Quizzes compilation is one of the stages of creating a study course. At first glance, it is not that difficult: all the educational material is collected and structured, and all that remains is to formulate the tasks.
However, everything is not so simple. After all, the quiz is not just a tool for checking the acquired knowledge, but also, if the approach to its compilation is correct, it gives an idea of how clear this knowledge is to students and whether they will be able to apply it in practice.
Of course, students need to acquire knowledge during the course, not only to pass quizzes correctly, but also to deal with other assignments successfully. If you lack some knowledge but need to complete a specific task, get help from the essay writing service where experts in different fields work. They will assist you with any type of assignment.
In this article, we will analyze the most common quiz writing errors.
There are two types of closed-form questions: with a choice of a single correct answer or with a choice of several correct answers.
Mistake 1: Ambiguity in the wording of questions
This is one of the most frequent quiz design mistakes. You should not use phrases like “What do you think…” when formulating questions. After all, it is important for you to know not the opinion of the students, but how well they have learned the educational material.
Incorrect
What LMS platforms do you think can be used to host courses in SCORM format?
- Teachbase
- ISpring
- Moodle
Correct
What LMS platforms can be used to host SCORM courses?
- Teachbase
- ISpring
- Moodle
Ambiguity can also be seen when using biased or imprecise wording in tasks:
Incorrect
What are the preferred methods of finishing walls in residential premises?
- Washable wallpaper
- Ceramic tiles
- Plastic panels
- Vinyl wallpaper
Correct
What wall finishing methods are used in rooms with high humidity?
- Washable wallpaper
- Ceramic tiles
- Plastic panels
- Vinyl wallpaper
Mistake 2: Using words in the quiz that may look like a hint, including words with the same root in the text of the question and the answers
Incorrect
What ingredients are included in the radish salad according to the recipe?
- Egg
- Radish
- Greens
- Cucumber
- Mayonnaise
Correct
What ingredients, according to the recipe, are included in the spring salad?
- Egg
- Radish
- Greens
- Cucumber
- Mayonnaise
Mistake 3: Using the words “all,” “none,” “never,” “always” in the answer formulation, and the expressions “none of the listed” or “all of the listed”
When formulating closed-type quizzes, it is recommended to use at least 3-4 and no more than six answer options. However, if you cannot get the required number of answers, you should not replace them with general words or phrases. It is better to replace it with an open-type quiz.
Open-type quizzes are a form of questions that require the quiz taker to independently construct an answer. For example, quizzes to establish a correspondence between the elements of two sets or tasks to establish the correct sequence, etc.
Incorrect
Select the stress variant that corresponds to the norm.
- AdVERtisement
- adverTISEment
- All of the listed are acceptable
Correct
According to the norms of the English language, which syllable should be stressed in the word “advertisement”?
Mistake 4: The answers are formulated as a large text
It is obvious that the student experiences stress during quizzes. Especially if their future academic or professional activity depends on the test results. It is difficult to concentrate on a large text and understand its content under stress; therefore, when composing closed-form quizzes, you should use concise answer options.
Incorrect
Select the definition of the method of pedagogical research “Conversation”
- The method of obtaining information is based on verbal communication between the researcher and the respondent, who answers the questions provided by the research program.
- A type of expert assessment obtained on the basis of a collective discussion of the results of studying the upbringing and education of students.
- A targeted and systematic process of collecting information through direct registration by the researcher of the progress and results of the pedagogical process.
Correct
The method of obtaining information based on verbal communication between the researcher and the respondent, answering the questions provided by the research program, is:
- Pedagogical council
- Questionnaire
- Conversation
- Observation
Mistake 5: The correct answers to the question are longer than the incorrect ones
The longer the answer, the more obvious it is to the student that it is the correct one. Thus, the question includes a hint, which reduces the validity of the test results.
Validity is the justification and suitability of the application of research methods and results in specific conditions.
Incorrect
What is “tempering chocolate”?
- Cooling chocolate
- Heating and cooling the chocolate to specific temperatures to properly crystallize the cocoa butter in the chocolate
- Heating chocolate
- The process of adding cocoa butter to chocolate
Correct
What is “tempering chocolate”?
- Cooling the chocolate to 27 degrees
- Heating and then cooling chocolate
- The process of adding cocoa butter to chocolate
- Heating chocolate to 48 degrees
Writing quiz questions guide
At first glance, it seems that developing a quiz is a simple task: come up with a question, add answer options, and you’re done. In practice, however, many people face difficulties. To quickly and effectively create a quiz, we suggest going through the following stages of development:
- Choose a key idea. It is important to study the course material and identify the key topics that need to be tested. The correct answer to a quiz question should reflect the main idea of the lesson, the very semantic unit that the student must remember. In fact, the quiz checks this key knowledge, and it is advisable to create at least three questions for each semantic unit.
- Choose a quiz type. Having decided on the content, choose which types of questions are best suited. For example, a question can have a single or multiple answers, for comparison and establishing the correct sequence. You can also add open questions and cases, as well as several interactive quizzes.
- Create a question. Create a question that focuses on remembering, understanding, or applying key knowledge. Use a variety of question types to help students better understand and apply the material.
Writing Quiz Questions Guide
At first glance, it seems that developing a quiz is a simple task: come up with a question, add answer options, and you’re done. In practice, however, many people face difficulties. To quickly and effectively create a quiz, we suggest going through the following stages of development:
Choose a key idea. It is important to study the course material and identify the key topics that need to be tested. The correct answer to a quiz question should reflect the main idea of the lesson, the very semantic unit that the student must remember. In fact, the quiz checks this key knowledge, and it is advisable to create at least three questions for each semantic unit.
Choose a quiz type. Having decided on the content, choose which types of questions are best suited.
For example, a question can have a single or multiple answers, for comparison and establishing the correct sequence. You can also add open questions and cases, as well as several interactive quizzes.
Just as clear and accurate quiz questions enhance learning outcomes, ensuring accurate online information through local citation building can boost the credibility of educational platforms hosting these quizzes.
Create a question. Create a question that focuses on remembering, understanding, or applying key knowledge. Use a variety of question types to help students better understand and apply the material.
Quiz creation tips for writers
- Key ideas. Questions should be posed to the main logical conclusions, the transmission of which was the goal of the training. Quizzes should check some significant part of the covered theory. Obviously, stupid and useless questions should be excluded.
- Unambiguity. After reading the question, a person should immediately understand what exactly is wanted from them. Quizzes should not contain ambiguity. It is necessary to exclude from the text vague words that can be interpreted by the student subjectively.
- Simple language. The wording of the question should be clear, simple, and understandable. The use of complex text structures should be minimized. Exclude from the text phrases that do not carry a semantic load. For example, the phrases “What do you think?”, “In your opinion, “At will.” Do not use incomprehensible terms or abbreviations in the wording.
- No hints. Some test quizzes should not contain hints to others. The examinee should not use the knowledge gained from the previous question to solve the next one.
Reduce negatives. Avoid using negative statements in the wording of the quiz. When using a negative, clearly indicate it – for example, use lowercase letters for “NO”, “AT LEAST”, “EXCEPT”.