You may be a quiz master, but are you a quiz master like western watch drustvar without those pesky feelings of guilt piling on? Maybe quizzes aren’t the best thing for your psyche, or you’re afraid they’ll lower your self-esteem (who isn’t?).
The following ten tips are simple tricks to help make any particular round more than just “another test”. Allow yourself to enjoy the feeling of triumph as well as taking control over your own mental health!
1. Make it interesting.
This can be done in many ways. Sometimes it is just a matter of adding some new twists to the traditional question format, or making a simple change to the wording. Be creative! Make sure questions have multiple possible answers with thoughtful instructions so that players can get creative and think outside the box when answering.
2. Put yourself in their shoes.
Reach out to your target audience for inspiration. Create questions based on their problems or challenges. Stay away from buzzwords and overused phrasing that are popular with other materials. Use real life examples, current events, or pop culture to add a more memorable flare to the concept.
3. Don’t spook them.
Surprise them with a little momentary shock designed to make them think harder, but do not intimidate them. Players will get nervous if they are not relaxed and confident when answering. Be careful what you put down on paper because quizzes are forever! One bad question can ruin an otherwise well thought out quiz. Consider a revision before publishing or ask someone else for advice so no one is left in the cold after a faulty question is published online or otherwise shared publicly.
4. Give them an opportunity.
Be sure to include at least one question per page. This allows room for the player to review their answers and choose the correct one. Be it multiple choice or required answers, this will help players overcome their stress in the long run. If a player is stuck, give them a more difficult question that can be answered after thinking about what they did right or wrong. This also gives players the opportunity to revisit the original question and see if they’re on to something.
5. Keep it simple.
Seriously. Simple is better. If a question is too complicated, they may not even read the answer and just fill in the default. If you know a player choose their answer by accident, give them a chance to clarify or change their answer and explain why they selected it. Make sure you’re not making up terms or phrases that have been popularized in other materials so your quiz doesn’t become just another online test that has been used before.
6. Make it interactive and interactive again.
Encourage players to interact with the quiz or answer questions from their friends. Tighten up the questions and tie them to the previous answer, but don’t make it a two minute test that consists of just one question. The person taking the quiz will feel like a robot if they are answering multiple questions within their allotted time frame.
7. Keep it short and sweet.
Prizes are more likely to be completed if you’re giving a short quiz than if you give them a long quiz that is tough to finish in just one sitting. Establish exactly how long each round should be (usually around five minutes should do) as well as what bonus points are available for completing the entire question set in less time than requested or finishing before time is up.
8. Get creative and make them laugh.
Statistically, humor increases the retention of new knowledge. Make sure to throw in a question that will allow players to gain perspective on what is more important in life than being a quiz master. This will keep them grounded and feeling good about themselves if they are able to answer the questions you’ve set out for them.
9. People love a challenge!
Put together questions that require players to go back and read through all of their answers so far before asking follow up or concluding questions. Give players the opportunity to think by adding additional information or changing the information you asked them to find, or ask players what they think would happen given some alternatives scenarios or outcomes.
10. Be fair, be honest.
There is usually a rating system in place for quizzes, so be sure to rank players based on skill and not how fast they finished the quiz. Don’t let the player down by reading questions that are too vague or open ended. Don’t trick them by posting answers that fit all of the directions to questions when there is only one possible answer that will lead to an incorrect ranking.
Conclusion:
Remember, you are not just creating a quiz but reassuring your participants that you care about their health and well-being enough to ask them some questions pertinent to their daily lives. Ask the right questions and you’ll find just how great quizzes can be as a tool to not only educate but to get people to reflect on their own lives and ask themselves if they’re really ready for change.
