Each item used in the Assessment Tool was trialled before being included in the Tool for general use. Part of the analysis of trial data involved checking for evidence that learners were resorting to guessing on each item. Guessing can never be ruled out when selected response type items are used. As a response strategy it will generally not lead to success.
When a learner is sitting an assessment that is 'at their level' and are motivated to choose the answer they believe is best, guessing behaviours can be minimised. The online adaptive assessment provides a way of targeting questions at the learner’s level. During the development of a question every effort was made to ensure that correct answers did not stand out from the other available answers to a question.