> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://help.timelygrader.ai/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://help.timelygrader.ai/d2l-support-articles/tutorials-oral-assessments-d2l-brightspace/oral-setup.md).
# Building an Oral Quiz question bank
Write the questions, decide how many each student answers, mark the ones everyone must get, and give every question its own rubric.
*Updated · October 2026*
## Before you start
* The Oral Quiz has been imported from your LMS.
* You have more questions than you plan to ask, so students don’t all get the same set.
* You know what a strong answer to each question contains. That becomes its rubric.
## Steps
{% stepper %}
{% step %}
### Set how many questions are asked
Under How many questions will be asked, use the stepper to set how many each student answers. It can’t go above the number of questions in the bank, and the summary below says exactly what students get.
1. How many each student answers, out of the bank.
2. Add Question adds to the bank.
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
### Write the question bank
Click Add Question to add one. Edit, delete or drag to reorder. Keep each question to one thing; a compound question produces an answer you can’t rate cleanly.
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
### Mark questions to always ask
Turn on Always ask for any question every student must answer. Always-ask questions count toward the total; the rest are drawn at random. For example, with 5 asked and 2 always asked, 3 more are drawn from the remaining bank.
{% hint style="success" %} **Hugo’s tip:** You can’t mark more questions Always ask than the number asked. If the number asked equals the bank size, every student answers every question, in a random order.
{% endhint %}
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
### Add a rubric to each question
Click Add Rubric to give a question a single criterion with its own ratings: points, a title and a description for each. The + between two ratings inserts one there. In the bank, each rubric stays collapsed until you open it.
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
### Attach media if a question needs it
Attach media adds an image, video or audio clip that students see or hear with the question. They can replay video and audio while they prepare and answer.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}
## Troubleshooting
The stepper won’t go any higher.
You’ve reached the number of questions in the bank. Add more questions first.
Always ask won’t turn on.
You’ve already marked as many questions as are asked. Raise the number asked, or turn one off.
Attached media doesn’t play for students.
Check the file opens on your own computer and isn’t too large. Replace it with a smaller copy if needed.
## FAQ
Why does each question have its own rubric?
A general scale grades inconsistently across different questions. A rubric written for the question describes what that answer should contain.
Do students get the same questions if they retry?
That depends on Questions on retry in Response Settings: the same questions, or new ones from the bank.
Why can’t an Oral Quiz rubric grade a submission?
Oral Quiz rubrics belong to individual questions, so there’s no shared rubric to apply to other work. That option is only on Oral Defense.
## Related articles
* [Response settings: answer modes, timing and retries](/d2l-support-articles/tutorials-oral-assessments-d2l-brightspace/oral-response.md)
* [Trying an oral activity as a student](/d2l-support-articles/tutorials-oral-assessments-d2l-brightspace/try-as-student.md)
* [Oral Quiz or Oral Defense: getting started](/d2l-support-articles/tutorials-oral-assessments-d2l-brightspace/oral-overview.md)
**Hugo’s tip:** You can’t mark more questions Always ask than the number asked. If the number asked equals the bank size, every student answers every question, in a random order.
{% endhint %}
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
### Add a rubric to each question
Click Add Rubric to give a question a single criterion with its own ratings: points, a title and a description for each. The + between two ratings inserts one there. In the bank, each rubric stays collapsed until you open it.
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
### Attach media if a question needs it
Attach media adds an image, video or audio clip that students see or hear with the question. They can replay video and audio while they prepare and answer.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}
## Troubleshooting