Best for
- Essays, explanations and applied reasoning
- Questions where process matters as much as the final answer
- Assessments that need marker judgement or feedback
Capabilities
- Long-form candidate responses
- Optional word limits and rich marking workflows
- Manual marking, moderation and audit trails
- Candidate-friendly writing experience in the exam interface
Considerations
- Requires marking time and clear rubrics
- Best used when the answer cannot be reduced to a selected option
What is a free text question?
A free text question lets candidates write an open-ended response. This might be a paragraph, essay, explanation, analysis, reflective answer or worked response that cannot be reliably assessed through a selected option.
In Synap, free text questions sit inside the same exam experience as auto-marked question types, so you can mix written responses with multiple choice, cloze, hotspot and other formats.
When to use it
Use free text questions when you need to assess reasoning, communication, judgement or applied understanding. They are especially useful in high-stakes contexts where the quality of the answer matters more than selecting a predetermined option.
Free text questions are often paired with rubrics, marker guidance and moderation workflows so marking stays consistent across cohorts.
How Synap supports this format
Synap supports manual marking workflows, feedback, grading roles and audit trails. Depending on the assessment process, teams can use provisional marking, moderation, escalation and auditing to keep written-response marking consistent and defensible.
Authoring tips
Make the expected response clear. If candidates should explain, justify, compare or calculate, say so directly. Add word limits where helpful, and prepare marking criteria before the exam goes live.
