8.9 Item Types

Assertion-Reasoning Question (ARQ)

This Item Type is similar to a Multiple Choice Question but with an extra element of consideration. In an Assertion-Reasoning Question, the candidate must read two statements, an Assertion and a Reason, then determine the validity of the statements. If one is true and one is false then the answer will be an alternate answer, however if the candidate deems that both the assertion and the reason are correct then an additional consideration of whether the Reason provides an accurate explanation for the Assertion.

Clinical Prioritisation Question (CPQ)

A Clinical Prioritisation Question provides the candidate with an opportunity to incorporate reasoning in their decision making where more than one possible correct answer is available. This type of Item presents a randomised list of answers that the candidate will rearrange into the order that they believe is the most appropriate or likely course of action or process.

Extended Matching Question (EMQ)

This Item Type presents the candidate with multiple questions and an equal number of answers. The candidate is then required to correctly identify and match the answer to the appropriate question.

Hotspot Question

The Hotspot Question Item type allows users to create an interactive question where the candidate is presented with an image and can be asked to identify a specific area or subject in the given image. Multiple areas of an image can be set up to be selected as separate hotspots.

When presented with a question in an exam, the candidate will click on the part of the image that they think satisfies the question. If their point selection falls within the boundary outlined in the creation of the Item then it will count as correct. Any point selected outside of the previously created boundary will be incorrect.

Multipart Written Question (MWQ)

Multipart Written Questions provide the opportunity to create complex sequential questions. This type of Item can have multiple parts (or sections) with each of those having further child parts. One use case for this question type is the possibility of presenting an entire story or case to a candidate and then see a complete interaction, in a written exam environment.

Multiple Acceptable Answers (MAA)

Multiple Acceptable Answers (MAA) question type is available for written exams. This question type displays a predefined list of possible answers where one or more are correct.

Multiple answers can be defined as correct with a weighting applied. For example, each correct answer can be weighted to count as 1 mark or as a percentage of a whole, it is also possible to apply a negative weighting to incorrect options.

Multiple True/False

This Item Type shows the candidate a set of statements which require identifying as True or False.

OSCE Station

An OSCE Station is an objective and standardised method of assessing a candidates' clinical competence. The candidate will complete a number of timed activities in a mock clinical situation with an Examiner and sometimes with Role Players (actors) to mimic a real case scenario. The candidate is then assessed in real-time by the Examiner against marking criteria.

Prescribing Question

A Prescribing Question presents the candidate with a specific patient scenario wherein some form of prescription is required. Using the information provided in the question the candidate must provide an appropriate course of Medication including the Dose, Dose Unit, Route and Frequency. There may be multiple allowed responses.

Short Answer Question (SAQ)

These are Items where the candidate responds to the question using a free text box. These questions have to be manually marked by an examiner or marker.

Single Best Answer Question (SBA)

This type of Item presents the candidate with a list of possible correct answers to the question. The candidate selects which one they believe is correct.

Very Short Answer Question (VSAQ)

These are Items where the candidate responds to the question using a free text box. These questions can be marked automatically by the system as single words (included spelling mistakes) can be foreseen and accounted for in the allowance of correct answers. The marking can then be checked manually.

Rapid Reporting Question (RRQ)

This Item type incorporate two kinds of Item as a compound question. The first part is a Single Best Answer question followed by a conditional Very Short Answer Question which may or may not be revealed based on the candidate’s response to the first part of the question.