Mark calculation variables – Ans

Mark calculation variables gives the possibility to calculate partial marks for parts of the assignment and combine them into one mark. Ans will provide additional variables which allow you to calculate partial marks. You can for example adjust the weight of the open questions compared with the weight of the closed questions. The variables will be enabled in the mark calculation type Formula.

Ans provides two variables by default for each assignment:

Total points
This is the total number of points that can be obtained by the participant for the assignment.
Obtained points
The number of points obtained by the participant.

If you have randomised assignments, the total number of points may differ per participant. Ans will take this into account if you make use of variables.

Depending on the question types you are using in your assignment, Ans provides additional variables for closed- and open questions. These variables are only shown in the mark calculation formula if at least one question is present in the assignment, otherwise, the variables are not shown.

Total points for closed questions
The total number of points that can be obtained for all closed questions.
Total points for open questions
The total number of points that can be obtained for all open questions.
Obtained points for closed questions
The number of scored points of all closed questions of the participant.
Obtained points for open questions
The number of scored points of all open questions of the participant.

Below, you can find the overview of which question types belong to closed and open questions:

Closed questions	Open questions
Fill-in question (in case a predefined answer is used)	Code editor
Order	Drawing
Multiple choice	Fill-in question (open answer)
Match	Hotspot match
	Image
	Numerical question
	Open
	Spreadsheet
	Mathematical equation
	Statement

Lastly, Ans will provide variables for flow groups that are used in the test. Flow groups can be created in the Flow menu of a digital test. In the example below, two flow groups are present. In this case, Ans will show every question in the test, as we have set the number of selected questions for both flow groups to 2 out of 2.

In the example in the screenshot above, two flow groups are created. In the mark calculation of this assignment, the flow groups are shown as variables. You can use these variables to calculate a partial mark for the questions in this flow group. The following variables are available per flow group:

Total points for flow group #
This is the total number of points that can be obtained by the participant for the questions in the referred flow group
Obtained points for flow group #
The number of points obtained by the participant for the questions in the referred flow group

EN - Mark variable.png

The other functions and operators, as described in the mark calculation article, are available as well:

Math operators: + , - , * , / , ^
Logic functions: IF, AND, OR
Comparison operators: <, >, <=, >=, !=, =
Numeric functions: MIN, MAX, ROUND, ROUNDUP, ROUNDDOWN
It's possible to insert parentheses to determine the order of (parts of) the formula

Using variables

You can add variables by following the steps below.

Navigate to your assignment.
Click Settings in the menu at the top.
Click on Mark calculation in the menu on the left.
If the mark calculation type is not on Formula, change the mark calculation type to Formula.
In the Marking formula, you can create your formula. For example, if you want to use the variable 'Total points', you can start typing these words. Ans will show matching variables. You can click to add a variable in the formula.
Hint: If you start searching for a variable, always make sure to add a space in between variables.
You can use variables multiple times in a formula.
Make use of numbers, operators, functions and variables to create your formula. If you want to remove a variable, you can click on the variable and press the delete or backspace button on your keyboard.

Example of mark calculation variable

Using variables in your mark calculation formula allows you to create separate mark calculations for each part of the assignment.

In the example, we use an assignment which contains two parts: an open questions part and a closed questions part. Each part has a different weighting. The assignment has the following characteristics:

Part 1: Open questions

Number of questions: 2
Maximum score: 10 points (5 points per question)
Weight of this part: 60%

Part 2: Closed questions

Number of questions: 10
Maximum score: 10 points (1 point per question)
Weight of this part: 40%

Mark calculation of the assignment:

For this assignment, the default Ans formula is used: 1+9*points / total. In this case, the part "points/total" is calculated twice, for both parts. As you can use parentheses in the formula, you can incorporate the calculation including the weight. This can be achieved by multiplying the score for a part with the weight. In the example below, you can adjust the 0.6 (60%) and 0.4 (40%) with the weights that are applicable for your assignment parts.

1 + 9 * ((obtained points for open questions / total points for open questions * 0.6) + (obtained points for closed questions / total points for closed question * 0.4))

Using variables

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