<![CDATA[Purpose: This study addresses the inability of conventional assessments to differentiate genuine conceptual understanding from guessing by developing and validating a gamification-integrated two-tier diagnostic quiz to identify elementary students’ misconceptions in Natural and Social Sciences. Method: Employing a mixed-methods convergent parallel design, the research evaluated fifth-grade elementary students alongside selected interview respondents. The primary instrument comprised multi-tiered gamified items across varied cognitive levels, targeting hydrological cycles and social interactions. Findings: Statistical analysis confirmed adequate construct validity through a statistically significant positive correlation between student answers and conceptual reasoning. Theoretical misconceptions predominated, particularly regarding mixture separation and disaster mitigation. Crucially, the quiz uncovered hidden false-positive and false-negative profiles, while gamification effectively reduced test anxiety and boosted engagement. Practical implications: Primary school educators gain an adaptive diagnostic tool to detect cognitive barriers early and design targeted remedial instruction. Originality/value: This study combines two-tier diagnostic precision with gamification, offering an empirically validated digital tool tailored to young learners' developmental traits.]]>
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