How do I create an ordering question?

Modified on Thu, 20 Aug at 7:16 AM

Ordering questions ask learners to arrange a set of items (e.g., steps, events, stages) into the correct sequence. Because there's only one correct sequence among many possible arrangements, guessing correctly by chance is unlikely, especially as the number of items grows. This format is well suited to process knowledge: it directly tests whether a learner understands how something unfolds, not just that it happened.

Good ordering questions are harder to write than they first appear. If the sequence is too obvious from context clues or common sense, the question stops testing subject knowledge and starts testing test-taking skill. Writers should aim for a sequence a learner can only get right by knowing the actual process, not by guessing from item names or general reasoning.

Ordering questions can also assess more than memorized sequences—when written well, they can require a learner to reason about dependencies, causes, and consequences, not just recall a list in order. This makes them useful for testing procedural or conceptual understanding, not just rote sequencing.

Ordering questions should be:

Clearly worded, with only one possible interpretation of what's being sequenced
Free of negatives (e.g., "which step does NOT come before...")
Free of qualifiers ("usually," "sometimes," "often") and absolutes ("always," "never," "all," "none")

A few things worth adding that are specific to ordering:

Items should be genuinely sequential, with only one defensible correct order. Avoid steps that could reasonably happen in parallel or interchangeably.
Limit the list to a manageable number of items (typically 3–7). Longer lists increase cognitive load without adding much diagnostic value
Item labels should be parallel in length and structure, so position in the list isn't hinted at by phrasing alone.
Avoid embedding sequence words in the item text itself (e.g., "First, ..." or "Finally, ..."), since these give away the order without requiring content knowledge.

Add the Quiz block and configure the Quiz Settings section. For additional details on configuring the section, refer to How do I create a quiz?.
Once the Quiz Settings are configured, use the Manage Questions section to begin adding questions.
Add an Ordering question by following these steps:
- From the Type of Question dropdown, select Ordering.
- Enter the point value in the Point Value field.
  (Note: This option will not appear if the course settings are set to No Grading or the Quiz block setting Grading? is set to No.)
- Enter your question prompt in the Directions field.
- Under Answer Options, enter each of the answer choices in the correct order. The answer choices will be shown in a random order to students. Add up to eight different items.
- (Optional) Enter text in the Hint field. If provided, a Show Hint button will appear on the page, giving learners optional support before they answer. Leave this field blank if no hint is needed.
- (Optional) If Feedback is set to Yes in the Quiz Settings, you can enter customized feedback for each answer choice.
- Click the Save Question button. Repeat this process to add additional questions.
Once all the required questions have been added, select the Add Block+ button to save the block to the page.
The new block will appear on the page in Edit Mode with a red, dotted outline indicating it's editable.
Select the Publish My Edits button to save the question to the course page and see the content as it will appear to learners.

Example: Correct Answer with Feedback
Example: Incorrect Answer with Feedback