How to Import a Paper Test into Blackboard Using Respondus

Questions need to be in a specific format into order to import them into Respondus and then into Blackboard. Format instructions are below or can be found in the Respondus program under Help/Help Topics. On the Help Topics page, click on the Search tab and enter: Standard Format for Importing Questions. After formatting your test questions, follow the steps below.

Note: These instructions assume that you have installed Respondus Test Creation Application already. If you have not done so, please see the Getting this Service area of the Respondus Test Creation Application (Respondus 4.0) Service entry.

Before You Begin

Your test must be in a very specific Microsoft Word or txt file format. Please view this document on formatting and prepare your test first.

Step 1

Open the Microsoft Edge browser on your computer (just open it, you do not need to log into Blackboard or visit any website). There is a known Microsoft bug that requires Microsoft Edge to be open for some authentications.

Step 2

Click on the Respondus 4.0 Campus-Wide icon that displays on your desktop. On the Respondus page, click on the Import Questions button.

Step 3

The Import Questions dialog box will display.

  1. Select the type of file to import from the drop-down menu. In this example, a test created in MS Word will be imported into Respondus.
  2. Next, click on the Browse button and browse to the document you want to import into Respondus.
  3. In Section 2, enter a name for the file. In this example, the name will be Final Exam Section 001.
  4. Click on the Preview button. Note any Warnings and Notes that display at the bottom of the dialog box. In most cases, any changes can be made to the test once it is imported into Blackboard.
  5. Click Finish. A File Saved message will display. Click OK.  The test questions will display at the bottom of the page. From here you can preview, edit, delete, etc., test questions.

Step 4

Click on the Preview and Publish or Publish to Blackboard tab and then click on Publish Wizard.

Step 5

The Publish Wizard dialog box displays. Click in the radio button next to Publish to single course and then click Next.

If this is your first time exporting a test from Respondus into Blackboard, you will need to set up the server settings as shown below.

Step 6

On the Publish Wizard page, choose the course you want to import the test into. In Section 2, leave the radio button selected next to Create new Exam. The name of the exam is what you entered in Step 2. You can leave the default settings under Section 3 as is. Click Next.

Step 7

Select the folder in the course where you want the test to reside. Click Next.

Step 8

Within a few seconds, the Publish Wizard will open indicating that the questions have been uploaded to your course successfully. Click Finish.

Go into your course. The test will reside in the content area you selected above. Edit the test and update points per question and verify correct answers are properly selected. You will also need to Edit the Test Options and make the appropriate selections under Test Availability, Test Availability Exceptions, Due Date, Test Results, and Test Presentation.

First Time Users

If you need to set up a new Blackboard Server, instructions are available in the How to Set up a Blackboard Server in Respondus.