- Free
How to write a good Diagnostic Question
Not all Diagnostic Questions are created equally. So, how do we write a good one?
Course overview
A short course that looks at:
- What is a Diagnostic Question?
- What are the key features of good Diagnostic Questions?
- How can teachers write Diagnostic Questions together?
Whilst I use examples from maths, I hope the key ideas and takeaways will trans er across to other subjects.
Contents
What is a Diagnostic Question?
Before we get into what makes a good one, let us look at an example of a Diagnostic Question and what it can tell us
1. What is a Diagnostic Question?
The Diagnostic Questions with some challenges!
2. Where does the data come from?
3. The results!
4. Summary
What makes a good Diagnostic Question?
Not all Diagnostic Questions are created equally. So, what makes a good one?
1. They should be clear and unambiguous
2. They should test a single concept
3. Students should be able to answer in less than 20 seconds
4. You should learn something from each incorrect response
5. Students should not get a question correct whilst still holding a misconception
6. Summary of the Golden Rules
The golden rules
Writing questions together
A possible structure for colleagues to work together to create diagnostic questions
Teachers writing questions together
A format for writing questions together
Useful links
Some resources that might be useful when creating Diagnostic Questions
Podcast: Multiple Choice Questions on trial with AQA's Zeek Sweiry
Research: Diagnostic Questions: Is There Value in Just One?
Blog posts: Hinge Questions Hub (History)
Blog: How effective learning hinges on good questioning (English)
Blog: Hinge Questions. A Clarification (Science)
My online courses
A quick look at some of the other courses I offer
My online courses
Link: my online courses
About Craig Barton
Craig Barton has been involved in teaching maths for 15 years. He was the the TES Maths Adviser for 10 years and is now the Head of Education at Eedi. Craig is the author of the best-selling books “How I wish I’d taught maths” and "Reflect, Expect, Check, Explain", the host of the Mr Barton Maths Podcast, the creator of mrbartonmaths.com, diagnosticquestions.com, variationtheory.com, ssddproblems.com and mathsvenns.com, and Visiting Fellow at the Mathematics Education Centre at the University of Loughborough.