Import works with Word documents (docx), older Microsoft Word documents (doc, pre-Office 2007, and plain text documents. The formatting of the questions needs to be in a format that Respondus 4.0 can understand for multiple choice, true/false, short answer, matching, fill-in-the-blank, and multiple response questions. The Respondus Standard format has Required and Optional elements that are described below. Images can be imported as well. Images pasted into a word document will import smoothly and easily. Once the import file is formatted to the specifications below in Microsoft Word, it should be saved as a .docx file, which is the MS Word default. The document is then ready to be imported by Respondus.

Each Question must begin with a question number, followed by either a period . or a parenthesis ) and a space.

The Question wording must follow the Question Number. (Note: at least one space should be between the question number and the question wording.)

Each Answer must begin with a letter (A-Z) followed by a period . or a parenthesis ) or a space, then the Answer Wording.

A Title can be imported with each question. If a title is not provided for a question, the first 20 characters of the question’s wording will be used as the question title. Titles must be placed at the beginning of a question and begin with Title: followed by the actual text for the title. If the title exceeds 20 characters, the remaining characters will be dropped during the import.

Correct Answers are indicated by placing an asterisk * directly in front of the Answer Choice. There should not be a space between the asterisk and the Answer Choice.

Feedback can be imported by placing the tilde ~ symbol in front of the feedback for a correct answer. The @ symbol can be used to indicate the feedback for incorrect answers. There must be at least one space to the right of the ~ and @ symbols and the text you want displayed for the feedback. The feedback must appear before the Answer Choice.

To import feedback for individual answer choices of multiple-choice questions, place the feedback immediately after the Answer Choice and begin the line with the @ symbol. There must be at least one space between the @ symbol and the feedback text. Feedback is not required.

Point Values can be set for each question or for a group of questions. Points Values are set by adding “Points:”, a space, then the numeric point value. The point value is used for the next question and all following questions until a new point value is set. In the example, question 3 and 4 will have the same point value.

To format True or False Questions for import, each question must begin with a question number, followed by either a period . or a parenthesis ) and a space. The correct answer must be marked with an asterisk *. Respondus requires that True and False be in the order shown below to be read properly.

A Title can be imported with each question. If a title is not provided for a question, the first 20 characters of the question’s wording will be used as the question title. Titles must be placed at the beginning of a question and begin with Title: followed by the actual text for the title. If the title exceeds 20 characters, the remaining characters will be dropped during the import.

To include Feedback for True or False questions, put an @ sign on the line below the Answer Choice the feedback is designed for. Place a space between the @ and the feedback for the student.

Each Essay question must begin with a question number, followed by either a period . or a parenthesis ) and a space. The first line of the section with essay questions must begin with “Type: E”. This may be followed by Title: on the next line (no title is required, the first 20 characters of question will be the title if none is supplied), the Question Number, a space, and the Question Wording.

To provide an Answer Choice, on the next line after the question begin the answer with a. or a) and a space, followed by the suggested answer wording.

Each Answer Choice (which consists of both parts of a correct match) must begin with a letter (a-z) followed by a period . or a parenthesis ) and a space. The two parts of the Matching Question must be separated with an = symbol. There should not be any blank lines within either part of the answer. Spaces before or after the = symbol are optional, but it is important that an Answer Choice only uses the = symbol for the purpose of separating the two parts of the match.

Each Fill in the Blank question must begin with a Question Number, followed by either a period . or a parenthesis ) and a space. The first line of the section with Fill in the Blank questions must begin with Type: F on its own line. This is followed by the Title: (no title is required, the first 20 characters of question will be the title if none is supplied), the Question Number, a space, and the Question Wording.

The Answer Choice should be supplied on the line below the Question Wording indicated by a. then a space before the Answer Choice. You can place multiple versions of the same answer by using the next letter in the alphabet. In the example, multiple versions of an inventor’s name would be counted as the correct answer.

Each Multiple Response Question must begin with a Question Number, followed by either a period . or a parenthesis ) and a space. The first line of the section with Multiple Response Question questions must begin with Type: MR or Type: MA as shown below. This is followed by the title (no title is required, the first 20 characters of question will be the title if none is supplied), the question number, a space, and the question wording.

Each set of possible answers must begin with a letter (a-z) followed by a period . or a parenthesis ) and a space. The correct responses should have an asterisk * in directly front of the letter without a space between the asterisk and the letter.

To include a Title or Feedback with the Multiple Response Questions, put an @ sign on the line below the Answer Choice the feedback is designed for. Place a space between the @ and the feedback for the student.