Single best answer multiple choice questions in SQE1

Candidates taking SQE1 often ask what single best answer multiple choice questions are and why they are used in SQE1.

Single best answer (SBA) multiple choice questions (MCQs) are used in SQE1 to assess candidates’ ability to apply their legal knowledge – their knowledge and understanding of law and legal practice - to a scenario. The questions do not assess simple recall; they assess a candidate’s ability to apply their knowledge to a relevant scenario. The scenarios reflect the type of matter a newly qualified solicitor might come across in practice.

There are three components to each question:

1. The stem, which sets out the scenario.

2. The lead in, which sets out the question to be answered.

3. The five options. Each of the five options is plausible, but only one is correct.

You can watch a short video on the anatomy of SQE1 questions: Understanding the anatomy of an SQE1 question.

We have also produced a video on writing effective SBA MCQs. This will help anyone involved in the preparation of SQE1 study materials, and also any candidate that wants to learn more about SBA MCQs.

You can see examples of SQE1 questions, and information on the purpose of the sample questions. Many of these sample questions are past questions – they have appeared in real assessments. The knowledge required to answer the questions is set out in the SQE1 assessment specification and, in particular, in Functioning of Legal Knowledge 1 and Functioning Legal Knowledge 2.

Learn more: SQE1 Assessment Specification

Why SQE1 use single best answer multiple choice questions

SBA MCQs are widely used in professional high stakes exams in the UK and across the world. Examples include the assessments for entry into the medical profession in the UK and assessments testing applied knowledge in the accountancy and financial profession. They are also used in high stakes legal assessments such as the centralised exams in barrister training courses in England and Wales and bar exams in the U.S. and Canada, amongst others.

There are certain important considerations when deciding on a method of assessment for a high stakes professional assessment that leads to the entry to a profession.

In SQE1, it is important that candidates are able to demonstrate they can apply their knowledge to a wide range of areas of legal practice. SBA MCQs allow candidates to do this in a time efficient and, bearing in mind the large numbers of candidates, cost-effective way. Many alternative methods of assessment only allow for the testing of a limited range of topics and / or are more expensive to administer and/or need to be taken over many days.

SBA MCQs also ensure that candidates do not have to spend time or expend effort writing answers to questions which, in a test of application of legal knowledge, is not required. They do not have to worry about exactly how to phrase their responses, because the correct answer is included in the options.

SBA MCQs have been shown to assess high order thinking skills (such as application, problem solving and evaluation) and differentiate between strong and weak candidates. SBA MCQs also allow for the use of a relatively large number of questions which enables sufficient coverage of subject areas and ensures the assessment is reliable and consistent - in other words the assessment can provide assurance that candidates scores are less impacted by chance factors, for example, the right topic coming up on the day. This is important in a high stakes professional assessment leading to qualification as a solicitor.

SBA MCQs are marked by computer, as there is only one correct answer. This makes marking quick, cost effective and completely objective, removing any potential bias in the marking process. Marking is more complex and costly when candidates write their answers. Whilst written assessments may be required when assessing legal skills, such as legal writing or drafting, (and are used in SQE2), it is not a requirement when testing the application of knowledge. This is why SQE1 results can be issued more quickly than SQE2 results – SQE2 written assessments are marked by trained solicitors whose marks are checked for consistency throughout the marking period and quality assured.

The SQE1 questions are fair

Responses to SBA MCQs provide rich data that can, for example, be analysed to spot any questions that might advantage or disadvantage any particular groups of candidates. These analyses are undertaken after every SQE1 sitting. To date, no questions have been found that unfairly advantaged or disadvantaged any group of candidates.

There is no evidence that the style of assessment used in SQE1 advantage or disadvantage any particular candidates.

For example, the data (which is published in SQE reports) shows that disabled candidates and candidates who have a reasonable adjustment perform at least as well in SQE1 as other candidates. The most frequently disclosed forms of disability relate to neurodivergence.

There is a strong positive correlation between how passing SQE1 candidates perform in SQE1 and how they perform in SQE2 (in which candidates write their responses and undertake advocacy and interviewing assessments). In other words, candidates who perform well in SQE1 generally perform well in SQE2 and candidates who perform less well in SQE1 generally perform less well in SQE2. This correlation shows that SBAs are an effective method of assessing.