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How to set up your question spreadsheet and use the importer to create and update questions in bulk.
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How to set up your question spreadsheet and use the importer to create and update questions in bulk.
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Put your questions into a spreadsheet and follow the template available on Quiz > Import or use the link below.
Synap ID: This is where the unique id that Synap uses to locate your questions exists. You need to leave this blank if you’re uploading new questions. If you do not include a Synap ID the question will be uploaded as a new one even if the content matches a question which already exists on the platform.
External ID: Use this id to call your question something so you or your team can identify it easily if you ever need to export it. In this example I’ve called mine 'myTest_pip_q1'. You can use a sheet CONCATENATE function and “_” instead of spaces to create this id, check out
Question: Add in your questions stem. Field accepts HTML. If you’re not comfortable using HTML you can create your questions in plain text on a sheet and add the formatting in after through the built in question editor. This is a required field.
Lead In: Give more context to your question. Field accepts HTML. This will appear separately from the question stem
Name: A more user friendly label for the question. This field does not accept HTML
Options: Add between 1 and 26 options like Option A to Option Z. If you want to use image answer options instead, you need to use the field Option A URL.
Options URL: To create image answer options, use the Option URL fields. Image answer options created in these fields instead of the standard option fields display better on platform and allow users to open up a pop up to zoom in. See below. You must have an 'Option URL' column for each option column even if it is empty.
Correct Options: Use the letter from the option field that has the correct option in it to make the correct option on the spreadsheet. This may be a single letter or separated by a ‘,’ if there is more than one correct answer. If you are using a ranked question ensure the answer option letters are in the correct order. For user input question types, the text in the option A column will be the input box label on platform
Feedback: This field also accepts HTML. Use feedback to give your users reasoning into the answers of the question. This is handy if you are creating questions for revision purposes. In general if you’re writing an exam you do not need to use this field.
Marker Information: Information for the marker. This field accepts HTML
Tags: Use tags to group questions together. Multiple tags should be separated by a comma You'll need to tag your questions correctly and give them facets to leverage Synap's analytics (Fractal) .
See below to find out more about Fractal results and Tags
Section External ID: If applicable the Section label which this question is linked to. Sections will need to exist on the platform before importing questions
Calculator: Accepted inputs are TRUE or FALSE only. True if you want a calculator to show in the left hand menu when a user is on this question
Time in ms: Leave this blank if you want to do an overall time for the quiz, this lives slightly separately to the import. But if you'd like a time per question this field accepts ms, 1 second = 1000ms
Randomised Options: Expects TRUE or FALSE. True if you want the options to be randomised.
Ranked: Expects TRUE or FALSE. True if the question options are ranked and the user must reorder the questions to get the mark. Note if Ranked = TRUE your Correct Options will need to be separated by a comma, ordered first to last in terms of order. If Option A need to be at the top, option C at the bottom and Option B in the middle, Correct Options needs to be A,B,C
Side-by-Side Layout?: Expects TRUE or FALSE. True will enforce questions are displayed on the left and answers are on the right, rather than questions on the top and answers below.
Free Text: Expects TRUE or FALSE. True means users must type a response. Use Option A field to input instructions above the text box.
File Upload: Expects TRUE or FALSE. True means users must upload a document as their response. Use Option A field to input instructions above the file upload box.
Audio Recording: Expects TRUE or FALSE. True means a user must record a response using the in built audio recorder. Use Option A field to input instructions above the audio recorder.
Max Audio Recording Time (ms): Enter a time in ms to restrict the length of an audio recording question response. If left blank the maximum recording time will be 60 minutes ( 1 second = 1000ms)
Cloze question: This column will contain a json which outlines the response options for Cloze type questions. At the moment you cannot create these questions using the importer but you can export existing ones, edit them and then re-import.
There is more information on cloze question types here
Once you've got your sheet ready, download it as a CSV and go to the import page of the quiz you want to import into, select your file.
Check all of your fields have been mapped correctly. From the confirmation page you'll be shown any errors with your CSV. Confirm the field mapping and resolve any errors before starting the import.
When everything is in place, start the import, and review your questions.
EMQ Synap ID: This is a unique Synap ID that is created when a new EMQ is created. For a more detailed guide into EMQ creation on Synap, If you're not using EMQs please leave this blank.
