What Question Types Are There?

Shiken uses a wide range of question types to make learning as fun and easy as possible. Different products use different questions types and the Shiken Store and custom revision menu can filter by question type. If you'd like to see a new question type added just let us know!

A typical single best answer question has a scenario with a question and a five option answer list with one, single correct answer and four incorrect, distractors.

Extended matching questions typically have a main scenario to which multiple questions and answers relate. EMQs test knowledge in a far more applied, in depth, sense and often feature 15 possible answers to select from.

"Viva voce" means by or with the living voice and can be thought of as oral or conversational questions. These are often used in language examinations and interviews. On mobile Viva exams take the form of a chat bot with a Study Buddy asking a question like an examiner or interviewer and then the learner can either answer by voice or simply type in an answer. On web the layout is more similar to entering a free text response.

Similar to note cards learners can score their own answer by comparing to the explanation and set answer.

True False questions are similar in format to SBAs, except that there are only 2 options, True or False.

The rank order question type provides respondents the unique opportunity to rank a set of items against each other. In Shiken learners can drag and drop answers ordering them and then submit.

Multi-select questions are similar to single best answers but with multiple correct answers from the question stem. Learners must choose all of the correct answers in order to get the question correct.

Hot spot questions are image-based questions where there is an image with multiple selectable points overlaid and a single question. These are visual questions challenging the learner to identify key points on the image.

Note cards or flashcards are show and reveal questions that can be used for quick fact learning. Shiken notecards can be clicked to reveal the answer and then similar to viva questions the learner can decide whether understanding was accurate or inaccurate.