Create an Evidence Based Selected Response (EBSR) Item – DnA & ISE

This lesson provides step-by-step guidance on creating a Evidence Based Selected Response (EBSR) Item in the Item Bank. EBSR items are multi-part questions that are automatically scored. Partial Credit is supported in assessment creation.

Where to Start

Select Assessments.
Select Browse Item Bank.

Create a New Item

The Create Item and EBSR item type buttons.

Select Create Item.
Use the dropdown menu to select ESBR as the item type.

ESBR Items

An example EBSR item, with the Item Stem textbox labeled as step 5, the selected radio button labeled as step 6, the Part B Item Stem and selected radio button labeled as step 7, the trash can icon labeled as step 8, and Add Choice labeled as step 9.

Enter the Item Stem. The stem is the beginning part of an item that presents a problem to be solved, a direct question, or an incomplete statement to be completed, as well as any other relevant information.
- To insert a line break in the Stem, use shift-return (or shift-enter, depending on the keyboard).
Enter the answer choices into the textboxes, and select the radio button to indicate which answer choice is correct. It will highlight in pink.
Repeat these steps for Part B.
To remove answer choices, select the trash can icon.
Select Add Choice to add additional answer choices.

The maximum number of choice options is 5 for each part.

Drafted items are automatically saved.

Item Details

The item settings menus, with the Standards icon labeled as step 10, Passages labeled as step 11, Tags labeled as step 12, and the Settings and Properties menu labeled as step 13.

To link Standard(s) to the item, select the Three Pages icon.
To link a Passage to the item, select the Book icon.
To add Tags to the item, select the Tag icon.
Additional Settings are available to edit per item, such as Choice Labels, Locking the Choice Order (enabled by default), Enabling/Disabling Teacher Instructions, and Rationale.

Item Preview

Select Item Preview to see a preview.
Use the dropdown menu to preview the item from a Student or Instructor Role.
Test the item by selecting a response.
Select Check Answers to verify the answer key. Correctly selected answer choices will be indicated with a green checkmark. Both incorrectly selected answer choices, and answer choices that should have been selected but were not, will be indicated with an orange X.

Publish Item

The Done menu, with Done labeled as step 18, Publish labeled as step 19, Save Draft labeled as step 20, and Discard labeled as step 21.

When done creating/editing the item, select Done.
To make the item available to use in an assessment, select Publish.
To save an item that's not yet ready to publish, select Save Draft.
To delete the item, select Discard.

Once items are Published, users can Lock, Edit, or Delete the item.

This item type supports Partial Credit in Assessment Creation. Users will choose between SBAC scoring (all-or-nothing) or conditional scoring (2 points for both sections correct, 1 point for Part A only correct, and no points for Part B only correct, or no part correct).

Next Steps

Now that you have created an Evidence Based Selected Response item, learn about Creating an Item Bank Assessment.