Input to the ALEKS system is always in the form of proper expressions and constructions. A critical reason for this is to prevent substantial inaccuracies which arise from students' guessing and trying out the different choices.

The general term for the input tools used in ALEKS is the "Answer Editor." A student beginning to use ALEKS is thoroughly trained in all features of the Answer Editor that are relevant to the subject being studied during the Tutorial (See Sec. 3.8).

In much of what follows, emphasis is on the "Answer Editor for Accounting Cycle," including its facilities for drag-and-drop, pull-down menus, and so forth.