Essay
The Essay content type gives the student a writing task and grades the answer automatically by matching keywords. The AI generates the task statement, the keyword set with per-keyword feedback, and optionally a model solution and character limits.
AI-generated configuration
| Setting | Description | Possible values | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of keywords | How many keywords are matched against the student's answer. | No hard cap — an exact requested amount is generated in full | 3 to 10 when no amount is requested |
| Points per keyword | Weight of each keyword in the score. | 1 to 3, varying with the keyword's importance when weighting is requested | Uniform points when no weighting is requested |
| Synonyms / variants | Alternative terms accepted as equivalent to a keyword (e.g. "social pressure" and "group pressure"). | One or more variants per keyword | None unless requested |
| Sample solution | Model answer the student can compare against after finishing. | A model text of 2 to 4 paragraphs | Generated when requested |
| Minimum number of characters | Lower bound on the answer length. | Any requested amount (e.g. 500) | Not set |
| Maximum number of characters | Upper bound on the answer length. | Any requested amount (e.g. 2000) | Not set |
Generated content
- The writing task statement.
- A set of keywords, each with its own feedback and its points, so the score rises when the student uses the expected terms.
- Synonyms or variants accepted as equivalent for keywords, when requested.
- A model solution of 2 to 4 paragraphs, when a sample answer is requested.
Rules and behavior
- Grading is by keyword matching, not by comprehension of the student's text: the score depends on the expected terms appearing in the answer.
- Length limits are measured in characters, not words: the counter warns when the answer falls short of the minimum and stops or flags the excess past the maximum.
- The activity is scored, and the result integrates with the Moodle gradebook.
Example prompts
Without syllabus
An essay with the writing task, default keyword set, and a model answer for comparison:
I need an H5P essay activity for the Psychology course: the student must explain Pavlov's classical conditioning with their own examples. Include a model answer so it can be compared against when finishing.
An essay with an explicit minimum and maximum character limit:
Prepare an H5P essay on the stages of development according to Piaget for the Developmental Psychology course. I want to bound the length: an answer of between 500 and 2000 characters, no shorter and no longer.
With syllabus
An essay whose keywords come from a unit of the uploaded document, accept synonyms, and carry variable points by importance:
I want an H5P essay on unit 3 of the syllabus I uploaded. Have the keywords be the terms of that unit and accept synonyms as equivalents, and have the most important ones be worth more points.