Canvas Quizzes: How to create and import a QTI file using text

This article demonstrates the format for creating a text file that can then be converted to a QTI file. This file can then be imported into Canvas as a New or Classic Quiz.

Create the text file

Use the proper formatting (shown below) and create the quiz as a text document. The sample below can be copied and used for testing. If you are using Microsoft Word, then save your document as a .txt file. Do not use any formatting in your document.

*Text that is highlighted here to show comments (prefaced with '%' in a text document). It will be excluded during the conversion process.

Sample Quiz Questions:

% Start with a quiz title. If absent, the default title is "Quiz" for all quizzes
Quiz title: Sample Quiz
Quiz description: Sample questions for Text2QTI conversion

% Multiple Choice Question
Points: 1
1. Which study technique is most effective for long-term retention?
a) Cramming all night before an exam
b) Highlighting text in different colors
*c) Spaced repetition
d) Memorizing without understanding

% True/False Question
Points: 1
2. Retrieving information from your brain through testing can enhance memory.
...  Tests not only evaluate what you know but also strengthen memory. The act of being tested helps improve your ability to recall information. So, testing is a valuable practice for learning and retention
*a) True
b) False

% Multiple Selection Question
Points: 3
3. Which of the following are effective learning strategies? (Select all that apply)
[*] Taking breaks during study sessions
[*] Teaching someone else the material
[ ] Relying solely on passive reading
[*] Using mnemonic devices

% Essay Question
Points: 5
4. Reflect on a challenging concept you’ve learned recently. Describe how you approached understanding it and any strategies you used to master it. 
! Provide a detailed essay response discussing your learning process and specific techniques you applied.
____

% Numeric Question
Points: 1
5. If you spend 30 minutes studying each day for a week, how many total study minutes do you accumulate?
=  210

% File Upload Question
Points: 10
6. Share a mind map, concept map, or visual summary you created to organize complex information from a subject you’re studying.
^^^^

Steps for using Text to QTI

1. Install the application, Text to QTI, from the Software Center.
2. Open the application
   
   1. Click the button labeled "1" and find the quiz text file.
   2. Run the application
3. Import the QTI file to your course, following the Canvas instructions: How do I import quizzes from QTI packages? - Instructure Community - 1046 (canvaslms.com). QTI works for both Classic and New Quizzes types.
4. Make sure to review the questions and adjust quiz settings, including due dates and publishing.
5. For more helpful tips and step-by-step guides on how to use LaTex, generate Max/Min Math answers, create fill-in-the-blank questions, adjust settings, and much more, please check out the following GitHub article: GitHub - GPoore/Text2QTI: Create quizzes in QTI format for Canvas from Markdown-based plain text-GitHub

The quiz was AI-generated using Bing Co-Pilot. The application is open source, developed by Geoffrey Poore.

 

Need help?

If you have questions, please contact the ITS Help Desk at 608.342.1400 or helpdesk@uwplatt.edu.  You may also visit the Help Desk on the first floor of the Karrmann Library.