A quiz is a short, informal check of what students know. It usually takes ten to twenty minutes. It might be five multiple-choice questions, a few definitions, or a quick problem set. The point is not to rank students but to see who is ready to move on.

Quizzes have a bad reputation among students who fear being caught unprepared. That is exactly why teachers use them. A quiz reveals gaps while there is still time to fix them. It also forces students to review, which strengthens memory more than rereading notes.

Frequent low-stakes quizzes improve long-term retention. Students who are quizzed regularly remember more than those who only study for a final exam. The key is the low-stakes part. If every quiz counts heavily, anxiety rises and the benefit shrinks.

Common formats

• Multiple choice
• Short answer
• True or false
• Fill in the blank
• Quick problem sets