Creating a Multiple Choice question
A Multiple Choice question offers candidates a set of possible answers to a problem. One of these answers is the correct answer and the others are plausible but incorrect answers (also known as distractors). Candidates can select one answer option as their response.
This article explains how to create a basic Multiple Choice question in Surpass and includes details on how to add rationale and labels to answer options, create two column answer layouts, and use table answers in HTML subjects.
In This Article
1. Choose your item type
In your subject, select Create New Item to open the Question Types menu. Choose Multiple Choice to create a blank Multiple Choice item and go to the Edit screen.
2. Name your item
Enter the item’s name in the Name field.
3. Enter your question text
Enter your question text in the question stem. Select Add Text Area to add an additional question stem. You can have a maximum of five question stems per item.
Open Additional Options to add source material or assistive media to your question stem. In mixed subjects, you can also add a table to your question stem (in HTML subjects, tables can be added using the formatting toolbar).
Two column item layout
A two column layout displays Supporting Content alongside the Question Content allowing the candidate to see all information provided without the need for scrolling.
Open the Item Settings panel.
Select Two Columns from the Layout Option.
You can change the columns’ Proportions using the drop-down menu.
Select the Supporting Content tab to edit the second column. You can add up to 5 different supporting content stems, with a maximum of 1 piece of assistive media per stem.
4. Add your answer options
Enter your answer options in the answer fields. Multiple Choice items default to three answer options.
Select Add Answer Option to add an additional answer option. You can have a maximum of 30 answer options per Multiple Choice item. Select Delete to remove an answer option. Multiple Choice items must have a minimum of three answer options.
Generating answer options using Surpass Copilot
Please note that with this additional functionality from release 25.1, Copilot will no longer be available in Surpass by default. Contact your Surpass Customer Success Manager if you are interested in using this functionality.
Surpass Copilot can help you create and improve your distractor answer options. To generate distractor answer options using Surpass Copilot, you must have entered your question text and selected a correct answer option (read and complete step 5).
Select Surpass Copilot to open the Surpass Copilot panel.
Provide additional context or instructions in the Additional Context/Instruction field to help Surpass Copilot generate more specific and accurate answer options.
Select Generate Content to send your request for answer option suggestions to Surpass Copilot.
Surpass Copilot will generate three answer options and provide a description and citation for each.
To add a suggested distractor answer option to your item, select Add To Item next to the corresponding answer option.
You can repeat this process to generate more distractors, tweaking the Additional Context/Instruction as required.
Adding labels to answer options
You can add short labels to your answer options, like ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’ or ‘1’, ‘2’, ‘3’.
Select Additional Options to open the Options menu. Select Add Labels for Candidate Delivery to add Label fields to each answer option. Labels default to ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’ values, but you can change these if necessary.
Adding answer option rationale
The Rationale fields let you leave a comment against each answer option. This is useful if multiple authors are working on the same item and you want to explain the reasons behind your authoring choices.
Select Additional Options to open the Options menu. Select Show Answer Rationale to add Rationale fields to each answer option. Enter your rationale against each answer option.
You can view rationale in the Edit screen and an exported Word document. For more information, read Exporting items to Microsoft Word.
Re-ordering answer options (random, alphabetical, manual)
By default, Surpass presents Multiple Choice answer options to candidates in a randomised order. If answer options are not set to be randomised, they are delivered to the candidate in the same order they are seen in the Edit screen. You can also order answer options alphabetically, or manually re-order your answer options on an option-by-option basis.
Drag Move next to an answer option to change its order.
Using answer layout options
Multiple Choice answer options can be presented in either one or two columns. In a two column layout, you can combine text, image, and/or equation content in a single answer option.
Select Additional Options to open the Layout options menu. Select Two columns to enable a two column layout and choose an appropriate Layout from the following options:
| Icon | Setting | Description |
|---|---|---|
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Equal column widths | Both columns have the same width. |
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Left Column 20% Right Column 80% | The right column is wider than the left column. |
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Left Column 80% Right Column 20% | The left column is wider than the right column. |
Each answer option now has two columns, with any prior content in the left column. You can use the formatting toolbar to change either column’s content type (for example, to add an image).
Setting answer options as a table (HTML subjects only)
You can set HTML Multiple Choice answer options to be a table. This lets candidates choose their response from a predefined set of related answer options.
Go to Additional Options > Layout Options > Answer options as a table to create a blank answer table. Enter your groups of answer options in each row. Answer option tables are compatible with both standard and weighted marking. To learn more, read ‘5. Set the correct answer and marks’ later in this article.
You can use the formatting toolbar to change the appearance of your cell’s contents. Use the following settings to edit the table itself:
| Icon | Setting | Description |
|---|---|---|
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Add Column Right | Adds a new column to the right of the selected cell. |
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Delete Column | Removes the column the selected cell is in. |
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Add Row Below | Adds a new row below the selected cell. |
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Delete Row | Removes the row the selected cell is in. |
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Add Header Row | Adds a pre-formatted header row to the table. |
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Delete Header Row | Removes the selected header row. |
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Merge Cells | Combines the selected cells. You must have more than one cell selected. |
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Split Cells | Divides the selected cell into two cells. |
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Make Column Widths Equal | Makes all columns even in length. |
5. Set the correct answer and marks
You can choose between two marking modes for Multiple Choice items: standard and weighted.
Using standard marking
In a Multiple Choice item with standard marking, candidates must select the correct answer to receive all marks assigned to the item.
Select Additional Options to open the Marking menu. Select Standard to enable standard marking.
Choose the relevant Correct Option radio button to set an answer option as the correct answer.
Set the item’s total marks in the Mark field.
Using weighted marking
In a Multiple Choice item with weighted marking, each answer option has its own marking value.
Select Additional Options to open the Marking menu. Select Weighted to enable weighted marking.
When you select Weighted, the Correct radio buttons on the Edit screen are replaced with Mark entry fields. This lets you assign a numerical value against each answer option.
6. Select a workflow status
Set the item’s workflow status in the Status drop-down menu. Only items set to Live can be used in a test.
7. Preview your question
To see your item from a candidate’s perspective, select Preview .
In Mixed subjects, you can preview your item in the HTML test driver. Use the Preview arrow to open the Preview Options menu and select Preview in HTML . Any custom CSS is applied in the Preview screen. For more information on custom CSS, read ‘About Subject settings’ in About Site Settings options.
You can check your item’s marking behaviour in the Preview screen. Select answer options to update the Mark field.
If you need to continue working on the item, select Edit to return to the Edit screen.
8. Saving and closing your item
Select Save to save your item to your subject.
To see additional saving options, use the Save arrow to open the Save Options menu. Select Save & Close to save the item and return to the Subjects screen. Select Save & New to save the item and create another Multiple Choice item.
Select Close to leave the Edit screen. If you have unsaved changes, you are prompted to either save or discard them.
Further reading
You can do much more with Multiple Choice items in Surpass. For more information, read the following articles: