Creating a Line and Scatter Graph custom question

WARNING: Please speak to your Surpass Account Manager if you are interested in using this functionality. The Custom Question ZIP files required to use this item type are not included in Surpass as standard.

The Line and Scatter Graph custom question type lets you create, configure, and plot data on line and scatter graphs.

This article explains how to create a Line and Scatter Graph in Surpass.

1. Choose your item type

In your subject, select Create New Item to open the Question Types menu. Choose Custom Question to create a blank Custom Question item and go to the Edit screen.

2. Name your item

Enter the item’s name in the Name field.

3. Enter your question text

Enter your question text in the question stem. Select Add text Area to add an additional question stem. You can have a maximum of five question stems per item.

Open Additional Options to add source material or assistive media to your question stem.

4. Add your custom question type

Select Select Type to open the Select Type dialog.

Select the ZIP file you want to add to your item.

Select Add to add your Custom Question type to the item.

Once added, the name and version number of the Custom Question type are detailed in the item.

Uploading custom question ZIP files to the Media Library

Custom Question type ZIP files must be uploaded to the Media Library.

5. Configure your Line and Scatter Graph custom question

Select Configure to open the custom ZIP file. This allows you to change how the item displays in delivery.

The Line and Scatter Graph dialog contains the following features:

Setup user interface and Graph settings tabs.
Point, Curve, Line, Shape, Label and Polyline tools.
Reset and Delete buttons.
Navigation controls.

Setup user interface

Select Setup to open the Setup user interface tab.

You can configure which settings and tools candidates have access to using the Show to candidate checkboxes.

Refer to the following table for information on the different settings in the Setup user interface tab.

Setting	Description
Graph Settings	Enables candidates to configure settings in the Graph settings tab.
Point Tool	Enables candidates to use the Point tool.
Curve Tool	Enables candidates to use the Curves tool.
Line Tool	Enables candidates to use the Line tool.
Shape Tool	Enables candidates to use the Shape tool.
Label Tool	Enables candidates to use the Label tool.
Reset	Enables candidates to use the Reset button. NOTE: Candidates can only reset their own configurations, not those made in item authoring.
Delete	Enables candidates to use the Delete button.
Coordinates Tooltip	Enables candidates to see the coordinates of plotted points by moving their cursor over them.
Navigation Controls	Enables candidates to use the navigation controls.
Snap To Grid	Automatically places candidate’s selected points on the nearest grid point.

Graph settings

Select Graph to open the Graph settings tab.

You can configure your graph’s grid and axes settings or label your graph in the Graph settings tab.

Refer to the following table for information on the different settings in the Graph settings tab.

Setting	Description
Origin position	Determines where the centre of the graph is positioned. NOTE: Candidates can navigate away from the origin position if you have given them access to the navigation controls in the Graph settings tab.
Graph margin (px)	Determines the size of the margin between the axis and the edge of the grid when the origin position is not set to middle centre.
Graph size	Determines the length of the axis on the grid.
Axis scale	Determines what multiple the intervals along axis increases by. NOTE: These values can be whole numbers or decimals.
Axis divisions	Determines the distance between the intervals along the axis.
Grid divisions	Defines how many grid divisions there are in major grid squares.
Graph Title	The title of the graph.
Right axis label	The label for the right axis.
Left axis label	The label for the left axis.
Top axis label	The label for the top axis.
Bottom axis label	The label for the bottom axis.
Superscript/Subscript	Enables candidates to change selected text into superscript or subscript.
Show to candidate	Enables candidates to configure the selected setting.

TIP: You can enter the values for the Graph margin, Graph size, Axis scale, Axis divisions, and Grid divisions settings manually, or by using the and icons.

Point tool

Select Point to open the Point tool.

Select grid to plot points.

You can click and drag the points to reposition them.

Curves tool

Select Curve to open the Curve tool.

Select four locations on the grid to plot a curve.

Click and drag the circular points to change the length of the curve.

Click and drag the square points to manipulate the curve.

Line Tool

Select Line to open the Line tool.

Select two locations on the grid to plot a line.

Click and drag either of the points or the line itself to reposition the line.

Shape Tool

Select Shape to open the Shape tool.

Select multiple locations on the grid and then select the first point you added to plot a shape.

Click and drag the points of the shape to reposition them or click the centre of the shape and drag it to reposition the shape.

Label Tool

Select Label to open the Label tool.

Select the grid to place your label and enter your label text in the field.

Highlight your text and select the appropriate button to change the text to superscript or subscript. The preview section shows how the label looks on the graph.

Click and drag the label to reposition it.

Select a point to anchor the label to the point.

Polyline tool

Select Polyline to open the Polyline tool.

Select numerous points to plot a polyline.

Click and drag the points of the polyline to reposition them or click the centre of a line and drag to reposition the shape.

Reset graph

Select Reset to reset the grid to its blank state. This action clears all plotted data and settings you have configured.

IMPORTANT: Candidates can also see the the Reset button in a test, but when selected by them their work is cleared and the graph resets to your configurations.

Delete data

Select Delete and select plotted data on the grid to delete the selected data.

Navigation controls

Navigate the grid using the navigation controls.

Refer to the following table for information on the different navigation controls.

Setting	Icon	Description
Reset View		Resets the view of the grid to the settings configured in the Graph tab.
Show all		Fits the view of the grid to put the plotted data in the centre.
Zoom out		Zooms out of the grid.
Zoom in		Zooms in on the grid.
Pan left		Navigates to the left of the grid.
Pan right		Enables candidates to configure the selected setting.
Pan up		Navigates to the right of the grid.
Pan down		Navigates down the grid.

6. Save your configuration

To save your configurations, select Close .

Select Save .

IMPORTANT: If you do not also select Save in the main Item Authoring screen of your item after saving your configuration, all configuration will be lost.

Removing custom question types

Once uploaded, Custom Question types can be removed from your item.

7. Set the question’s marks

Set the item’s total marks in the Mark field.

8. Select a workflow status

Set the item’s workflow status in the Status drop-down menu. Only items set to Live can be used in a test.

9. Saving and closing your item

Select Save to save your item to your subject.

To see additional saving options, use the Save arrow to open the Save Options menu. Select Save & Close to save the item and return to the Subjects screen. Select Save & New to save the item and create another Custom Question item.

Select Close to leave the Edit screen. If you have unsaved changes, you are prompted to either save or discard them.