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5.1.2 Using Selection Methods & Filters in the Test Builder

When you build a custom test in EdisonOS, the Builder tab is where you decide which questions go into the test and how they are chosen. You do this with two building blocks:

  • Filter Sets - Independent ways to categorize, each of which contributes a set number of questions to the test.

  • Selection Methods - the source a Filter Set draws from (Folder, Question, Passage, or Attempt). Each method exposes its own list of Filters for narrowing the selection.

This lets you mix sources within a single test. for example, pull 10 questions from a specific folder, 5 by question skill, and 5 based on past attempt behavior.

Open the Builder and add a Selection Method

Inside a Filter Set, click + Add Selection Method. You'll see four options:

custom test - filter .gif

Selection Method

What it draws from

Folder

Questions organized inside your folders

Question

Individual questions from the question bank

Passage

Questions grouped under reading/analysis passages

Attempt

Questions filtered by how students previously attempted them

Choose the method that matches how you want to source questions for this set.

Add Filters for the selected method

After picking a Selection Method, click + Add Filters. The list of available filters changes depending on the method you chose. This is what makes each method powerful — you only see the filters that make sense for that source.

If your Selection Method is Question

Clicking Add Filters shows question-level filters, including:

  • Question Module

  • Question Domain

  • Question Skill

  • Question Tags

  • Question Type

  • Calculator Allowed

  • Tools Used

Use these to target questions by content area, skill, type, or the tools a student is allowed/expected to use. You can search filters using the Search Filters box at the top of the list.

If your Selection Method is Folder

Clicking Add Filters shows folder-level filters:

  • Folder Name

  • Folder Tags

This is the fastest way to pull a whole curated set. for example, every question inside a "Reading – Hard" folder, or all folders sharing a particular tag.

If your Selection Method is Passage

Clicking Add Filters lets you filter by Passage Tags, so you can build passage-based sections (ideal for Reading & Writing tests) around specific themes or skills you've tagged.

If your Selection Method is Attempt

Clicking Add Filters shows attempt-based filters, including:

  • Attempt Status

  • Time Spent

  • Marked for Review

  • Tools Used

These are especially useful for review and revision tests. for example, pulling only questions a student answered incorrectly, spent too long on, or flagged as "Marked for Review."

Step 3: Set how many questions each Filter Set contributes

Each Filter Set has a Pick Questions dropdown on the right (default: 20). This is the number of questions that set contributes to the final test. The Total Questions count at the top of the Builder updates as you adjust each set.

Step 4: Add more Filter Sets to mix sources

Click + Add Filter Set to create additional sets (Filter Set 2, Filter Set 3, and so on). Each set works independently and can use a different Selection Method.

This is the key to flexible test design. A single test might combine:

  • Filter Set 1 - Question: 10 questions filtered by Question Skill

  • Filter Set 2 - Folder: 5 questions from a specific folder

  • Filter Set 3 - Attempt: 5 questions a student previously marked for review

To delete a method within a set, use Remove; to manage a whole set, use the (more options) menu next to it.

Step 5: Save your test

Once your Filter Sets and Filters are configured and the Total Questions count looks right, click Save in the top-right corner. Your custom test is now ready to assign.

Quick reference: Selection Methods and their Filters

Selection Method

Available Filters

Folder

Folder Name, Folder Tags

Question

Question Module, Question Domain, Question Skill, Question Tags, Question Type, Calculator Allowed, Tools Used

Passage

Passage Tags

Attempt

Attempt Status, Time Spent, Marked for Review, Tools Used