Test Creation > About test forms > About test form content > Adding items to a fixed section

Adding items to a fixed section

WARNING: This article refers to an area of Surpass that uses Flash, which is no longer supported by web browsers. Use the Surpass Viewer to view this area of Surpass. For more information, read Installing the Surpass Viewer.

A fixed section in a test form contains specific items that will be delivered to all candidates. You can choose to deliver these items in the same order or randomise the order for each candidate.

This article explains how to add items to a fixed section.

1. Select Add

Select your section folder in the Test Form Rules tab.

IMPORTANT: The section’s Content Type must be set to Fixed in Section Properties. For more information, read ‘Edit Section Properties’ in Adding sections to a test form.

Select Add to open the Section (Fixed) dialog where you can add items.

2. Search for items

You must run a search in the Section (Fixed) dialog to find the items you want to add to the section.

Select Create Parameter to search for items.

Choose a parameter type in the Select Type menu. For information about all search parameters, read About test form search parameters.

Choose the subjects you want to search in under Select Projects.

TIP: You can select multiple subjects if they are part of a subject group. This allows you to search for items across subjects.

Select the relevant setting or enter a value in the following steps. These change based on the parameter type you choose.

The Available Items count shows you how many items are available based on your search parameter.

Select Create to run the search and return the available items.

You can search for more items or select Done to view the items returned from your search.

3. Refine search parameters

The Search Parameters table displays all currently active search parameters.

Column	Description
Type	The type of search parameter. For more information about the different types, read About test form search parameters.
Parameter	The values used in the search parameter.
Item count	The number of available items returned by the search parameter.

To change the details of a search parameter, select it in the table.

Select Edit Parameter to change the parameter settings in the Edit Parameter dialog.

Select Delete to remove a search parameter.

TIP: Select Create Parameter to add additional search parameters.

4. Refine search results

The Search Results grid displays all the items that match your search parameters.

Select Match all parameters to show items that match all search parameters (AND logic). Select Match any parameter to show items that match at least one search parameter (OR logic).

Column	Description
Item ID	The unique ID assigned to the item.
Name	The name given to the item in Item Authoring.
Usage count	The total number of times the item has been delivered.
Test form count	The total number of test forms the item has been added to. NOTE: This only accounts for items added to fixed sections.
Facility value	The difficulty value between 0 and 1. Also known as the P value.
Item type	The type of item. This can be Question, Information, or Survey. NOTE: Items from ContentProducer can also be Rubric or Source.
Scored	Yes indicates the item is scored. No indicates the item is non-scored.
Marked metadata	The marked learning outcomes associated with the item. For more information, read ‘Setting up Marked Learning Outcomes’ in Using tags in items.
Required tools	The tools associated with the item. This includes source material and images that open as a pop-up. You must add the listed tools to the test form before it can validate. For more information, read Adding tools to a test form.
Keywords	The Keyword tag values associated with the item.
LO	The Learning Outcome tag values associated with the item.
Marking type	The marking type of the item. This can be Computer (Auto) or Human. NOTE: Items from ContentProducer can also use Smart Mark.
Question type	The type of question.
Total marks	The total number of marks assigned to the item.
Unit	The Unit tag values associated with the item.

5. Select items

Select an item in the grid or press Control or Shift to choose multiple items. Use Select item to add the items to the test form.

To remove items from the test form, select them in the grid and use Deselect item.

To see a preview of the item in delivery, select it in the grid and use Preview item.

IMPORTANT: Please note that any HTML content included in your items cannot be previewed.

6. Review selected items

Press Selected items to view all items added to the section using the current search parameters.

Column	Description
Order	Indicates the position of the item in the section.
Item ID	The item’s unique identifier.
Name	The item’s name.
Display name	An alternative name for the item. This displays next to the item ID on the Test Form Rules tab and to users on the Paper Mark screen.
Usage count	The total number of times the item has been delivered.
Test form count	The total number of test forms the item has been added to. NOTE: This only accounts for items added to fixed sections.
Facility value	The difficulty value between 0 and 1. Also known as the P value.
Item type	The type of item. This can be Question, Information, or Survey. NOTE: Items from ContentProducer can also be Rubric or Source.
Scored	Yes indicates the item is scored. No indicates the item is non-scored.
Marked metadata	The marked learning outcomes associated with the item. For more information, read ‘Setting up Marked Learning Outcomes’ in Using tags in items.
Required tools	The tools associated with the item. This includes source material and images that open as a pop-up. You must add the listed tools to the test form before it can validate. For more information, read the Adding tools to a test form article.
Keywords	The Keyword tag values associated with the item.
LO	The Learning Outcome tag values associated with the item.
Marking type	The marking type of the item. This can be Computer (Auto) or Human. NOTE: Items from ContentProducer can also use Smart Mark.
Question type	The type of question.
Total marks	The total number of marks associated with the item.
Unit	The Unit tag values associated with the item.

You can also see the following information summarising the items in the grid.

Information	Description
Selected items	The total number of items in the section.
Total section marks	The total number of marks for all items.
Average usage	The average number of times the items have been delivered to candidates.

P value data

You can see P value data for all items in the section and compare this with the overall test form.

You can see the following information about the items in the test form and section.

Information	Description
Easy	The number of items in the test form or section that have an ‘easy’ P value.
Medium	The number of items in the test form or section that have a ‘medium’ P value.
Difficult	The number of items in the test form or section that have a ‘hard’ P value.
Average P value	The average P value for all items in the test form or section.

7. Edit selected items

You can select an item in the grid and use the following buttons to make changes.

Button	Description
Up	Moves the item up one position.
Down	Moves the item down one position.
Preview item	Displays a preview of the item in the test driver.
Non scored	Removes marks from a scored item for this test form. This does not affect the marks added to the item in Item Authoring.
Scored	Add marks to a non-scored item for this test form. This does not affect the marks added to the item in Item Authoring.
Remove item	Removes the item from the section.

NOTE: You can also reorder and delete items from the Test Form Rules tab. For more information, read About the Test Form Rules tab.

8. Save selected items

Select OK to save your changes and return to the Test Form Rules tab.

IMPORTANT: You must also select OK in the Test Form Rules tab to save your changes to the test form.

NOTE: You may experience performance issues if you add more than 50 items to a section.