Training

Quiz Question Converter

We're releasing a new Freemium offering on the Learning Center. This article will explain how you can use this resource to help you author assessment questions in a variety of tools with greater ease and consistency.

What is it?

Make entire question banks available for use in the Quiz, Self-Assessment, and Survey Tool for a course without having to retype each question multiple times!

This tool can be used to create a CSV file for import into the Brightspace Question Library. It was created by our Learning and Creative Services team

Why did you create it?

Like many of our clients, our Learning and Creative Services team used the original Quiz Question Converter created by Rich Path at the University of Wisconsin. As that version is no longer maintained, the team created a new version we could use ourselves and host online. We also thought it could be useful for our customers and decide to share it here on the Brightspace Community.

How does it work?

To Import questions in bulk to the Quiz Question Library, you must use a specially formatted CSV file.

The Quiz Question Converter allows you to input your questions in a word document (instructions for how to make the word doc follow and are also accessible from inside of the Learning Center), and converts the word document into a CSV file for you.

You can use the version available in the Learning Center, by selecting the link to the Learning Center found at the end of this article.

Add the Tool to Your Own Brightspace Learning Environment

Select the zip file found at the beginning of the article, to download a copy of the tool.

In your own Brightspace Learning Environment, navigate to the Import/Export/Copy Components Tool (often found by selecting Course Admin on the course navigation bar).

Choose the option to import a Brightspace Package and add the zip file.

We recommend following this article page (select the "Follow" button) if you import a copy of the tool into your own version of Brightspace. This will help you to stay informed of possible future updates.

What Question types can I use?

The Quiz Question Converter currently supports the following question types:

True or False

• Enter your question on a single line.

• Enter the answer on the next line using either: True or False

• Do not use an identifier or enumerator in the answer line.

True or False Example

3. Water consists of hydrogen and oxygen.

True

Multiple Choice

• Enter your question on a single line.

• Answers immediately follow the question, each on a new line.

• Place an asterisk (*) in front of the correct answer choice.

Multiple Choice Example

1. Which of the following is a planet?

Sun

*Earth

Proxima Centauri

Multi-Select

• Enter your question on a single line.

• Answers immediately follow the question, each on a new line.

• Place an asterisk (*) in front of all the correct answer choices.

Multi-Select Example

2. Which of the following is a planet?

Sun

*Earth

*Mars

Proxima Centauri

Written Response

• Enter your question on a single line.

• Do not provide an answer.

• Leave a blank line between this question and the next question.

Written Response Example

5. Tell me about yourself.

Short Answer

Enter your question on a single line.
Type SA directly before your question text, followed by a space.
Do not provide an answer.
Leave a blank line between this question and the next question.

Short Answer Example

SA 6. What's your favorite food?

Matching Question

Type match directly before your question text, followed by a space.
In each answer line, separate the choice and its correct match with a slash (/) and one space on each side of the slash. Do not include more than one slash character in each answer line.
You can include extra choices that have no corresponding match. Simply place no text to the left of the slash—see the last choice/match entry in the example at the right (“/fore”).
Any identifiers or enumerators included at the beginning of choice/match text lines will be automatically removed, regardless of the selection made in the “Remove enumeration from answers” box.
The answer match entries will be automatically randomized when this question is presented in a D2L quiz.

Matching Question Example

match 1. Match the number with its spelling.

3 / three

1 / one

12 / twelve

/ fore

Ordering Question

Type order directly before your question text, followed by a space.
Following the question, list the answers in the correct order, each answer on a separate line.
Each answer line may begin with an identifier/enumerator.
The order of the answer list choices will be randomized when this question is presented in a D2L quiz.

Ordering Question Example

order 7. Order the following planets according to distance from the sun, shortest to longest.

Mercury

Earth

Mars

Jupiter

Neptune

How do I add Feedback and Hints to Questions?

Adding Overall Feedback

In a separate line under the question text, type an “at sign” (@) immediately followed by your feedback text.

Overall Feedback Example

1. Which of the following is a planet?

Sun

*Earth

Proxima Centauri

@Earth is the only planet in this list.

Adding Feedback to Answer Choices

Multiple Choice, Multi-Select and Ordering Question Type

In a separate line under the answer text, type @@ (two “at symbols” instead of just one) immediately followed by your feedback text for that particular answer. Note: you do not have to provide feedback for every answer—in the multiple choice question below, notice that answer C has no feedback associated with it. You can also include feedback for both the entire question (@) and for individual answers (@@) within the same question.

Multiple Choice Answer Feedback Example

1. At pH 7, arginine side chains would be…

*a) virtually all positively charged

@@Correct!

b) 50% positively charged

@@Close—positive charge, but more than 50%.

c) 50% negatively charged

d) virtually all negatively charged

@@Nope, choice A is correct.

True or False Question Type

For a “true” response choice, on a separate line type T@@ immediately followed by the feedback text. For a “false” response choice, on a separate line type F@@ immediately followed by the feedback text (see following example).

True or False Answer Feedback Example

3. Water consists of hydrogen and oxygen.

True

T@@Correct…hence “H2O

F@@Incorrect…remember “H2O”

Adding Hints

In a separate line under the question text, type a question mark (?) immediately followed by the hint text. Hints can be included only for questions, not for text-‐only or image-‐only items.

Hint Example

1. Which of the following is a planet?

Sun

*Earth

Proxima Centauri

?Hint: a celestial body moving in an elliptical orbit around a star.

@Earth is the only planet in this list

Are there other versions available?

Yes! Algonquin College have created the Algonquin College Brightspace Test Question Generator.

Feedback and Support

Although we hope to make additional improvements to the Quiz Question Converter in the future, at this point D2L is not committed to supporting or maintaining it. Nevertheless, we welcome your feedback and encourage you to share tips, tricks, extensions, etc., with your fellow Community members!

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