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Write Canvas quiz questions faster from your own course notes

Upload a lecture deck, reading or set of notes and get multiple-choice, true/false and open questions with explanations you can review before they reach students.

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Writing good Canvas quiz questions from your course material

Writing Canvas quiz questions by hand takes longer than most instructors expect, especially when you want wrong answers that actually test understanding. DeckOwl reads your lecture slides, notes or readings and drafts multiple-choice, true/false and open questions, each with an explanation you can check before it goes into a course.

Multiple-choice, true/false and open questions from one upload
Explanations for each answer so you can review before publishing
Study in the browser on the free plan with 3 generations per month
QTI 2.1 export on Pro for importing into Canvas

Example Canvas quiz questions on writing good items

Should a multiple-choice question use All of the above as an option?No. Students can often guess by spotting two plausible options, so the item tests test-taking strategy more than content.

True or false: a true/false statement is clearer when it uses words like always or never.False. Absolute terms are usually wrong, so students can guess correctly without knowing the material.

Why should the answer options in a multiple-choice question be similar in length?Students often pick the longest or most detailed option when unsure, so unequal lengths can reveal the answer.

Why avoid negative stems like Which of these is NOT a cause?Negative wording makes students parse the sentence instead of recalling the concept, so the item measures reading more than knowledge.

How should the wrong options in a four-option multiple-choice question be designed?Write three distractors that reflect common misconceptions, so a wrong choice reveals a specific gap the student can correct.

Generate the full set

Question types that match your course

Multiple-choice, true/false and open questions, each with an explanation for the answer key.

Built from your own materials

Upload PDFs, DOCX, PPTX, plain-text notes or photos of pages read with text recognition.

Export options for Canvas

QTI 2.1 export on the Pro plan gives you a file to import into your course.

How it works

Upload your material

Add a PDF, slide deck, Word file, notes or a photo of a textbook page.

Choose question types

Select multiple-choice, true/false or open questions and review each draft before using it.

Study or export

Study in the browser on the free plan, or export QTI 2.1 on Pro for your course.

Every draft is editable, so you keep control of the wording and the answer key. Good items follow a few habits: one clearly correct answer, distractors that reflect common misconceptions, and stems that avoid negatives and absolute words like always or never.

For Canvas, QTI 2.1 export on the Pro plan gives you a file to import into your course. Check your institution's Canvas setup first, since import options can vary by account.

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Frequently asked questions

How many quiz questions should I write for one Canvas quiz?

It depends on the module length and how much time students have. Many instructors start with 10 to 15 focused items and check that each one maps to a single learning objective.

What makes a multiple-choice question fair?

Use one clearly correct answer, plausible distractors based on common errors, and options of similar length. Avoid all of the above and none of the above.

Can I export these questions to Canvas?

QTI 2.1 export is a Pro feature at $14.99 per month. Canvas import depends on your account settings, so test the file in a sandbox course first.

Is there a free way to try it?

Yes. The free plan includes 3 generations per month and studying in the browser, and no credit card is needed to start. Exports require a paid plan.

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