5 Tips for Better Quiz Questions

How to write quiz questions that actually measure learning (not just recall)

Rachel Weiss • Instructional Design

Tip #1: Ask "What Would They Do?" Not "What Do They Know?"

❌ Bad Question (Recall):

"What is the purpose of HIPAA?"

  • A) Protect patient privacy
  • B) Manage billing
  • C) Track outcomes
  • D) Replace insurance
Why it's bad: This tests memorization, not application. A learner could pass without understanding how to apply HIPAA in real situations.

✅ Good Question (Application):

"You're working the front desk when a patient's spouse calls asking about their test results. What should you do?"

  • A) Share the results since they're married
  • B) Ask for the patient's verbal consent first
  • C) Tell them you can't release any information
  • D) Transfer them to the patient's room
Why it's better: This tests decision-making in a realistic scenario. The learner has to apply HIPAA rules, not just recall them.

How to fix your questions:

  • Start with a realistic scenario or context
  • Ask what the learner would DO, not just what they KNOW
  • Use job-relevant situations

Tip #2: Make Distractors Plausible (Not Obviously Wrong)

❌ Bad Distractors:

"What is 2 + 2?"

  • A) 4
  • B) Banana
  • C) Purple
  • D) Tuesday
Why it's bad: Learners can guess the right answer by eliminating nonsense options. This doesn't test knowledge.

✅ Good Distractors:

"A patient asks to see their medical records from 2019. How long do you have to provide them?"

  • A) Within 30 days (✅ correct)
  • B) Within 7 business days
  • C) Within 60 days
  • D) Immediately upon request
Why it's better: All options are plausible. A learner who doesn't know the HIPAA timeline could reasonably choose any of these.

How to write better distractors:

  • Base them on common misconceptions
  • Use numbers or terms that are close to the correct answer
  • Reflect real-world mistakes people make

Tip #3: Write Feedback That Teaches, Not Just "Correct!"

❌ Bad Feedback:

"Correct!"

"Wrong - try again."

Why it's bad: Learners who get it wrong don't know WHY they're wrong. They might guess correctly on the next try without actually learning.

✅ Good Feedback:

Correct: "Yes - HIPAA requires covered entities to provide records within 30 days of a request. This ensures patients have timely access to their own information."

Wrong: "Not quite - While immediate access would be ideal, HIPAA allows up to 30 days for production. Seven days is not required by law, though some organizations move faster voluntarily."

Why it's better: Every answer is a learning opportunity. Even correct answers reinforce WHY something is right.

How to write better feedback:

  • Explain the reasoning behind the correct answer
  • For wrong answers, explain WHY it's incorrect
  • Reference the source or rule if applicable
  • Keep it under 2-3 sentences (don't write paragraphs)

Tip #4: Mix Question Difficulty (Don't Make It All Easy or All Hard)

A good quiz should have:

📗 30-40% Easy (Recall) - Build confidence

"What does HIPAA stand for?"

📘 40-50% Medium (Application) - Test understanding

"Which of these scenarios violates HIPAA?"

📕 10-20% Hard (Analysis) - Challenge advanced learners

"A vendor requests de-identified patient data for research. What steps must you take to ensure compliance?"

Why this matters:

How to balance difficulty:

  • Start with 2-3 easy questions to build confidence
  • Put harder questions in the middle
  • End with a medium-difficulty question (not the hardest)

Tip #5: Avoid "Gimme" Questions and Trick Questions

❌ "Gimme" Question (Too Easy):

"Should you protect patient privacy?"

  • Yes ✅
  • No
Why it's bad: Everyone knows the answer without needing training. This doesn't measure learning.

❌ Trick Question:

"HIPAA requires covered entities to provide medical records within 30 days, except in cases where the request involves psychotherapy notes, in which case there is no obligation unless..."

Why it's bad: Overly complex language tests reading comprehension, not knowledge. Trick questions frustrate learners.

✅ Just Right:

"A patient requests their psychotherapy notes. Are you required to release them under HIPAA?"

  • A) Yes, within 30 days
  • B) Yes, but only with therapist approval
  • C) No, psychotherapy notes are excluded from access rights ✅
  • D) Yes, but you can charge a fee
Why it's better: This tests a nuanced rule without being a "gotcha." The question is clear and direct.

How to avoid bad questions:

  • If 90%+ of people would know the answer without training → too easy
  • If the question requires re-reading 3+ times to understand → too complex
  • If you're relying on trick wording to make it hard → rewrite it

Bonus Tip: Test Your Quiz Before Launching

Before you deploy your quiz:

  1. Have a colleague take it - Do they understand the questions?
  2. Check pass rates - If 90%+ fail, it's too hard. If 90%+ pass, it's too easy.
  3. Review wrong answers - Are learners missing the same question? Maybe it's poorly worded.
  4. Read feedback aloud - Does it sound condescending or helpful?

Quick Quiz Question Checklist

Before finalizing your quiz, ask yourself:

  • Does this question test application, not just recall?
  • Are all distractors plausible?
  • Does feedback explain WHY answers are right/wrong?
  • Is the difficulty appropriate for my audience?
  • Would I want to take this quiz?

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