Subset selection quizzes

Note: QuizSlides was discontinued on September 1st, 2023. Our demo quizzes no longer work.

When taking a multiple-choice test, the test takers can often identify one or more of the incorrect answers to a question for which they cannot identify the correct answer. In a traditional multiple-choice test, after identifying as many incorrect answers as they can, the test takers have to then make a guess amongst the remaining answer options – but this leads to unreliable test scores that partly depend on luck.

Subset selection quizzes (tests) solve this problem by enabling the test takers to select all of the answer options that they think may be correct – they will gain partial credit whenever they have included the right answer.

Think of it like this: the test taker can split their single 100% bet on one answer option into two 50% bets by selecting two options, or three 33.3% bets by selecting three options, or four 25% bets by selecting all (or no) options.

The marking scheme is as follows:

• correct answer only selected => 1 mark
• correct answer plus one wrong answer => 0.5
• correct answer plus two wrong answers => 0.33
• all answers (or no answers) selected => 0.25
• any other response => 0

This marking scheme does not in principle lead to either inflated or deflated marks as compared with traditional multiple-choice tests (assuming 4 answer options per question). Since the test takers don’t need to engage in guesswork when answering the questions, the resulting test scores are potentially a more reliable indicator of attainment as compared with traditional multiple-choice tests.

Here is our demo subset selection quiz.

For further information about this type of quiz see: Otoyo, L., & Bush, M. (2018). Addressing the shortcomings of traditional multiple-choice tests: subset selection without mark deductions. Practical Assessment, Research and Evaluation.

This functionality was developed in collaboration with London South Bank University.

Here is an explanation taken from the recording of Dr Martin Bush's CSEDU 2017 Keynote Lecture (https://csedu.scitevents.org/PreviousInvitedSpeakers.aspx#2017):

See How to create a Traditional quiz… for guidance regarding the quiz creation process.