Organizing a Quiz 3: Making questions

Questions are without a doubt the most important component in a quiz. They can mean the difference between a good and a bad quiz. Good questions doesn't always have to be difficult questions. But they are too easy, then everyone will get them right, creating problems to the organizers.

How do you make good questions? Unfortunately there are no proven way. Since the audience, competitors and the levels of quizzes varies remarkably, it is difficult to give a standard method suitable for all types of quizzes. Let us check the different types of questions first,
Multiple choice questions
This type of questions better known as MCQs is widely used in school and university examinations. MCQs can be used when preparing a table quiz. They can also be used in a stage quiz, with questions displayed on a screen. It comprises of a stem question, followed by a set of answers, of which one would be the correct answer. The number of choices/answers may vary depending on the question paper. Usually there are 4 or 5 choices. But there can be more or less choices to alter the difficulty.

When making a MCQ, you need to frame your questions properly. You need to ask it in a non-ambiguous way. For e.g.

• What is the brightest planet in the solar system?

This is not a good question, since the brightest planet can vary depending on your position in the solar system. A better way to frame the question would be,

• What is the brightest planet visible in the night sky?

The brightest planet visible to us is Venus. Also remember not to ask areas of controversy. Astronomy is full of theories and alternative hypothesizes, it's easy to choose one and make a question. Try to make the question to be in line with the best evidence and what is accepted by the scientific community.

Essay questions
These type of questions require more lengthy answers. They are good for table quiz and for questions requiring and explanation of a concept. But there can be problems when correcting the answers. So a good marking scheme would be vital, when using essay questions in a quiz. Frame your questions clearly, and if possible allocate a space for the answer. This will limit unnecessary information in the answer and allow the participant to better form their answer. Also indicate whether they need to support their answer with diagrams.
e.g.

• Explain the retrograde motion of planet Mars. (Can use a diagram)

Retrograde motion is the apparent backward motion of Mars as seen against the background of stars. This happens when the Earth overtakes Mars in it's orbit. Since the orbital period of mars is twice that of the Earth, this phenomenon occurs once in two years. Since during this time, Mars is closer to the Earth, it also appears brighter in the night sky.

for a more graphical explanation of retrograde motion watch this video retrograde motion