How do I create a multiple choice question?

Multiple choice questions can work well for both quick knowledge checks and high-stakes assessments. Because there are several possible answers, a learner has a much lower chance of guessing correctly without engaging with the material. This format is reliable when you need a genuine measure of mastery, not just a low-stakes check-in.

Good multiple choice questions are surprisingly difficult to construct. The format can easily tip into testing whether a learner can spot the "trick," which pushes writers toward implausible distractors or answer choices that give away the correct answer through length, specificity, or phrasing alone rather than through understanding of the content.

Multiple choice questions can also assess learning beyond simple recall—when written well, they can require a learner to apply, analyze, or evaluate content in context, not just recognize a fact. This flexibility is part of what makes them suitable for higher-stakes assessments.

Multiple choice questions should be:

• Clearly worded, with only one possible interpretation
• Free of negatives (e.g., "which of the following is NOT true")
• Free of qualifiers ("usually," "sometimes," "often") and absolutes ("always," "never," "all," "none")

A few things worth adding that are specific to multiple choice:

• Answer choices should be plausible and parallel in length/structure, so the correct answer doesn't stand out for reasons unrelated to content knowledge
• Avoid "all of the above" or "none of the above" as answer choices, since they can be gamed through partial knowledge
• Distractors (incorrect answers) should reflect common misconceptions or errors, not random or obviously wrong information

Multiple Choice (One Answer)

1. 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?.
   
   
2. Once the Quiz Settings are configured, use the Manage Questions section to begin adding questions.
   
   
   
3. Add a Multiple Choice question by following these steps: 
   • From the Type of Question dropdown, select Multiple Choice (one answer). 
   • 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 text in the Question field. 
   • Under Answer Options, enter each of the answer choices in any order. Select the radio button next to the correct answer. The answer choices will be shown in a random order to students. Up to five different choices can be configured.
   • (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. 
4. Once all the required questions have been added, select the Add Block+ button to save the block to the page.
   
   
5. The new block will appear on the page in Edit Mode with a red, dotted outline indicating it's editable.
   
   
6. 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
   

Multiple Choice (Multiple Answers)

To create a multiple choice question with more than one answer, choose Multiple Choice (multiple answers) from the Type of Question dropdown. Repeat steps 3-7 (above) and enable all the answer options that are correct. The answer choices will be shown in a random order to learners.

Refer to How do I craft a great multiple choice question? for guidance on creating multiple choice questions.

Refer to the following articles for more information about the different Quiz block question types:
How do I create a matching question?

How do I create a multiple choice question?

How do I create an ordering question?

How do I create a text answer question?

How do I create a true/false question?