What are Compact Questions?

Past exam questions without the lines or answer spaces.

Print less when you are preparing homework or class assignments and students answer in their workbooks.

Project compact questions for class discussion without wasting screen space and enable students to focus on the salient points.

Why use compact questions?

Saves on printing
Helps your budget
Helps the environment
Encourages student thinking when the scaffolding is removed

What type of questions are affected by compact questions?

Short answer
Essays
Structured questions
Where units are given
Research methods

If you want the lines, they are still there.

The choice is yours when you print.

Which subject areas have compact questions?

Science

Psychology

Physical Education

Mathematics

Languages

Geography

Economics

Design and Technology

Computer Science and IT

Food for thought

As you know, amending questions changes how students interact with them. The option applies to the whole compilation, not specific questions.

The big question…

If I remove the answer lines, will my less able students be able to access the questions?

Only you can judge the impact of removing scaffolding on your students. We have made some suggestions below that suggest how you might try out compact questions and support your whole class.

Will my students write too much or too little without the answer lines to guide them?

Why not project the answer lines on the whiteboard or provide the number of recommended lines.

Will my students omit the units or write the wrong units?

Why not ignore the units as they won’t be part of the mark scheme and use errors as teaching points.

Will this option prevent me from differentiating for lower ability students?

Why not simplify the question or simplify the mark scheme or provide answer prompts.

Finally…is it good exam practice?

We would recommend using the compact question option for frequent, formative assessments and leave the answer lines in for summative assessments like mocks and end of year tests.

Got it…how do I try it?

1. Create your compilation as normal