Multiple acceptable answers (MAA)

The multiple acceptable answers (MAA) item type is a variant of the single-best answer (SBA) item type, only more than one option can be selected.

Building an MAA item

To build an MAA item:

• Step 1 of 3

  Navigate to Items and Create new item.

  

• Step 2 of 3

  Complete the fields on the new item screen.

  

  1. Item type: Select Multiple acceptable answers from the dropdown menu
  2. Item title: Give the item a name. This is entirely free-text and at your discretion, but it is required. This is not visible to candidates during the exam, but it can optionally be used later in the candidate feedback report.
  3. Item number: The item number auto populates but can be overwritten. Each item type maintains its own sequential index from 1-n (e.g. ARQ1, ARQ2 / SBA1, SBA2 etc.). By default this field will receive the next available sequential number for that item type.

• Step 3 of 3

  The basic form fields for the item type are now made available.

  

  1. Item number: This is the item number established in the previous step. It can no longer be changed. 
  2. Question author(s): Unless specified, the question author will default to the current user. Alternatively you can select another author if you are inputting the material on someone else's behalf. Start typing a name in the field and the system will suggest names based on the list of users present in the system.
  3. Item title: The item title entered int he previous step. This can be changed here.
  4. Summary: This is the item stem. You can use the WYSIWYG editor to write your question prompts. 
  5. Comments: The comments field is used for notes against the item. These do not appear to candidates and are for administrative use only.
  6. Item notes: The item notes field can be made available to candidates in the candidate feedback report and is designed to be used for any predetermined answer justification.
  7. Angoff: An Angoff rating for later standard setting can be banked against the item. If a value is given, this will be used if Angoff is selected as the standard-setting method.
  8. Difficulty and relevance: If Ebel standard setting is used, you can bank the difficulty and relevance values agains the item.
  9. Scoring method: This controls how the answers are scored. The options are: 
     • Partial credit: Each answer can be assigned a value, including negative values. Marks are awarded according to the total values of the selected answers. The total mark awarded cannot be less than 0. 
     • All-or-nothing: A total mark is assigned to the item. Answers are indicated as correct or incorrect. The mark is awarded for selecting all the correct answers. Any incorrect selection results in no marks.
     • Any-correct: A total mark is assigned to the item. Selecting at least one correct answer earns the mark, regardless of other selections.
  10. Max. responses: the maximum number of responses that will be accepted by the candidate. This can useful to prevent the candidate from selecting all possible responses and can be used in conjunction with penalty scoring strategies. 
  11. Answer order: This controls the order in which response options are presented to test-takers (if answer order randomisation is not used). The options are: 
      • Default: Answers are presented in alphanumeric order
      • Custom: Answers are presented in the same order as they appear in the authoring interface

  Click Save item to commit the changes.

Adding answers

• To add an answer click Add new answer. You can add as many answer options as are necessary. Use the free text box to enter your text.
• Select the Is correct? box if the answer is correct. Alternatively use the arrows to toggle between the correct answer checkbox and the scoring values options for the Partial credit scoring method. Using the scoring values option you can adjust the available scores to anything other than 1, and also add negative scoring if required.
• Use the Delete checkbox if you wish to remove an answer.
• Save Item once complete.

Item preview

In the browser application, the MAA item appears as a multiple choice question where the candidates can select multiple correct answers on the right hand side.