Creating a Select From a List question

A Select From a List question presents candidates with a string of text with certain words replaced by drop-down lists containing possible answers. At least one of these list items is the correct answer. The other list items are plausible but incorrect answers (also known as distractors).

This article explains how to create a basic Select From a List question in Surpass, including details on how to order lists as authored, how to order lists alphabetically, and enabling absolute marking.

In This Article

1. Choose your item type

In your subject, select Create New Item to open the Question Types menu. Choose Select From a List to create a blank Select From a List item and go to the Edit screen.

2. Name your item

Enter the item’s name in the Name field.

3. Enter your instruction text

Enter your instruction 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).

4. Enter your question and answer text

Enter the complete text in the answer field.

5. Create lists

Highlight the word (or words) you want to replace with a list and select Create List. This adds the word(s) to a list under Correct Answer(s), where you can make any necessary edits.

Enter additional list options in the fields provided. To add more entry fields, select Add Answer Option . To remove an entry field, select Delete .

Select the relevant Correct checkbox to designate a list option as the correct answer.

Enabling absolute marking

You can set up your item to only award marks to candidates that give all the correct answers.

Ordering lists as authored

By default, Surpass presents list items to candidates in a random order. However, you can order lists as authored for all lists in your item.

Ordering lists alphabetically

By default, Surpass presents list items to candidates in a random order. However, you can set up alphabetical ordering for all lists in your item.

6. Set the question’s marks

Set the item’s total marks in the Mark field.

7. 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.

8. Preview your question

To see your item from a candidate’s perspective, select Preview .

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.

9. 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 Select From a List item.

Select Close to leave the Edit screen. If you have unsaved changes, you are prompted to either save or discard them.