Author Test Items

An item must contain at least one interaction, such as inline response. Items can also contain multiple interactions, such as a paired passages, an unscored drawing area for solving, and an extended text area for entering an answer. Authorized users can create a variety of item interactions in ADAM and assemble them into items. Below are general steps to create a test item.

See also:

• Special Features Available Across Item Types
• Duplicate, Edit and Delete Items for other actions, such as importing and exporting metadata and bulk updating item statuses
• Pages for specific item types

To create a new item:

1. Select AD Authoring > Items.

2. Select the Bank where you want to create the item.

   

3. Click Create New.

4. Choose the layout for the interaction(s) in the item. For freestanding, single interaction items, leave at default 'Full Width Column' or 'Centered Column.' As a best practice, put passages and other shared stimulus to the left of the item prompt, using one of the available column width distributions.
   
   
   

5. Click Add Interaction

6. Select an interaction type, such as Choice.

7. Highlight ‘Enter your prompt’ and either type in text or paste in text copied from your clipboard. Images must be inserted as a file using the Image icon. The Prompt box for all item interactions provides several formatting tools. Select the More Rich icon to see additional formatting options:
   
   

   • Code View
   • More Text: Access additional formatting options such as strikethough, superscript, fonts, color, inline styles including passage numbering, etc.

   • Insert Image: See also: Include Audio, Video or Images.

   • Insert Video: See also: Include Audio, Video or Images.

   • Insert Audio: Add audio by URL or upload an audio file. See also: Include Audio, Video or Images.

   • Insert Table
   • Insert Link
   • Insert More Rich: Access additional formatting options.
     • Special Characters: Insert a variety of characters such as Latin, Greek, and Math characters.
     • Replace Quotes with Smart Quotes
     • Insert Single or Double Quotes (Left and Right)
     • Insert Non-Breaking Hyphen: Insert to avoid text wrapping.
     • Insert Non-Breaking Space
     • Non-Breaking Text
     • Font Awesome: Insert a variety of icons.
     • Insert Horizontal Line:  Insert a horizontal line for aesthetic or functional purposes (such as creating sections within a prompt).
     • Embed URL: Embed one or multiple URLs. A clickable thumbnail appears in the item.  

   • Math Editor

   • SSML Substitution: In Speech Synthesis Markup Language (SSML), the substitution tag replaces specific text with a pronunciation of your choice
   • SSML Break
   • SSML Highlight
   • Glossary: See also: Include a Glossary 

8. The Settings section fields default to the most commonly used choices, but may be adjusted as needed. Use the Preview area to view the impact of setting choices.
   

   • Label: Adjust the label for each answer choice.
   • Orientation
   • Columns
   • Min/Max Choices and Messages: See 'Set Up Manual Scoring for an Item' below and Set Up Partial Scoring  
   • Show/Hide Rationale: See Include Rationales in an Item
   • Show Controls
   • Shuffle
9. Click the Properties tab
10. The selection options for Name, Status, Standards, and Metadata depend on bank configuration.  Be sure to save occasionally and when done.

• • Name: The field is automatically populated with a default prefix based on the item bank settings, but you can append the item to make it easier to identify.
  • Status: The status of an item affects its visibility for certain user roles. The item bank settings determine what statuses are available.
  • Depth of Knowledge (DOK): Select a DOK level from the dropdown.
  • Metadata: Enter data for provided fields to make searching items easier.
  • Standard: Click Add Standard and select a standard. You can repeat to add additional standards. 
  • Tools: Enable a Calculator, Protractor, and/or Ruler for the item. See also: Student Test Tools in ADAM Player.
  • Associated Exhibits: Click Modify Associations. Select from previously created Shared Stimulus. These will display in a ‘Exhibits’ button in the top toolbar when previewing a form. Multiple exhibits can be added. 
  • Source Documents: Attach source documents for reference if applicable.

Set Up Manual Scoring for an Item

Scoring considerations differ by item type. See Item Types below for links to each creation page. See also: Set Up Partial Scoring.

1. In an item, click the Scoring tab.

2. Select the Manual Scoring checkbox. More options appear.

3. Optionally select Feedback Box. When enabled, scorers can enter feedback and/or rationale for their score.

4. Optionally, select Reverse Score Points to arrange trait point ranges from highest to lowest.
5. Click Add Trait to create scoring traits and set their point range. The Identifier is doesn't show up anywhere and is for internal use only.
6. Optionally, link each trait to a standard to support reporting by standard.
   
7. Optionally, click the 1 in the Step column to allow scoring at .5 increments. 
8. Click Save.

Tip for Creating Items with Shared Components

If you have an item with passages, paired passages, trait scoring, etc., you won’t want to redo the same thing for multiple items. Instead, create the first item with all the elements you need. Then clone it and swap out whatever is different, such as replacing English text for Spanish. Be sure to give the new item a unique Item Name and Identifier.

See also: Shared Stimulus

Preview to Check the Item for Accuracy

Verify that the item looks and scores as expected.

1. The Preview tab at the item level includes a small triangle. When clicked, screen options are available for preview.
   
2. Show Answers: Toggle to see the correct answer.
3. Show Distractor Rationale: Toggle to view the rubric.

The 'Show Answers' toggle and navigation arrows allow users to quickly preview a group of items from the preview modal as well as preview correct responses without having to open each individual item.

Interaction Types

Select the links below for information on each item type's unique features. Some interaction types, such a geometry, facilitate formatting the prompt or can be used as a 'scratchpad' for students and do not have to be used for collecting a response.  (*These types require manual scoring.)

Tiny link: https://support.assessment.pearson.com/x/MwGiBg