Building and Using a Question Bank

The Question bank is an organized repository for all the questions in your course, separate from any quiz activities that might use them. It is good practice to create categories to organize your questions. This makes it easier to find questions and it also allows you to use random questions as well as reuse questions in later quizzes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I edit questions?

To edit quiz questions:

1. While in edit mode, click on the More menu item at the top of your course, then select Question bank

2. Select Categories the drop-down list.

3. Select the Edit link for the question you want to edit and select Edit question

Can I preview questions?

To preview questions:

1. Click the Actions menu, cog, above the Turn editing on button and select More…{{Image}}
2. Scroll down and select Questions from the Question bank{{Image}}
3. Select the category the question is in from the Select a category drop-down list{{Image}}
4. Select the Edit link for the question you want to edit and select Preview{{Image}}

Can I move questions to another category?

Yes, you can move questions from one category to another. To move questions:

1. While in edit mode, click on the More menu item at the top of your course, then select Question bank

2. Select Categories the drop-down list.

3. Select the questions you want to move and select Move to at the bottom of the screen.

4. Select the category you would like the question(s) moved to and choose Move to.

Is there a quicker way to add multiple choice questions to the question bank?

Yes, we recommend you use the Aiken format. The Aiken format lets you create multiple-choice or true-false questions using a simple, human-readable format that you can save as a plain text file and import into a Moodle course.

Creating Your Questions

The most important things you need to know about using this format are:

• You must create a .txt file. We recommend you use Notepad or Notepad++ for Windows or TextEdit on Mac.
• You must save your file in UTF-8 format (you will be prompted to choose upon saving the file). Special characters will cause errors, so use simple quotation marks and avoid formatting like bold or italics. You can add formatting in once the questions are uploaded.
• All answer letters and the word answer MUST be capitalized. See example.

What are the tallest trees on Earth?
A. Coast Redwood
B. Coast Douglas Fir
C. Giant Sequoia
D. Sitka Spruce
ANSWER: A

What is the world’s most venomous fish?
A) Scorpion fish
B) Lion fish
C) Stonefish
D) Toadfish
ANSWER: C

Notice the following details:

• You do not number the questions.
• You can follow the answer letter with a ) or a . but you must be consistent within your question set.
• There is a single space after the ) or . and before the response.
• ANSWER must be followed with a : and a single space.

Issues of spacing and capitalization must be attended to for the format to work.

Importing the File

Once you have formatted the document correctly:

1. While in edit mode, click on the More menu item at the top of your course, then select Question bank

2. Select Import the drop-down list.

3. Upload your file.  Once the process is complete you will find your questions in your course’s question bank.