Standard Format for Importing Questions into Respondus

Respondus will import multiple choice, true-false, paragraph, short answer, matching, and multiple response questions. The text (.txt), rich text (.rtf) or MS Word (.doc) file must be organized in a “Standard Format” before it can be imported into Respondus.

The Standard Format for multiple choice questions has required elements and optional elements. (The standard formats for the other question types may be found in the Respondus Help file.)

Required Elements (Multiple Choice)

Each question must begin with a question number, followed by either a period “.” or a parentheses “)”.
Example: 3)
Example: 3.

The question wording must follow the question number.
NOTE: At least one space should be between the question number and the question wording.
Example: 3) Who determined the exact speed of light?
Example: 3. Who determined the exact speed of light?

Each answer must begin with a letter (A-Z) followed by a period “.” or a parentheses “)”.
Example:
3) Who determined the exact speed of light?
a. Albert Einstein
b. Albert Michelson
c. Thomas Edison
d. Guglielmo Marconi

Optional Elements (Multiple Choice)

A title can be imported with each question. If a title is not provided for a question, the first 20 characters from the question text will be used as the question title. Titles must be placed at the beginning of a question and begin with the word “Title:” followed by the actual text for the title. If the title exceeds 20 characters, the remaining characters will be dropped during the import.
Example:
Title: Speed of Light
3) Who determined the exact speed of light?
a. Albert Einstein
b. Albert Michelson
c. Thomas Edison
d. Guglielmo Marconi

Correct answers can be indicated in two ways. The first option is to place an asterisk (*) directly in front of the answer. Do not put a space between the asterisk and the answer.
Example:
Title: Speed of Light
3) Who determined the exact speed of light?
a. Albert Einstein
*b) Albert Michelson
c) Thomas Edison
d. Guglielmo Marconi

The second option is to place a list of correct answers at the end of the file. The list must begin with the word “Answers:” and must be positioned at the end of the file.
NOTE: Any text after the answer list will be ignored.
Example:
Answers:
1. A
2. C
3. B
4. B

If neither method is used to select a correct answer, Respondus will automatically select the letter “A” as the correct answer. You will be warned if a question does not have an answer selected for it prior to completing the import.

Feedback for individual answers can be imported by placing the feedback immediately after the answer choice and beginning the line with the @ symbol. There must be at least one space between the @ symbol and the feedback text.
Example:
Title: Speed of Light
3) Who determined the exact speed of light?
a. Albert Einstein
@ No. Albert Michelson determined the exact speed of light.
*b) Albert Michelson
@ Yes. Albert Michelson won the Nobel Prize for Physics for determining the exact speed of light.
c) Thomas Edison
@ No, Thomas Edison did not determine the exact speed of light.
d. Guglielmo Marconi
@ No. Marconi did not discover the exact speed of light, but he did win the
Nobel Prize for Physics for his work with radio waves.

General feedback can be imported in a similar way, but it must appear immediately after the question wording and before any of the answer choices. The line must also begin with the @ symbol, and there must be at least one space between the @ symbol and the feedback text.
Example:
Title: Speed of Light
3) Who determined the exact speed of light?
@ Albert Michelson was the first American to win the Nobel Prize
in Physics (1907) for his measurements of the speed of light. His
experiments laid the groundwork for Einstein’s Theory of Relativity.
a. Albert Einstein
@ No. Albert Michelson determined the exact speed of light.
*b) Albert Michelson
@ Yes. Albert Michelson won the Nobel Prize for Physics for determining
the exact speed of light.
etc.

As shown in the previous example, both types of feedback can be used within a single question.

Once the file is organized according to the specifications described above, save it as a text (.txt), rich text (.rtf) or MS Word (.doc) file. It is then ready to be imported into Respondus.