Prepare Exam Document Formatting for iDesign

Instructional designers and TAs are available to assist faculty members with creating quizzes and exams. Please be aware that they will need sufficient lead time (a minimum of 5 business days) to prepare the exam or quiz. For this option, you must format your quiz or exam in a specific manner.

1. Create a Word document of your quiz/exam. (Template)
2. Format the exam: Do not use auto-formatting or bold or highlight the correct answer; simply precede the correct answer with an asterisk (*).
   • Here is an example of a question with correct formatting. Notice that the asterisk is before answer "a." designating it as correct.

1. Insert question here.

*a. Insert correct answer here
b. Insert incorrect answer here
c. Insert incorrect answer here
d. Insert incorrect answer here

1. If any of your exam questions require an image, you can add the image to the quiz document under the appropriate question and the instructional designers will add it.
2. This linked template may be used for basic multiple choice questions: ELPD Quiz Exam Template
3. For other question types, please refer to the following "Cheat Sheet" for detailed formatting instructions:  Respondus Formatting Cheat Sheet
4. Please submit exam and quiz build requests using the ZenDesk iDesign Faculty Help Ticket.

Correct Formatting

Most exam questions will be multiple choice or true/false. Below is the correct formatting for these types of exam questions. Notice how the * is in front of one of the letters? That indicates the correct answer. If you see (ML), those are the initials of the faculty member who created the question. If this information is given, it should only be placed there. 

1. (ML) Insert question here
*a. Insert correct answer here
b. Insert incorrect answer here
c. Insert incorrect answer here
d. Insert incorrect answer here

Alternate Question Types

There will be times when you will be asked to build questions that are not multiple choice or true/false. Please use the Respondus Formatting Cheat Sheet for those types of questions.

Incorrect Formatting

While in a perfect world, faculty members will give you a perfectly formatted document. However, this will rarely happen (remember they are pharmacists, not information scientists). Below are common mistakes we see in formatting. 

• Autoformatting:
  • Autoformatting will not allow you to place the asterisk in front of the lettered response.
  • Example: a. *correct response here <or> a. correct response here*
  • Solution: Highlight all text + "Deselect the Numbered/Multilevel List Option" on Text Editor and re-input the 1,2,3s and a,b,cs.
• Highlighting or Correct Answer: B:
  • Example: b. Take x drug 10mg <or> Correct Answer: C (after the question is posted).
  • Solution: Reformat so the asterisk is in front of the correct answer; un-highlight the response and delete the correct answer statement after.
  • Note: If you do not delete the correct answer at the end of the question, it will attach it to the last response.
• "All of the Above" Responses:
  • If responses are to be shuffled, "All of the Above" may be the first option, so nothing will be above.
  • Solution: Change to "All responses are correct/incorrect/true/false," depending on the question.
• Faculty Initials Improperly Placed:
  • Example: 1. Question stated here (sv) <or> d. last response given (sv).
  • Solution: Place the initials in front of the question, as seen in the "Correct Formatting" section above.
• Incorrect Period to Response:
  • This is very rare, but periods are important. Occasionally there may be a period that is missing to a response, which can throw off Respondus.
  • Solution: Most times, this will be picked up by Respondus if the punctuation was off.