# Import Exam Questions from Text Files

If exam questions are stored in Word or other word processing software, users can copy and paste the information and bulk import questions to Elentra. Specific formatting is required. Curriculum tags and labels can be included in the file import.

## **Import Questions from Text File**

1. Navigate to Admin > Manage Exams.
2. Click on ‘Migrate ExamSoft’ from the left sidebar Manage Exams section.
3. Click on the Import sub-tab.
4. Optionally select a label.
5. Select a default course.
6. Select a default assessment type.
7. Paste in the question(s) text. Note that specific formatting is required.
8. Click Import.

### **Required Formatting**

To format your questions, begin with “type:” followed by a space and then one of the following question type codes:

* mc\_h for Multiple Choice Horizontal
* mc\_v for Multiple Choice Vertical
* short for Short Answer
* essay for Essay
* match for Matching text Text
* mc\_h\_m for Multiple Choice Horizontal (multiple responses)
* mc\_v\_m for Multiple Choice Vertical (multiple responses)
* fnb for Fill in the Blank

You can also indicate the following information for any question, although it is optional:

* description (this is short description or title of the question)
* rationale
* correct\_text (this can be used for short answer or essay questions)
* code  
* locked response(s) - this allows you to lock a response option on a question if you intend to randomize question response options when you post the exam
* curriculum tags - this allows you to import curriculum tags with your questions.
  * To import curriculum tags you must know the curriculum tag id. Ids can be found in Admin > Manage Curriculum. When you open a curriculum tag set, toggle to the table view of curriculum tags (use icons beside 'Add Tag'), and if ID is not a visible field, add a column by clicking the columns selector (under the Import from CSV button) and adding the ID column.

**Example Question Format**:

\
1\. Which are vowels?\
a. a\
b. e\
c. i\
d. All of the above\
answer: d\
type: mc\_v\
locked: d\
curriculum\_tags: 3454, 3421

### Formatting Requirements for Additional Question Types <a href="#additional-formatting-information-about-importing-questions-from-a-text-document" id="additional-formatting-information-about-importing-questions-from-a-text-document"></a>

Each question shows the minimal amount of information required. It is recommended that you also provide description, rationale, etc.

#### **Multiple Choice Vertical**

Multiple choice vertical questions have a type of "mc\_v". They include one or more answer choices, and an attribute "answer" for the letter of the correct answer. An example is shown below.

1. What is your favorite color?\
   a. red\
   b. green\
   c. blue

answer: a\
type: mc\_v

#### **Multiple Choice Vertical (multiple responses)**

Multiple choice vertical questions with multiple responses have a type of "mc\_v\_m". They include one or more answer choices, and one or more "answer" attributes for the letter(s) of the correct answer(s). An example is shown below.

1. Which of these are blue?\
   a. sky\
   b. ocean\
   c. trees
2. Where is your favorite color?\
   type: short

answer: a\
answer: b\
**or**\
answer: a, b\
type: mc\_v\_m

**Multiple Choice Horizontal**

Multiple choice horizontal questions follow the same format as multiple choice vertical, but with a type of "mc\_h". They can have 5 answer choices at most. An example is shown below. Note that questions presented in horizontal view to learners will not have the strikethrough feature available when learners take an exam.

1. What is your favorite color?\
   a. red\
   b. green\
   c. blue

answer: a\
type: mc\_h

#### **Multiple Choice Horizontal (multiple responses)**

Multiple choice horizontal questions with multiple responses have a type of "mc\_h\_m". They include 1-5 answer choices, and one or more "answer" attributes for the letter(s) of the correct answer(s). An example is shown below. Note that questions presented in horizontal view to learners will not have the strikethrough feature available when learners take an exam.

1. Which of these are blue?\
   a. sky\
   b. ocean\
   c. trees

answer: a\
answer: b\
**or**\
answer: a, b\
type: mc\_h\_m

#### **Short Answer**

Short answer questions have a type of "short" and require only the question stem although it is recommended to provide correct text and rationale. An example is shown below.

1. Where is your favorite color?\
   type: short

#### **Essay**

Essay questions have a type of "essay" and require only the question stem although it is recommended to provide correct text and rationale. An example is shown below.

1. What is your favorite color and why (3-5 sentences)?\
   type: essay

#### **Matching**

Matching questions have a type of "match". They have one or more answer choices, one or more item stems, and the same number of correct answers as item stems. The answer choices are shown as options for each item stem. The item stems are a piece of text or a question that corresponds to one of the answer choices. The correct answer for an item stem is identified by the answer choice's letter. The correct answer attributes are assumed to be in the same order as the item stem attributes. An example is shown below. Note that when learners answer this type of question the system does not automatically eliminate responses (i.e., a learner can put answer c as a match for multiple stems). When scoring a matching question the system uses an all or none system (for questions where you can give partial scores use multiple choice, multiple responses). An example is shown below.

1. This is the matching question stem.\
   a. This is the first answer choice.\
   b. This is the second answer choice.\
   c. This is the third answer choice.\
   item: This is the first item stem, its correct answer is choice C.\
   answer: c\
   item: This is the second item stem, its correct answer is choice A.\
   answer: a\
   type: match

#### **Text**

Text questions are are generally used as instruction text for further questions. Text questions have a type of "text" and require no other special attributes. An example is shown below.

1. The next three questions cover the following scenario: A patient arrives at your family medicine clinic at 2:30 on a Friday afternoon...\
   type: text

#### **Fill in the Blank**

Fill in the blank questions have a type of "fnb". The blanks are indicated by the string "*?*" in the question stem. Fill in the blank questions can have an "answer" attribute for each blank indicating possible correct answers for that blank; the possible correct answers are separated by pipe characters, "|". These "answer" attributes refer to the blanks in order. An example is shown below, in which the first blank has possible correct answers of "woodchuck", "beaver", or "marmot", and the second blank has possible correct answers of "woodchuck", "hamster", and "groundhog". An example is shown below.

1. How much wood could a *?* chuck if a *?* could chuck wood?\
   answer: woodchuck|beaver|marmot\
   answer: woodchuck|hamster|groundhog\
   type: fnb
