What is a computer adaptive test?

A computer adaptive test is a sequential exam in which the computer determines the range of questions asked according to the test-taker's ability. Successive questions are chosen from a large question bank categorised according to content and difficulty. Questions are selected according to the candidate's responses to previous questions. This means that the student receives fewer questions that are either too hard or too easy.

This technique is used by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) for large scale US testing in the US such as the Graduate Record Exam (GRE), which is taken by all candidates for postgraduate study in American universities. Click here for ETS information about using adaptive tests.

See also an article on computer adaptive testing, This Test Is For You, (1995).