Writing Better Questions

The one complaint I hear repeated in Bible Bowl is about the questions. A game was won or lost because the questions were too hard, too easy; or they were just plane bad. My team should of won! We then turn to blame just about everyone from the tournament director, to the quizmaster, and even to the kids - if not our team then the other team.

I have developed quite a reputation as a question writer. I will be the first to say that a number of my questions are really bad, some of my questions are poor, and a few could be called good. So bad question do come from anyone. Bad questions come from me and they come from you. If we expect to see constant high quality Bible Bowl then we (me and you) best take our frustrations out on the guilty group (us). Questions are what make the game. If the game is to be good then the questions must be good. What follows are some point I learned recently at a workshop.

Toss-up Questions Toss-up questions must always begin with one of these the phrases:

When writing a toss-up question ask yourself, who can answer this question, and could I answer the question if it were asked of me?

A toss-up question must ask one specific question. A two-part toss-up question must ask two specific questions. A two-part toss-up contains two different questions joined by a conjunction. Two-part is not two answers. A single part toss-up may have one or more answers. There is no such thing as a single or multiple answer toss-up. A toss-up and a two-part toss-up refer to the questions asked.

Avoid misleading words (a rule).
Avoid contractions.
Avoid long words.
Avoid hard to understand words (meaning).
Avoid hard to pronounce words (at least difficult words from outside the text. Word in the text can be hard enough).
Avoid foreign words.
Words should be spelled correctly with the correct grammar.
Used the form of the word in the question as it appear in the text.

Special instructions should precede any lead-in statement. For example, if you specifically want a Chapter ID, alliteration, or body part for an answer.
Lead-ins should be concise and lead to the answer.
Lead-ins may contain a key word or a key phrase or a key concept or clues.
Lead-ins should not contain key information from outside the study text that only a select group would understand. For example, knowing the words of a song or a T.V. character or a product should not give anyone a fast track to the answer.
References of a questionable or offensive nature should be avoided.
Lead-ins should not begin with a question.
Words and phrases should be used in the form that they appear in the text.

Answers are not to come from footnotes or headings, they are not to be true/false or yes/no, multiple choice or fill in the blank.
Answers should be checked to be sure that they are not confused with other answers. Answers should be unique.
Answers should be word for word from the text.
Answers should only contain information that answers that question. Clarification text should be in parenthesis and the correct response in bold and/or underlined.
A text reference is to be included with each answer.

The unwritten rule of a key word, or key phrase is that the use of such a word or phrase is a clue to the correct answer. For example, the lead-in "Since I have undertaken to publish this to my web site" must lead to an answer in Luke 1:1-2 or I have not followed the rule (undertaken is the key word). The rule applies only to the first key word or phrase used in the lead-in.
One more time - the rule is applied to the first key word or phrase in the lead-in.

Please note two important points:

One - only the first key word or phrase must lead to the correct answer. Key words or phrases that follow have no meaning as keys.

Two - Any special instructions that precede the lead-in are exempt from the rule. Example: if "answers" is a key word and "I want two answers" for this one toss-up, giving that instruction does not violate the rule. NOTE: Even so, I do not think one should take liberties. We should petition to have necessary words (question(s), answer(s), etc.) permanently exempted as key words.

One more time - Special instructions should precede any lead-in statement. The rule of key words does not apply to special instructions. Multiple key words may appear in the lead-in text and/or the question. The first key word in the lead-in is the key word that leads to the answer.

A point of style
- In a pure concept question I need to be "key-conscience" to avoid misleading a "key-conscience" player. In a key word or key phrase question, I need only be "key-conscience" composing my lead-in until I place the key word or phrase. Be aware of word placement. It is quite common for the third word of a lead-in to be a key word. Place the "key" randomly. Avoid placing the key word consistently at any given point of a lead-in. After revealing the "key" I am free to write companion sentences using whatever words I need to develop the question for the less competitive players.

When asked to answer with the words of someone or a verse of the text, an exact quote is assumed to be required for the answer. Hence, questions do not need the instructions, "this question requires a quote." However, when I apply this rule in a round robin, as a quizmaster, I accept an accurate paraphrase from a less competitive team in a lower division.

Bonus questions have values of twenty to forty points in increments of five or ten points.
Answers of three or fewer words are usually worth five points each.
Long phrases or sentences are worth ten points.
A bonus may have a lead-in to direct the team to a certain point in the text or to introduce a theme or topic.
Lead-ins should not be time wasters.
Answers must be word for word from the text. No interpretation or opinion.
No all or nothing bonus.

The number of bonuses for each point value should be the same and randomly distributed in a set of questions. For example, a round of fifteen questions should have three bonuses each of point value (20, 25, 30, 35, 40) and successive bonus question should not be of the same value. The average total points for fifteen questions with bonuses should be around 600 points.

The rule of key words does not apply to bonus questions. However, the use of key words or phrases should not be misleading in a bonus question.

Introduction