---
title: "Essay quiz question"
slug: "essay-quiz-question"
tags: ["Content Creator", "Explainer", "Totara Learn"]
updated: 2025-07-22T10:52:18Z
published: 2025-07-22T11:18:35Z
canonical: "totara.help/essay-quiz-question"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://totara.help/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Essay quiz question

Essay questions pose a question which Learners must answer with free text or by uploading a document, which is then graded manually by the appropriate person. Essay questions are generally used when the Learner is required to provide a longer, more critically considered response.

If you only want Learners to provide a short answer (e.g. one or two words) you should instead use the [short answer](/19/docs/short-answer-quiz-question) question type.

To set up an essay quiz question, follow these steps:

1. In the quiz activity, click **Add**, then select **a new question**.
2. Select **Essay**, then click **Add**.
3. Give the question a name, then enter the question in the **Question text** field.
4. Set the **Default mark**, i.e. the maximum grade.
5. Configure the [**Response options**](/19/docs/essay-quiz-question#response-options) as required.
6. Optionally provide a template to help Learners to structure their answer in the **Response template** field. This text will be displayed in the text input field.
7. Optionally provide guidance on the marking criteria in the **Information for graders** field.
8. If required, configure the **Tags** section.
9. Click **Save changes**.

![An essay question with a file upload field as seen from the Learner's perspective.](https://cdn.document360.io/a007399b-031e-436b-999a-528240e16f58/Images/Documentation/image-1726152219182.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-01T14%3A48%3A47Z&se=2026-11-01T15%3A48%3A47Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=yF1YJRMKk0PExV0jbWnWX8D6RlKJIGeulT34hdRWhbw%3D)

## Response options

There are a few settings you can configure in the **Response options** section when setting up an essay question.

| Setting | Description | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Response format | Select the available formatting for responses from the following options: - HTML editor - HTML editor with file picker - Plain text - Plain text, monospaced font - No inline text | - |
| Require text | Determine whether a text response is required. | If you have allowed users to include attachments for their response, they may not need to provide text as well. |
| Input box size | Set the maximum number of lines of text Learners can enter for their response. | - |
| Allow attachments | Determine whether users can upload files as part of their response. | - |
| Require attachments | If **Allow attachments** is enabled, you can choose to make an attachment mandatory. | - |

![Course badge](https://cdn.document360.io/a007399b-031e-436b-999a-528240e16f58/Images/Documentation/course-badge_getting-started-with-quizzes.svg?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-01T14%3A48%3A47Z&se=2026-11-01T15%3A48%3A47Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=yF1YJRMKk0PExV0jbWnWX8D6RlKJIGeulT34hdRWhbw%3D)There are two courses in the Totara Academy about using quizzes in Totara Learn, [Getting started with quizzes](https://totara.community/course/view.php?id=639) and [Advanced quiz](https://totara.community/course/view.php?id=262) Using these courses you can learn more on how to use these features, see best practice, and give it a go yourself.

Join the [Totara Community](https://totara.community/) for more resources to help you get the most out of Totara.

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