The efficacy of a quiz greatly depends on how well the questions are formulated. It’s easy to forget that quiz takers have only the information we provide them. If they don’t understand the questions, they will have little choice but to begin answering them at random, rather than relying on their knowledge. This will ruin your chances of getting an accurate assessment. Plus, learners may disengage from content that tests them on things that have not been covered. That’s why it’s important to carefully consider the wording of each question.

• Don’t overcomplicate. Questions should be simple and clear. Try not to write long complex sentences. The number of words in a sentence shouldn’t be more than 20.
• Try to avoid using negatives in your questions and answers. For example: “Which of the following is NOT a result of hydrogen bonds?” Such questions are often confusing. However, judicious use of this technique can keep your learners on their toes. When you do use it, consider writing the negative particle in capital letters or bolded text so the learner doesn’t miss it.
• Don’t use imprecise descriptors like “approximately”, “any”, “at least”, etc. “What is the approximate value of the constant π?” “Um, about three?” Asking inaccurate questions increases the chances of getting inaccurate answers — smartly written questions will (hopefully) elicit smartly written answers. For example, “Express the constant π to the nearest 3 significant figures.” ”3.14.”
• Begin open-ended questions with the words “what”, “how much”, “when”, “how”, and “why”.
• Avoid unnecessary hints where the learner can deduce the correct answer from the context. This may show certain agility of mind which is certainly good, but it doesn’t help you in assessing knowledge of the specific topic.