Choice list questions in (digital) testing: what is it and how do you deploy it?

There are all kinds of question types to choose from in (digital) testing. An example is choice list questions. How do choice list questions differ from other question types? And what are possible applications and examples?

What is a choice list question?

A choice list question is a closed question type that requires the candidate to choose from a set of answer options that are predetermined. The uniqueness of choice list questions is that they can be included in a text fragment. Here the candidate has the choice of selecting the correct answers from various pull-down menus. You can do an excellent job of evaluating knowledge in the candidate with this. A great example that is excellent to measure via a choice list question is Dutch language skills, since you can easily place several sentence structures in succession that are interrelated.

Example and score distribution of a choice list question

An example of a choice list question is shown below:

Question

Optimum Assessment is your partner in digital assessment. The organization has an office in[Choice 1] and has a testing platform called[Choice 2]. This platform consists of[Choice List 3] modules.

Answer options here may include:

Choice List 1:

• Oisterwijk
• Oosterhout
• Ostend

Choice List 2:

• Optimum Platform
• Optimum Assessment Platform
• Optimum Testing Platform

Choice List 3:

• 1
• 5
• 9

Score distribution:

One possible score distribution is that a correct answer to a choice list gives 1 point. The candidate can earn 3 points in the above question paper in that case.

Advantages of choice list questions

• Quick Assessment: Answers to choice list questions are fixed in advance. Digital testing software allows you to assess these results quickly and in a fully automated way.
• Objective assessment: Choice list questions provide a closed, objective method of assessment. Indeed, there is no interpretation of the assessor. Be sure to have the answer options determined by content experts! Also read: how to create a good key.
• Easy to complete: Choice list questions are very clear for the candidate. The question is presented and only one answer has to be chosen from the given answer options.
• Flexible knowledge testing: Choice list questions can be used in a variety of ways. Consider a question in the middle of a sentence. You can – by using the right question types – ensure an optimal testing experience.

Disadvantages of choice list questions

Of course, a choice list question also has its disadvantages for the testing organization. We name a few here:

• More difficult to construct: a choice list question often has several questions asked in sequence in a short text fragment. This means that the questions may be interdependent, or even tangential. This requires the right testing knowledge to shape it correctly.
• Not appropriate for every test: Choice list questions usually focus on establishing factual knowledge. They offer less insight into more complex concepts and processes. For example, use open-ended question types for this.
• Limited answer options: Choice list questions have only a limited number of predetermined answer options.

Tips for creating choice list questions

There are some guidelines you can keep in mind when creating choice list questions.

• Only use the choice list question if it really adds something to your (digital) test. Otherwise, you might be better off using the more common multiple choice question, for example.
• Offer neutral and objective response options.
• Use supporting images and video materials to make the question and test more appealing to the candidate.

Conclusion – choice list questions in (digital) testing

The choice list question provides a strong additional option to measure knowledge in candidates. The uniqueness of this question type is that you include them in an (existing) text excerpt. This can add unique value when understanding certain types of knowledge. However, in many cases other question types are also suitable for this, so make the right choice in this. Still have questions? Our technical consultants are happy to think with you to achieve the optimal assessment experience. Are you looking for a total package for digital testing? Then read more about Optimum Assessment Platform.