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Respondus Campus Wide: Import a Text/Word File with Questions into Blackboard

Set Up the Server

First, you will need to set up a Blackboard Server before completing the steps on this page. See the Instructions for Adding a New Server

Respondus is a powerful tool for creating and managing exams that can be printed to paper or published directly to Blackboard. There is a specific way you must format a Text or Word file of your quiz to be imported using Respondus.

Each correct answer is designated by an asterisk at its left. Exams can be created offline using a familiar Windows environment like Microsoft Word or Notepad and then moved to Blackboard quickly and easily

Format the Text or Word Document Properly

When importing a Word or Text file quiz into Respondus, spacing and punctuation is very important:
a) Make sure there is a period after the number of the question, followed by a single space.
b) After you write the question, press enter only once to begin typing in the letter choices.
c) Each letter choice should have a period after it, followed by a single space.
d) The asterisk should be placed before the letter of the correct answer, with no space between.
e) Press enter twice after the final answer choice of each question.

Word File Format

Word document with questions and answers. 

Text File Format

Text file format with questions and answers listed. 

Import Quiz Document into Respondus

1. First, open Respondus.
2. In the Current Personality drop-down, make sure it says “Blackboard”
Drop down list for selecting the file format to create a test file.


3. Click the Import Questions button at the bottom left
Click on the Import questions option.

4. From the Type of file: drop-down, select whether you are using a Text or Word document. If you are using MS word 2007 or newer to create your questions, select, the "DOCX" file type. Then click the Browse button associated with the File name field.
Selecting the type of file you will be importing into Respondus Campus Wide


5. Navigate to the location in which you saved the Text or Word file, click the file and select Open.
Browsing for the document you want to import.


6. In the “Create a new document, named:” field, type what you wish your quiz to be named.
7. Click the Preview button. The questions in your quiz should populate with “No warnings” listed below. If there are warnings, go back to your word document to look for mistakes. 

8. Click Finish.
Create a document with a name, preview to ensure there are no issues, then click finish.


Publish Questions into Blackboard

Note: You will need to Add a Blackboard Server before completing this step. You will only need to do this once. You will not need to do this for every test created.

1. Once you have set up the server, you will be returned to the original Publish Wizard or Retrieval dialog box, with the new server information populated. Click Next.

2. From the drop-down at number 1, select the course into which you wish to import the test questions.
Publishing to Blackboard, choose a course from the dropdown list.


3. Select the Create New Exam option and give it a name or leave it name of the file you created.
Select whether it will be an exam or pool of questions - give it a title.
4. Click Next.

5. You will now see a preview of your course structure. Select where you would like the test to appear in your Blackboard course and then click Next.

6. You will receive confirmation of a successful import. Click the Finish button. You may close Respondus. Your test is now in Blackboard.
Click finish when the upload is complete.

For additional support, visit http://uhd.edu/bbhelpform