Best for
- Nursing and clinical judgement
- Next Generation NCLEX-style preparation
- Scenario-based decision making
Capabilities
- Structured centre, left and right response areas
- Automatic marking of each choice
- Works with rich case-study stems
Considerations
- Scenarios need enough detail to support one defensible answer
- Distractors should be clinically plausible
What is a bow tie question?
A bow tie question is named after its shape. The candidate reads a scenario, selects the most likely condition for the centre of the bow tie, then chooses the actions to take on one side and the parameters to monitor on the other.
When to use it
Bow tie questions are designed for clinical judgement and are widely used in nursing education, including preparation for Next Generation NCLEX-style items. They work wherever candidates must connect a diagnosis or situation with what to do and what to watch.
How Synap marks it
Bow tie questions are auto marked. Each choice in the condition, actions and parameters areas is checked against the answer, so results are immediate and consistent.
Authoring tips
Write a scenario with enough cues to identify one condition, then make every option in each area clinically realistic. Review the item with a subject expert so the answer is defensible.
Bow tie is one of 29 question types in Synap's exam authoring software, alongside reusable question banks, bulk import and flexible marking.