How can students use subscripts and superscripts in written answers on Canvas Quizzes?

[JamesSpringer1]

I teach high school chemistry.  The inability of Canvas, in the past, to correctly write chemical formulae using subscripts to indicate numbers of atoms in a molecular formula or superscripts to indicate charges of ions breeds confusion.  Beginning students have a hard time telling the difference between coefficients, atom counts, and charges in a chemical equation.  Teachers have the ability to write questions using both super and subscripts but the students can't include subscripts in their answers.  I was recently shown that they can use superscripts now but it is still unclear if they can use subscripts.

Is there currently a way for students to correctly write chemical formulae using subscripts and superscripts?

[chriscas]

Hi @JamesSpringer1,

The answer to this depends a bit on whether you're using Classic Quizzes or New Quizzes in Canvas, and what specific question type(s) you're going to include.  Students should always be able to access superscript/subscript or the equation editor for essay-type questions, but those would need to be manually graded.  If you're going for something like a fill in the blank, I believe the answer types are only plain text (no subscript/superscript).  When you build a quiz, you can include subscript/superscript in things like a multiple choice or multiple answer question as well, but the students would just be selecting an answer rather than typing, so I don't think you meant that type of question.

Does this help at all?

-Chris

[Gabriel33]

If it is for short answer questions (at least on classic quizzes), you can ask that they answer with Unicode subscripts and superscripts, such as:

⁰¹²³⁴⁵⁶⁷⁸⁹⁺⁻₀₁₂₃₄₅₆₇₈₉₊₋

There are a few different ways to get these, for example, on Windows by holding "windows button + ." and then looking for Math symbols. But I'd recommend just pasting these in the instructions or question text, to simplify it (perhaps as a table).

I've used these also in multiple choice question options. If you'd like students to use that in essay questions, then as @chriscas mentioned, they have full access to the rich content editor.

[Gabriel33]

If it is for short answer questions (at least on classic quizzes), you can ask that they answer with Unicode subscripts and superscripts, such as:

⁰¹²³⁴⁵⁶⁷⁸⁹⁺⁻₀₁₂₃₄₅₆₇₈₉₊₋

There are a few different ways to get these, for example, on Windows by holding "windows button + ." and then looking for Math symbols. But I'd recommend just pasting these in the instructions or question text, to simplify it (perhaps as a table).

I've used these also in multiple choice question options. If you'd like students to use that in essay questions, then as @chriscas mentioned, they have full access to the rich content editor.