How to Design Quizzes That Help Students Learn

Let's be real—quizzes are about as popular with students as Monday mornings. But here's the thing: research shows that frequent quizzing helps students crush it academically (Next time your class groans at the Q-word, you've got some solid backup).

Designing quizzes is not particularly fun for teachers either, seeing how they can feel like a second job. The process often involves quizzing yourself with questions like: Is 10 questions too few? Is 50 too many? Are these questions testing anything besides my patience?

But before you scream into your pillow, we've got your back with some tried-and-true tips to make quizzes work (for you and your students).

1. Mix Up the Type of Questions

You’d be surprised how many students have gotten scarily good at gaming multiple-choice questions. So keep them on their toes by throwing in a mix of question types:

• True or false questions to test their core knowledge
• Fill-in-the-blanks-style questions to check if they were awake in class
• Short-answer questions to make them flex those critical thinking muscles
• Matching questions to see if they can connect those mental dots

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Got some extra prep time? (as if!) Turn that quiz into a Jeopardy-style showdown. Or better yet, throw in real-world scenarios that'll make them go, "Oh, so THAT'S why we're learning this!"

2. Feedback Is Your Friend

The great thing about a quiz (apart from the mutual torture) is that students learn better when they know why they got something wrong. Mind-blowing, right?

Research shows students nail final tests when practice tests come with feedback. So after each question, drop a quick explanation about the right answer—think tweet-length, not dissertation-style. Because, let's be honest, students’ attention spans are shorter than a TikTok video.

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3. Ditch the Trick Questions

We get it—adding those "gotcha" questions to quizzes is tempting. But let's leave the riddles and brainteasers for game night, shall we? Trick questions can leave students feeling confused and frustrated instead of helping them learn something extra or valuable.

Remember, we’re going for a focused vibe that helps students learn, so it’s best to keep the quiz simple and honest.

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4. Time It Right

Who says quizzes have to be end-of-class punishment? Instead, here’s a radical idea: try dropping a quiz mid-lesson, especially when you notice your students’ eyes glazing over during chemical equations. A mid-lesson quiz is like hitting the refresh button on your students’ brains. Even science says quizzing students when they're still processing new info helps them learn better.

Here are a few more timing hacks:

• Start the class with a quick quiz to wake up those brain cells and refresh the material from the last class.
• Space out your quizzes instead of administering them all before tests.

Remember: too many quizzes = burnout for everyone (and nobody wants that).

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5. Work Smarter With an Online Quiz Maker

Look, we know you became a teacher to change lives, not to spend your evenings crafting the perfect quiz. That's where Brisk's free Quiz Maker comes in clutch. Think of it as a quiz-writing assistant—just tell it what you're teaching, and you'll have a ready-to-go quiz in seconds. The best part? Get it in a ready-to-use format, either on Google Docs or Google Forms. Plus, it comes with answer keys baked right in (no more grading until midnight, yay).

Ready to make your quiz game both stronger and easier? Give Brisk's Quiz Maker a shot. Your future self will thank you.