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Make quiz questions for Canvas from your own course material

Upload a PDF, slide deck, document or photo of a page and get multiple choice, true/false or short answer questions with explanations. Study them in the browser, then export when you need a file for your course.

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Drop files here or browsePDF, DOCX, PPTX, text or photos of your notes · several files with Plus

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Writing a Canvas quiz from your own material

Most instructors and students who search for a canvas quiz questions tool already have the reading, lecture slides or notes. The slow part is turning that material into clear questions with correct answers and useful feedback. A Quizlet-style practice set gives you flashcards, but Canvas quizzes need questions that can be graded and reviewed.

Upload PDFs, slides, DOCX files, notes or photos of pages
Get multiple choice, true/false or short answer questions with explanations
Study in the browser on the Free plan with 3 generations a month
Export PDF and DOCX on Plus, or QTI 2.1 and Moodle XML on Pro

Example Canvas quiz settings and question-writing tips

In Canvas quizzes, what does the Shuffle Answers setting do?It randomizes the order of answer choices for each student. This makes it harder for students to share answer positions.

What does a time limit setting control in a Canvas quiz?It sets how long a student has once they start an attempt. When the time runs out, the attempt is submitted automatically.

Why use question groups in a Canvas quiz?They draw a set number of questions at random from a larger bank. Each student gets a different selection from the same topic.

Why should wrong answers reflect common misconceptions?Plausible distractors reveal which mistakes students make, so the results show what to reteach. Random wrong answers mostly test guessing.

Why add an explanation to each question?Explanations give students feedback that says why the right answer is correct. This helps them learn from the mistakes they make on the quiz.

Generate the full set

Multiple choice, true/false and short answer

Each question comes with an explanation so you can see why an answer is right, not just which letter to pick.

Built from your material

Questions come from the text in your uploads, including text read from photos of pages, so the quiz matches what your class covered.

Export options by plan

PDF and DOCX export are on Plus. QTI 2.1 and Moodle XML export are on Pro, and QTI 2.1 is a common route for importing quizzes into Canvas.

How it works

Upload your notes

Add a PDF, DOCX, PPTX, plain text file or a photo of your notes or textbook pages.

Choose a question type

Pick multiple choice, true/false or short answer, then generate the set.

Review, practice or export

Check each question and explanation, take the quiz in the browser, or export a file if your plan includes it.

DeckOwl reads your uploaded file and drafts questions that stay close to the source text. You can review each question and explanation before using it. The output is a study tool you can keep editing, so you decide what fits your course.

Use the generated questions as a starting point. Remove anything that tests a detail you did not cover, reword any question that is unclear, and add your own items for the hardest parts of the unit.

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Frequently asked questions

How many questions should a Canvas quiz have for one chapter?

Most chapter quizzes work well with 10 to 20 questions, which is enough to cover the main ideas without making the quiz too long. Adjust the number based on how much time students will have and how many topics the chapter covers.

Should I write distractors that reflect common mistakes?

Yes, wrong answers that match a common misunderstanding show you what students are getting wrong, not just whether they guessed. Keep every option plausible and roughly the same length so the correct answer does not stand out.

Can I export these questions to Canvas?

Canvas can import QTI 2.1 files, and DeckOwl exports QTI 2.1 on the Pro plan. PDF and DOCX exports are available on Plus, and the Free plan lets you study in the browser without exports.

Is there a free plan for creating quiz questions?

Yes, the Free plan includes 3 generations per month and browser study, and no credit card is needed to start. Students with a school email get 40 percent off paid plans.

Generate free quizzes

Keep exploring the topic

Review the main ideas visually or practice recalling them.