Converting a Word Document or PDF into a Canvas Quiz using ChatGPT

The article explains how instructors can use ChatGPT to convert Word Documents, transcripts, and PDFs into QTI .zip files for both Canvas Classic Quizzes and New Quizzes.

Quick Links: | Prerequisites | Instructions | Troubleshooting | Next Steps |

This guide will show you how to use ChatGPT or Chat2QTI to transform your text documents, transcripts, or PDFs into the correct QTI format for direct import into Canvas.

Prerequisites

• Access to a Canvas course with Teacher, TA, or Designer role
• Access to ChatGPT Edu and Chat2QTI

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Format your Quiz Document

    Use consistent formatting to prevent errors if you are using a file with quiz questions. Ensure it follows these format guidelines before uploading your document.​​ 
    Make sure the quiz questions are easy to read and consistently formatted before asking ChatGPT to create a QTI .zip file.
    Recommended format guidelines:

• Labeling: Clearly separate the question text from the answer choices. 
• Mark the correct answer(s): Place a single asterisk (*) immediately after the correct answer choice. Do not place asterisks anywhere else in your quiz. 
• Use simple question formats: The best questions types are Multiple Choice (m/c), Multiple Answer (m/a), True/False (T/F), and Essay questions. AI frequently struggles with any other question type. Also avoid using scientific notation/equations.
  
  Example:
  What is the capital of California?
  A. Los Angeles
  B. Sacramento *
  C. San Diego
  D. San Francisco

 2. Choose Your Path

     Option A: You already have a document with questions
     Make sure the quiz questions are easy to read and answers are clearly marked in a consistent manner before asking ChatGPT or Chat2QTI to create the downloadable QTI zip file.
     You can upload your quiz to ChatGPT and ask it to create the downloadable QTI zip file and add feedback for every answer if you don't have any feedback in your quiz.

     Option B: You want ChatGPT to create the quiz and feedback for you
     You can ask ChatGPT to create the quiz first before creating a QTI zip file. This way you can review the questions and feedback before asking it to create the QTI file.

     You can provide ChatGPT materials (Word Docs, PDFs, images, videos or websites etc.) and ask it to create a quiz
     on a downloadable Word Doc or PDF following the Recommended Format Guidelines above.

    Be extremely specific with your prompt. Tell ChatGPT exactly what you need.
          * ChatGPT struggles to create questions using scientific notation, symbols, and equations.
            Therefore, you must prompt ChatGPT to create a downloadable LaTeX document which you can convert into a PDF.
 

Example prompt to create a quiz:
"Create a 10-question quiz on a downloadable word doc based on the attached text. Create three m/c questions three points 5 for each), three m/a questions (three points 5 for each), three t/f questions three points 5 for each) and one essay (15 points). There must be four possible answers for the m/c and m/a questions. Mark every correct answer with an asterisk after it. Mix up the questions so no format is repeated back to back and make the essay question the last one of the quiz. Make the quiz medium difficulty, and include feedback for each answer in the non-essay questions."

      *You can also ask it to align questions to external appropriate accreditation(s) in your field.

3. After the Word document or PDF is ready, upload the file to ChatGPT.

4. Ask ChatGPT to Create the QTI .zip File.

Recommended prompt to use (In step one, be clear if you want the file for a Classic Quiz or New Quiz)

• Convert the attached file into a downloadable QTI .zip file for a Canvas [Classic or New Quiz choose one] that I can upload to Canvas
  so the quiz is imported as a QTI .zip file and not just imported as a loose file.
• Ensure each correct answer is marked with an asterisk after the answer(s).
• Create feedback for each answer in the non-essay questions.
• Do not change any part of the quiz.
• If any question is unclear or missing a correct answer, ask me for clarification before creating the file.

Note: Skip asking for feeback if you already have your own in the quiz.

4. Download and import into Canvas

    For Classic Quizzes:

• In your Canvas course, go to Settings from the course navigation menu
• Select Import Course Content
• From the Content Type dropdown, select QTI .zip file
• Now your quiz will appear in the Quizzes area of your Canvas course.
• Choose the downloaded file and select Import.
• Click the Default Question bank drop down menu and select Create new question bank so your quiz will be in its own question bank.

    For New Quizzes
    If you are not using New Quizzes, but would like to, refer to our article Create a Quiz in Canvas Using New Quizzes for instructions to enable them. You will need to enable them in every course separately.​

• In Canvas, go to Quizzes
• Click + Quiz
• Choose New Quizzes
• Name the quiz
• Click Build
• Open the Options menu (Kebab Menu AKA three dots in the upper right corner)
• Click Import Content
• Choose file to import
  
• Click Import

5. After importing the QTI file, open and review your quiz before publishing it.

    Check for:

• Correct answers
• Answer feedback
• Question formatting
• Point values
• Question order
• Special characters
• Images or links
• Spelling and grammar
• Canvas quiz settings
  If you spot errors, you can always go back into your chat to tell it what went wrong and ask it to create a corrected file.
  Alternatively, you can make quick manual fixes right inside Canvas. 

Troubleshooting