properties. Click on the tool and then click anywhere within the Drawing canvas for the Math Keyboard to launch. Do you need instructions on how to best utilize the Math Keyboard? Review this article for full details and visual references!

Add Text

Select this tool to add a text box. Click on the tool and then anywhere on the screen where you'd like your text box to appear. Proceed to type into the text box, you can drag from the corner to adjust the size, and rotate the text box as well. Proceed to click on the screen to add more text boxes. If you need to edit a previously entered text box, click on the "Select" button first and then on the box for editing.

Add Image

Select this tool to add an image URL, add an image or document from your device or your Google Drive, or even use your built-in camera!

Drag the image by the corner to adjust the size, rotate to your preference, and drag to the location of your choice. To remove an added image click on the Eraser tool and then on the image.

Eraser

Use this tool to remove any element previously entered into the Drawing canvas, simply swipe over or click on the item and it will be erased.

Be careful to only erase the parts you want to erase!

Add Ruler / Protractor

Click this tool to add a ruler and/or a protractor, these can be dragged to any position on the board, and they can also be rotated. To adjust the sizing click the zoom in / zoom out tools and then on the screen. To remove the ruler and protractor from the board click the eraser tool and then click the item to delete.

Zoom In / Out

Use this tool to zoom in or out on the Drawing canvas. Click on the preferred icon and then anywhere on the canvas to activate it.

Undo

Select this button to undo your previous actions.

Ellipsis

Select this tool to move the math keyboard around the screen

Finishing your work in the Drawing / Show Your Work bx

When you are done, click on the blue checkmark in the upper right corner of the whiteboard. This will take you back to the main Formative screen. You will see a preview of all the work your teacher will see.

You can still edit it by clicking back into the drawing / Show Your Work box.

Note: Using the "back" button on your browser will take you back to your dashboard and exit the assignment, so always use the blue checkmark!