Student responses to numerical or math questions that
can't be graded because of syntax errors — for example, 2*
— are never
scored as correct. However, you can choose whether or not to count these responses
toward students' used submissions when question part submission is allowed.
Syntax Errors
Syntax errors can occur in responses to numerical, symbolic, and algebraic questions, and often include the following kinds of incorrect notation.
Question Mode | Problem | Incorrect Notation | Correct Notation |
---|---|---|---|
Any | Incorrect grouping operator. | 4{x+3} | 4(x+3) |
Any | Missing operand. | 50* | 50*3 |
Any | Too many consecutive operators. | x++++2 | x+2 |
Any | Unrecognized symbol. | .00
4&6 |
4.00
4+6 |
Numerical | Misspelled unit. | 3456 met/sec | 3456 m/s |
Numerical | Response cannot contain variables. | 2*x+3 | 2*10+3 |
Numerical | Response cannot use implicit multiplication. | 3(14) | 3*14 |
Symbolic or Algebraic | Comma in number. | 5,000 | 5000 |
When your students submit responses containing these kinds of errors, a message is shown indicating either that the response contains a syntax error or cannot be evaluated. If you are using question part submission and do not count syntax errors as submissions, your students' used submissions is not increased for question parts with syntax errors.
Matching
Submitting a matching question with unfilled answer blanks causes correct matches to be scored incorrectly. To reduce this issue's effect on student scores, consider using multiple choice instead of matching mode.Default Behaviors
The default class settings do not count syntax errors as submissions when question part submission is used.
By default, new assignments do not override the class settings for syntax errors.
If you must change a scheduled assignment, notify your students of the change and rescore the assignment. See Rescore Assignments.