Poll Types
Pawtograder supports two poll types to accommodate different polling needs. Each type allows students to respond quickly during class.
Single Choice
Students select exactly one option from a predefined list. This uses radio button selection.
Best for:
- Yes/no or true/false questions
- Questions with one correct answer
- Forced-choice preference questions
- Concept check questions
- A/B/C/D multiple choice exam-style questions
Configuration:
- Add 2 or more answer options
- Students can select exactly one option
- Selecting a new option automatically deselects the previous choice
Example Questions:
- “Is this code snippet thread-safe?” (Yes / No)
- “What is the time complexity of binary search?” (O(1) / O(log n) / O(n) / O(n log n))
- “Which design pattern is being used here?” (Singleton / Factory / Observer / Strategy)
Multiple Choice
Students can select one or more options from a predefined list. This uses checkbox selection.
Best for:
- “Select all that apply” questions
- Questions where multiple answers may be correct
- Gathering preferences where students may agree with several options
- Identifying common misconceptions (students may have multiple)
Configuration:
- Add 2 or more answer options
- Students can select any number of options (including none or all)
- Each option can be independently selected/deselected
Example Questions:
- “Which of the following are valid JavaScript variable declarations?” (var x / let y / const z / int w)
- “What topics would you like more review on?” (Arrays / Recursion / Trees / Graphs)
- “Select all sorting algorithms with O(n log n) average case” (Bubble / Merge / Quick / Selection)
Choosing the Right Poll Type
Response Behavior
Single Choice
- When a student selects an option, any previous selection is cleared
- The response is stored as a single value
- Results show distribution across options (always totals to 100%)
Multiple Choice
- Students can toggle options on/off independently
- The response is stored as an array of selected values
- Results show count per option (may exceed 100% when summed)
Use Single Choice when you want students to commit to a single answer. Use Multiple Choice when the question naturally has multiple valid selections.
