Test and Quiz Questions – Oh My!

Some thoughts on creating quiz/test questions.

First, the following are some high-level considerations when creating quiz and test questions for adult e-learning courses.

1. Learning Objectives: Quiz and test questions should align with the learning objectives of the course. They should test the learner’s understanding of the core course material and ensure that they have mastered the key concepts. Before creating quiz questions, it’s important to have a clear understanding of the learning objectives of the course.
   
2. Relevance and Real-World Application: Adult learners are typically more interested in learning that is relevant to their work or personal life. Quiz and test questions should be designed to reflect real-world scenarios and applications. This can help learners better understand how to apply the course material in their own lives or work environments.
   
3. Clear and Concise Language: Quiz and test questions should use clear and concise language that is easy for learners to understand. Avoid using technical jargon or complex sentence structures that could confuse or distract the learner. Additionally, be sure to provide clear instructions for each question and any supporting materials or resources that may be necessary to answer the question.
   
4. Balance of Difficulty: Quiz and test questions should be balanced in terms of difficulty. If all the questions are too easy, learners may not feel challenged and may not be fully engaged. Conversely, if all the questions are too difficult, learners may become frustrated and lose motivation. It’s important to provide a mix of easy, moderate, and difficult questions that challenge learners at different levels of understanding.
   
5. Authentic Assessment: Quiz and test questions should be designed to assess the learners’ comprehension and mastery of the course material. This can be achieved through authentic assessments that simulate real-world scenarios and tasks. For example, a case study or scenario-based question can provide a more authentic assessment of the learners’ knowledge and skills than a simple multiple-choice question.
   
6. Fairness and Bias: Quiz and test questions should be fair and unbiased. Avoid creating questions that are culturally or gender biased, or that assume a specific level of prior cultural knowledge or experience. Also, ensure that the questions are not overly subjective or open to interpretation, as this can lead to inconsistent grading and perceptions of unfairness. Finally, be sure to review the questions for potential bias and sensitivity with a diverse group of people to ensure that they are fair and inclusive.

True/False Questions:

1. Clearly state the question and the possible true or false answers.
2. Make sure that the question is a statement that can be proven true or false.
3. Avoid double negatives or double positives in the question.
4. Avoid using “all” or “none” in the question as this can make it too broad.
5. Use specific and relevant information from the course content or other training document to create the question. In your internal course notes, maintain a reference back to the specific spot in the content where the answer is provided.
6. Avoid using “sometimes” or “may” in the question as this can make it too ambiguous.
7. Avoid using negative phrasing in the question, such as “not” or “except”, as this can make it more difficult to understand.
8. Avoid using absolute words like “always” and “never” in the question as this can make it too broad and not always accurate

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Clearly state the question and provide a list of possible answers.
2. Make sure that the question is a statement that can be answered by one of the options provided.
3. Use specific and relevant information from the training content to create the question. In your internal course notes, maintain a reference back to the specific spot in the content where the answer is provided.
4. Avoid using “all of the above” or “none of the above” as an option as it can make the question too broad.
5. Avoid using similar or identical options as this can make the question too easy.
6. Avoid using leading or biased language in the question or options.
7. Avoid using “all” or “none” in the options as this can make it too broad.
8. Provide options that are similar in length and complexity to prevent one option from appearing more likely to be correct.
9. Provide options that are similar in length and complexity to prevent one option from appearing more likely to be correct.
10. Avoid giving away the correct answer in the question itself or in other options.
11. Avoid using double negatives or double positives in the options.

Creating Fair Questions:

1. Avoid using personal opinions or biases in the question or options.
2. Use language that is neutral and inclusive.
3. Avoid using technical jargon or language that may be unfamiliar to some learners. (Unless the course content is focused on technical jargon or technical language that the learner needs to know.)
4. Ensure that the question is relevant and aligned with the learning objectives of the course.  (If the question is not aligned with the learning objectives, learns some perceive these as trick questions.)
5. Avoid making the question too easy or too difficult for the intended audience. As always – know your learners.
6. Test the question with a diverse group of people to ensure that it is fair and easy to understand.
7. Avoid using graphics or images that may be offensive or triggering to some learners.
8. Review and revise the question regularly to ensure that it remains relevant and fair.
9. Avoid using culturally or socially insensitive language or content.
10. Avoid using graphics or images that may be offensive or triggering to some learners.
11. Avoid using leading or loaded questions, which can bias the answers or steer the learners toward a specific answer.

It’s also important to consider the context in which the questions are being used. Are they formative or summative assessments? Are they used for self-assessment or for grading? Different types of questions may be more appropriate for different contexts.

It’s important to keep in mind that designing good questions that are fair, accessible, and align with the learning objectives is an ongoing process and not just a one-time task. You should always be open to feedback and willing to make changes to improve the effectiveness of your questions.

Good quiz and test questions for an eLearning course are fair, accessible, aligned with the learning objectives, and designed with the intended audience in mind. They are clear, and specific, and avoid using biased or loaded language. It’s important to review and revise the questions regularly to ensure they remain effective.

If you like this, please share.

More: Using Instructional Design to Create High-Quality eLearning Content

(I’m bringing some content over from an older platform.)