quiz-generator

name	quiz-generator
description	Generates quizzes and assessments with multiple choice, true/false, and short answer questions with answer keys.
allowed-tools	Read Write Glob
metadata	{"author":"matthewhitcham","version":"1.0"}

Quiz Generator

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when you need to:

• Generate quizzes for courses, training programs, or certifications
• Create multiple question types — multiple choice, true/false, short answer
• Build answer keys with explanations for correct and incorrect responses
• Design assessments that test different cognitive levels

DO NOT use this skill for personality quizzes, lead-generation quizzes, or survey design. This is for knowledge assessment quizzes that verify learning.

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Core Principle

A GOOD QUIZ DOES NOT JUST TEST MEMORY — IT TESTS WHETHER THE LEARNER CAN APPLY WHAT THEY LEARNED. QUESTIONS SHOULD REQUIRE THINKING, NOT JUST RECALL.

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Phase 1: Quiz Brief

Required Inputs

Input	What to Ask	Default
Subject	"What topic does this quiz cover?"	No default — must be provided
Source material	"What content should questions be based on — a lesson, manual, module?"	No default — must be provided
Number of questions	"How many questions?"	10 questions
Question types	"Multiple choice, true/false, short answer, or mix?"	Mix of all three
Difficulty level	"Beginner, intermediate, or advanced?"	Intermediate
Passing score	"What score is required to pass?"	70%

GATE: Confirm subject and source material before generating questions.

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Phase 2: Question Design

Question Type Guidelines

Multiple Choice (4 options):

• One clearly correct answer
• Three plausible distractors (wrong answers that make sense)
• Avoid "all of the above" and "none of the above" — they weaken assessment
• Avoid negatives in the stem ("Which is NOT...") — rephrase positively when possible
• All options should be similar in length and structure

True/False:

• Statement must be unambiguously true or false — no "it depends" answers
• Avoid double negatives
• Test one concept per statement
• Balance approximately 50/50 true and false

Short Answer:

• Question should have a specific, defensible answer (not open to interpretation)
• Provide the expected answer length ("In 1-2 sentences...")
• Include grading criteria in the answer key

Cognitive Level Distribution

Level	% of Quiz	Question Style
Remember/Recall	20-30%	Definitions, facts, terminology
Understand	20-30%	Explain concepts, compare ideas
Apply	30-40%	Scenarios, problem-solving, "what would you do"
Analyze/Evaluate	10-20%	Case studies, best approach, justify a decision

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Phase 3: Quiz Template

Quiz Format

## [Quiz Title]

**Subject:** [Topic]
**Questions:** [X]
**Time limit:** [X] minutes (optional)
**Passing score:** [X]%

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### Question 1 (Multiple Choice)

What is the primary purpose of [concept]?

a) [Distractor — plausible but incorrect]
b) [Correct answer]
c) [Distractor — common misconception]
d) [Distractor — related but wrong]

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### Question 2 (True/False)

[Statement about the topic.]

True / False

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### Question 3 (Short Answer)

In 1-2 sentences, explain [concept or process].

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### Question 4 (Scenario-Based Multiple Choice)

A client tells you [scenario]. Based on best practices, what should you do first?

a) [Option A]
b) [Option B]
c) [Option C]
d) [Option D]

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[Continue for all questions...]

Answer Key Format

## Answer Key — [Quiz Title]

### Question 1: **B**
[Explanation of why B is correct and why the other options are wrong.
This is the teaching moment — answer keys should educate, not just confirm.]

### Question 2: **False**
[Explanation: The statement is false because... The correct information is...]

### Question 3: **Sample Answer**
"[Model answer that would receive full credit.]"

**Grading criteria:**
- Must mention [key concept 1] (1 point)
- Must mention [key concept 2] (1 point)
- Accurate and clear explanation (1 point)

### Question 4: **C**
[Explanation with reasoning for why C is the best approach in this scenario.]

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Phase 4: Quiz Delivery & Analysis

Delivery Options

Format	Best For	Tools
Paper / PDF	In-person training, printed handouts	Word, Google Docs
Online form	Self-paced learning, auto-scoring	Google Forms, Typeform
LMS integration	Courses with tracking and certification	Teachable, Thinkific, Kajabi
Live verbal	Workshops, quick pulse checks	No tools needed

Quiz Analysis

After administering, review:

Metric	What It Tells You
Overall pass rate	Is the quiz appropriately difficult?
Average score	Are learners grasping the material?
Question-level analysis	Which questions had the lowest correct rate?
Distractor analysis	Are wrong answers attracting responses evenly?
Time to complete	Is the quiz too long or too short?

Quiz Checklist

• Questions align with stated learning objectives
• Mix of question types and cognitive levels included
• Multiple choice distractors are plausible (not obviously wrong)
• No trick questions or ambiguous wording
• Answer key includes explanations, not just correct answers
• Passing score is appropriate for the difficulty level
• Quiz has been tested by someone who knows the material (to catch errors)
• Quiz has been tested by someone who does NOT know the material (to check clarity)

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Anti-Patterns

• Trick questions — questions designed to confuse rather than assess learning are unfair and uninformative.
• Testing trivia instead of understanding — "What year was X invented?" tests memory, not competence.
• All recall questions — if every question is "define this term," the quiz does not test real-world application.
• Obvious wrong answers — if three of four options are absurd, the quiz is not assessing anything.
• No answer explanations — a quiz without explanations in the answer key wastes a learning opportunity.
• Too many questions — quiz fatigue reduces accuracy after 15-20 questions. Keep it focused.

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Recovery

• High failure rate: Review the questions — are they too hard, ambiguous, or testing content not covered in the source material?
• Everyone gets a perfect score: The quiz is too easy. Add application and analysis questions that require deeper thinking.
• One question has a very low correct rate: Either the content was not taught well or the question is poorly written. Investigate both possibilities.
• Learners complain about unfairness: Review with fresh eyes. Remove any questions that could be interpreted multiple ways.
• Need more questions for a question bank: Write 3x the questions you need and rotate them across quiz versions to prevent answer sharing.