Our editorial policy
A quiz is only as credible as its questions. At SparkleQuiz, we follow a strict editorial process that governs how every question is written, verified, published, and maintained. Here is how it works.
Question creation
Every quiz goes through a four-step process, without exception:
- Topic research: a writer who specialises in the theme (science, history, cinema, etc.) identifies 10 to 15 relevant and representative subjects
- Drafting: the question is written with four answer options: one correct answer and three plausible distractors; an initial difficulty rating is set
- Cross-checking: a second reviewer, independent from the writer, verifies the correct answer against at least two recognised sources
- Final proofread: an editor reviews wording, spelling, grammar, and clarity before publication
No question goes live without clearing all four steps.
Sources and fact-checking
We rely on recognised, accessible sources: never on forums or sites of questionable reliability. Our reference sources include:
- Standard encyclopedias (Britannica, Larousse, Universalis)
- Academic books and university textbooks
- Institutional websites (governments, international bodies, museums, sports federations)
- Peer-reviewed scientific publications for technical topics
- Primary sources (texts, archives, official statistics) whenever available
The reference list for each question is kept in our editorial tool so corrections and updates remain traceable.
Difficulty levels
Each question is calibrated on a 1-to-5 scale:
- Level 1: Very easy: widely known to the general public
- Level 2: Easy: common general knowledge
- Level 3: Intermediate: requires some specific knowledge
- Level 4: Hard: targeted or detailed knowledge
- Level 5: Expert: specialist level
The initial calibration is set by the writer and then adjusted after publication using the real success rate observed across players. A question marked Level 2 but answered correctly by 95% of players is reclassified to Level 1; conversely, a question that's missed too often is upgraded.
Corrections
No process is perfect. If you spot a factual error, ambiguous wording, or an outdated source, you can flag it directly from the app using the "Report" button available on every question.
- Every report is read by the editorial team
- Confirmed errors are corrected within 72 working hours
- The contributor receives a notification once the correction is published
- Major corrections are mentioned in our release notes
Updates
Some questions age: sports records fall, leaders change, statistics evolve. We run a quarterly review of news-sensitive themes (sports, politics, technology) to refresh time-dependent facts.
Evergreen questions (mathematics, mythology, ancient history) generally do not need this review.
Neutrality
SparkleQuiz is a general-audience platform. We avoid highly divisive topics (current partisan politics, religious debates, personal controversies) and favour questions with indisputable factual answers.
Historically sensitive subjects (wars, colonisation, dictatorships) are treated with context and rigour, free of emotional judgement or revisionism. When a historical consensus exists, we follow it; when legitimate debate remains among historians, we avoid the question altogether.
AI-generated content
We use artificial intelligence tools to assist certain steps: suggesting angles, brainstorming distractors, producing first-pass translations between French and English. These tools speed up the work, but they never replace human judgement.
Every question published on SparkleQuiz is validated by a human expert on the theme. No content goes live without human review. That's our commitment, and it is non-negotiable.
Spotted an error? Reach us via our contact page.