This session provides methods for searching Item objects. The search query is constructed using the ItemQuery. The assessment item record Type also specifies the query record for the assessment item query.

getItemsByQuery() is the basic search method and returns a list of Items. A more advanced search may be performed with getItemsBySearch(). It accepts an ItemSearch in addition to the query for the purpose of specifying additional options affecting the entire search, such as ordering. getItemsBySearch() returns an ItemSearchResults that can be used to access the resulting ItemList or be used to perform a search within the result set through ItemSearch.

This session defines views that offer differing behaviors for searching.

• federated assessment bank view: searches include assessment items in assessment banks of which this assessment bank is a ancestor in the assessment bank hierarchy
• isolated bank view: searches are restricted to assessment items in this assessment bank

Assessment items may have a query record indicated by their respective record types. The query record is accessed via the ItemQuery.