ELB Learning Blog How to Write Distractors in Your Training Games That Support Learning

Multiple choice questions are not only used for knowledge checks and quizzes-they are also the basis of many eLearning games. For example, Trivia and Jeopardy!® gamify the learning experience, but at their root, they require designers to write a series of questions with answer choices. At least one of the choices is the correct answer. The other choices are wrong answers, also known as "distractors." What makes a good distractor? According to Butler (2018), effective distractors should be "simple in format (e.g., avoid the use of complex item types), challenge students but allow them to succeed often, and target specific cognitive processes that correspond to learning objectives." Although it can be challenging to write an instructionally sound question, it can be even more difficult to write plausible distractors that are not too obviously wrong. Let's look at some guidelines that will help you write and validate multiple-choice distractors for eLearning courses and games.