Students may be disadvantaged when every question on a test must be answered correctly and is written at a:

When every question on a test requires students to answer correctly and the questions are written at a high level of difficulty, it can create significant challenges for students. A high level of difficulty means that the questions are designed to assess advanced knowledge or critical thinking skills, which may exceed the comprehension or preparation level of some students. This heightened difficulty can lead to frustration and a sense of helplessness, especially if students feel that they cannot adequately demonstrate their understanding due to the challenging nature of the questions.

In addition, testing with such high-level difficulty without a range of question types or levels may not accurately reflect a student’s overall abilities or grasp of the material. Instead of encouraging learning and assessment of knowledge, it may foster anxiety and discourage engagement in the subject matter. It’s essential for assessments to balance challenge with achievable expectations to create a fair testing environment where all students have the opportunity to succeed.

The other scenarios, such as a low level of difficulty or issues relating to different instructors or computer-based testing formats, do not inherently disadvantage students in the same way. Lower-level questions might not challenge students sufficiently, while differences in instructors or testing formats might affect individual students’ experiences but do not create a universal disadvantage as the high level of difficulty does.