FAU Instructional Technology, IRM How do I…
Upload questions to Blackboard?
You can upload questions directly into Blackboard by using a special format in a text document.
Uploading questions:
Creating your exam
1. Go to the Control Panel
2. Click on “Course Tools.” 3. Click on “Tests, Surveys, and Pools”
(alternatively, in a content area, you can click on “Create Assessment > Tests,” Create
Test, to get to the same area.
4. Click on “Tests”
5. Click on “Build Test”
6. Fill out the boxes for the “Name,” “Instructions (optional),” and “Description (optional).”
7. Click on “Submit”
8. OR While in the “Test Area” you can find an exam you have already created. Click on the
“Option” button, choose “Edit Test.”
9. Click on “Upload Questions.”
Instructors and Leaders may import files containing questions into an Assessment pool, survey, or
test. All of the question types except for Calculated Formula and Either/Or type questions may be
included in the file. When uploaded to a Survey, the correct/incorrect answer assignment is
ignored, but the file must follow the same format as described for Tests and Pools.
Question Format:
1. The document must be saved as a Text file (extension .txt). This document can contain
multiple questions of different types in a single file.
2. Each question must be on a separate row.
3. Each piece in the question must be separated by a TAB.
TIP: For the more advanced question types, it may be easier to just input them directly into the
Test Manager. Another alternative is to use assessment creation software, such as Respondus and
Questionmark, either of which your campus may license.
Blackboard Learn v 9.1 – Instructor’s Manual
FAU Instructional Technology, IRM Each question type must be formatted in one of the following ways:
1. Multiple Choice
a. MC Question
text
Answer1 incorrect
i. For example:
Answer2
correct
Answer3
incorrect
MC Which planet is closest to the
sun? Earth incorrect Mecury correct Mars incorrect
b. There must be a TAB between each piece of the question (the spaces represent a
TAB). There can be up to 20 answer selections for each question. There should be
only one Answer that is indicated as correct, all others should be set to incorrect.
2. True/False
a. TF Question text true
i. For example:
TF
El Paso is the capital of Texas.
false
b. There must be a TAB between each piece of the question (the spaces represent a
TAB). Only indicate true or false, not both.
3. Multiple Answer
a. MA Question
text Answer1 correct Answer2 correct Answer3 incorrect
i. For example:
MA Which of the cities are in
Texas? Dallas correct Atlanta
incorrect
Austin correct
b. There must be a TAB between each piece of the question (the spaces represent a
TAB). This question type follows the same format as the Multiple Choice
question with the exception that more than one Answer can be indicated as correct.
4. Matching
a. MAT Question text Answer A Match A Answer B Match B Answer
C Match C
i. For example:
MAT Match the car model with its
manufacturer. Fusion Ford Sebring DaimlerChrysler Altima Nissan
b. There must be a TAB between each piece of the question (the spaces represent a
TAB). The system will randomly order the answers and the matching text. When
building Matching questions in a text file, there must be an equal number of
answers and matches.
5. Fill in the Blank
a. FIB Question text Answer1 Answer2 Answer3
i. For example:
FIB The capital of Montana is
__________. Helena Helana
Hellena
Hellana
b. There must be a TAB between each piece of the question (the spaces represent a
TAB). You can have multiple correct answers for a fill in the blank question. TIP:
This format with multiple possible answers may produce a parsing error when
uploaded but the question should still upload ok.
6. Essay
Blackboard Learn v 9.1 – Instructor’s Manual
FAU Instructional Technology, IRM a. ESS Question text Example answer
b. There must be a TAB between each piece of the question (the spaces represent a
TAB). The Example answer is an optional piece of information.
7. Ordering
a. ORD Question text First Second Third
b. There must be a TAB between each piece of the question (the spaces represent a
TAB). Place all answers in the correct order as the system will randomly select the
display order.
8. Fill in Multiple Blanks
a. FIB_PLUS Question
text Variable1 Answer1 Answer2 Variable2 Answer3
b. There must be a TAB between each piece of the question (the spaces represent a
TAB). The format consists of a list of variable-answers where each variableanswer is composed of the variable name and a list of correct answers for that
variable. Variable-answers are delimited by an empty field.
9. File Response
a. FIL Question text
b. There must be a TAB between each piece of the question (the spaces represent a
TAB).
10. Numeric Response
a. NUM Question text Answer tolerance
b. There must be a TAB between each piece of the question (the spaces represent a
TAB). The tolerance is optional.
11. Short Answer
a. SR Question text Sample answer
b. There must be a TAB between each piece of the question (the spaces represent a
TAB). The Sample answer is an optional piece of information.
12. Opinion/Likert Scale
a. OP Question text
b. There must be a TAB between each piece of the question (the spaces represent a
TAB).
13. Jumbled Sentence
a. JUMBLED_SENTENCE Question
text Choice1 Variable1 Choice2
Choice3 Variable2
b. There must be a TAB between each piece of the question (the spaces represent a
TAB). The format consists of a list of choices-answers where each choice-answer
consists of the choice followed by the list of variables for which that choice is the
correct answer. An empty field indicates the end of a choice answer. A choice
immediately followed by an empty field indicates that that choice is not the correct
answer for any variable.
14. Quiz Bowl
a. QUIZ_BOWL Question
text Question_word1 Question_word2 Phrase1 Phrase2
b. There must be a TAB between each piece of the question (the spaces represent a
TAB). The format consists of a list of valid question words followed by an empty
field and a list of valid answer phrases.
Blackboard Learn v 9.1 – Instructor’s Manual
FAU Instructional Technology, IRM Here is an example text file with a few questions in one file:
Upload Process:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Prepare your file per the structure above.
Go to the Control Panel.
Under Assessments, click Test Manager.
If the test already exists, click the Modify button to the
right of the test.
a. If the test does not exist, click the Add Test
button and complete the add process.
5. Step 5: In the Test Canvas, select Upload Questions
from the question type drop-down list. Click Go.
6. On the Upload Questions page:
a. Browse for your file to import.
i. Optionally enter the points (if blank) or
change the default value (which is defined
in Test Creation Settings).
For example:
7. Click the Submit button.
a. You will receive a confirmation page if the upload succeeded or failed. If you
receive any Parsing errors, check your file carefully against the structure to ensure
all of your question formats are ok.
Blackboard Learn v 9.1 – Instructor’s Manual
FAU Instructional Technology, IRM Here is an example of what the questions look like once imported into the Test
Canvas:
Notes:
1. Once uploaded, questions can be manipulated like other questions created within the
Assessment. Later, you can enter any feedback, keywords, etc.
2. If there is an error in a question within a file, only the question with an error will fail to
upload. Questions without errors will upload successfully.
3. The system does not check for duplicate questions. It is up to you to manage this aspect
of the Assessment questions.
Blackboard Learn v 9.1 – Instructor’s Manual