Randomization

TestInvite supports randomization at multiple levels, including the selection and order of sections, pages, questions, and answer choices. Depending on your test design, you can apply randomization globally across the test or locally within specific sections or pages.

Why randomization matters?

Randomization is an essential tool in online assessment design for the following reasons:

• Minimizing cheating: Randomized test versions make it more difficult for test-takers to share answers.

• Increasing fairness: Randomly selected and ordered content helps ensure all test-takers are evaluated under similar conditions.

• Maintaining test integrity: Unique test structures discourage prior memorization or coaching.

• Ensuring balanced content coverage: When used systematically, randomization can help deliver consistent topic coverage across varied test forms.

Types of randomization in TestInvite

TestInvite provides multiple layers of randomization. These can be applied independently or in combination depending on your requirements.

Shuffling Sections

Shuffling sections randomizes the order in which sections are presented to each test-taker. This option is best suited for tests where each section assesses an independent skill or topic, and the order of sections does not affect comprehension.

Where to find it:

Go to Test Settings, under Auto Numbering, select Shuffle Sections.

Shuffling Pages Within a Section

You can shuffle the order of pages inside a specific section. This option ensures that each test-taker encounters the same set of pages, but in a different order.

Where to find it:

Select a section and click on its title to access the related Section Settings, then enable Shuffle Pages.

Use this option if:

• The pages are modular and can be answered in any order.

• You want to reduce predictability in section structure.

Shuffling Questions Within a Page

This feature allows the questions on a page to appear in a randomized order for each test-taker. You can optionally fix certain questions in place to exclude them from the shuffle (e.g., introductory questions or context-setting content).

Where to find it:

Select the desired page and click on its title to access the related Page Settings, then enable Shuffle Questions.

Use this option if:

• You want to prevent answer copying by changing question order.

• The questions are not contextually linked in a required sequence.

Shuffling Answer Choices Within a Question

You can shuffle the order of answer choices within individual questions to minimize response bias. This setting is available for most objective question types, including multiple-choice and true/false.

Where to find it:

Open the question in the editor and enable the Shuffle Choices option.

Use this option if:

• You want to reduce position bias (e.g., always selecting “A”).

• You want to create more variation even when questions are not randomized.

Random Question Selection Using the Dynamic Page Builder

The Dynamic Page Builder allows you to create pages that automatically select a subset of questions from a predefined pool. Each test-taker receives a unique combination of questions.

Key configuration elements:

• Number of questions to select from the pool

• Number of pages to generate

• Time limit per page (optional)

• Scoring rules, required questions, and ineffective question settings

• Option to assign or override question tags (dimensions)

Where to find it:

Within a section, click Add Page > Dynamic Page Builder.

Use this feature when:

• You want each test-taker to receive a different subset of questions.

• You want to create varied yet structured tests.

• You want to automatically split selected questions across one or more pages.

Random Page Selection Using the Random Page Picker

The Random Page Picker allows you to define a set of alternative pages and then configure the system to randomly select a certain number of them to be served to each test-taker. This is particularly useful when you have pages that contain grouped content or contextually related questions that must appear together.

Key configuration elements:

• Number of pages to randomly pick from the defined alternatives

• Whether the selected pages should appear together as a block or be distributed across the section

Where to find it:

Within a section, click Add Page > Random Page Picker.

Use this feature when:

• You have pages that must be served together with their content intact.

• You want to create structured but varied experiences across test-takers.

Fixing Items in Place (Excluding from Shuffle)

At both the question and page level, TestInvite allows you to fix specific items in place. This is important when you have content that must always appear in a particular position or order, such as:

• Instructions or introductory questions

• Anchor questions used for calibration

• Questions with logical or narrative dependency

These items can be excluded from any active shuffle or randomization configuration.

Systematic Randomization

Systematic randomization refers to structured random selection, often used in high-stakes assessments. It ensures that questions are not just randomly selected, but selected based on shared characteristics such as:

• Topic or dimension tags

• Difficulty level

• Assessment objectives

This method allows you to preserve balance and fairness across different test-takers while still delivering unique test content.

Use systematic randomization when:

• You want to guarantee even coverage of specific dimensions or subjects.

• You want consistent test difficulty across randomized versions.

• You need to group related questions or serve structured blocks of content.

Common tools used for systematic randomization in TestInvite:

• Dynamic Page Builder (random question selection with filters)

• Random Page Picker (group-based random selection)