How to Use Expanded Quiz Formats in Gemini Notebook

Exam prep gets easier when your notes become quizzes that force recall instead of recognition. Gemini Notebook now supports short-answer, multi-select, and fill-in-the-blank formats alongside traditional multiple choice. These options appear after Google’s 16 October 2026 update that also added Short Video Overviews and Interactive Learning Overviews.

You stay grounded in your own sources. Every question draws from the PDFs, Docs, or lecture notes you uploaded. After you finish, you can ask the notebook for feedback that points to the sections you still need to review.

Why the new formats matter

Multiple-choice questions let you eliminate options. Short-answer and fill-in-the-blank force you to produce the answer. Multi-select requires you to identify every correct item, which catches partial knowledge. Google notes that after a quiz or flashcard session you can ask the notebook for feedback to pinpoint where to focus next.

Pair these quizzes with an Interactive Learning Overview when you have a full set of course materials. The overview weaves summaries, slides, and quizzes into one walkthrough.

Step 1: Prepare your notebook

Open notebook.google (formerly notebooklm.google.com). Create a new notebook or open an existing one. Upload or paste your sources: lecture slides, textbook chapters, your own notes, or YouTube transcripts. You need edit access to generate quizzes.

Keep the source set focused. A single chapter or unit produces tighter questions than an entire semester of mixed materials.

Step 2: Open Quizzes and customize

In the Studio panel on the right, select Quizzes. Click the pencil icon (or the arrow that appears on hover) to open the customization panel before generating.

Set three main controls:

• Number of questions: fewer, standard, or more.
• Difficulty: easy, medium, or hard.
• Question types: select short-answer, multi-select, fill-in-the-blank, and/or multiple-choice.

Add a steering prompt. Example: “Focus on the key definitions and equations from chapter 3. Prefer fill-in-the-blank for formulas and short-answer for conceptual explanations. Medium difficulty.”

Click Generate. The quiz builds in the background so you can continue working.

Step 3: Take the quiz

Open the generated quiz. Controls include Full Screen, Hint, and Previous/Next navigation. Answer each item. For fill-in-the-blank, type the missing term. For short-answer, write a brief response. For multi-select, choose every correct option.

At the end you see your results. Choose to review or retake. Use the Explain button on individual items for a source-cited explanation of the correct answer.

Step 4: Ask for feedback

After the quiz (or after reviewing flashcards), open the chat panel. Ask: “Based on the questions I missed, which sections of my sources should I review next?” The notebook replies with citations back to the original material. This turns a single quiz into a prioritized study list.

You can also edit individual questions after generation if the wording needs adjustment.

Tips for better results

Start with a narrow topic and medium difficulty. Broad prompts produce generic questions. After one round, regenerate with a tighter prompt that emphasizes the items you missed.

Mix formats in one quiz. Use fill-in-the-blank for terminology, short-answer for processes, and multi-select for lists of causes or steps. This matches how many exams actually test knowledge.

Check every explanation against the source. Generative tools can misstate details. The citations make verification fast.

Usage limits apply. Free accounts have lower quotas than Google AI Pro or Ultra. Generate fewer questions if you hit a limit, then continue later.

Watch the workflow

The video covers Studio tools including quizzes, so you can see the panel and customization flow in action.

Conclusion

Expanded quiz formats turn Gemini Notebook into an active study tool. Create the quiz from your sources, answer in short-answer or fill-in-the-blank form, then ask for feedback on the gaps. Combine it with Short Video Overviews for quick concept refreshers and Interactive Learning Overviews for full review sessions.

Open your notebook, upload one focused set of notes, and generate a mixed-format quiz. The next review pass becomes clearer.

Sources

• 3 new study features in Gemini Notebook — Google Blog, 16 October 2026
• Generate Flashcards or Quizzes in Gemini Notebook — Gemini Notebook Help
• Sharpen your study routine with new Gemini Notebook tools — Google Blog, 15 September 2026

Common issues and fixes

If the new question types do not appear, wait a few minutes and refresh. Google rolled the formats out to all users, but timing can vary by account. Confirm you are signed in and that the notebook has edit access.

When a short-answer response is marked wrong even though the meaning matches, use the Explain button and then edit the question to accept the equivalent phrasing. Steering prompts help: “Accept concise answers that cover the main point.”

If generation fails or stalls, reduce the number of questions or remove one source that is unusually long. Very large notebooks can slow Studio outputs.

For shared notebooks, only editors can generate or delete quizzes. Viewers can still take existing quizzes.

Combine with other study tools

After the quiz feedback highlights weak areas, generate a Short Video Overview on that single concept. The ~60-second format is useful for quick refreshers before a class or while commuting.

Flashcards remain strong for pure memorization. Mark cards “Got it” or “Missed it” and later review only the missed set. Then return to a mixed quiz to test whether the knowledge sticks under different question styles.

If your course materials include diagrams or formulas, mention them in the steering prompt so fill-in-the-blank items target those elements.

Final checklist

• Sources uploaded and focused on one unit or chapter.
• Customization panel opened before generate.
• At least two new formats selected (short-answer + fill-in-the-blank or multi-select).
• Steering prompt added with topic, audience, and difficulty preference.
• Quiz completed and feedback requested in chat.
• Missed items reviewed via Explain and original sources.

Follow the checklist and the expanded formats turn passive notes into active practice that shows you exactly what to study next.