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Pick the right Canvas quiz or survey for your course

Quizzes measure what students know and produce scores. Surveys gather opinions and feedback. Here is how to tell them apart, and how to build the quiz questions yourself from your own material.

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How a Canvas quiz differs from a survey

Canvas quiz vs survey comparisons usually come down to one question: should the answers be scored? A quiz checks whether students know specific material and records results toward a grade. A survey collects responses for feedback, such as pacing, difficulty or preferences, and is not meant to measure learning.

Use a quiz when the goal is a score or a measure of what students learned.
Use a survey when the goal is opinions, feedback or preferences without grading.
Mix multiple-choice, true/false and short-answer questions to test both recall and reasoning.
Read the explanations after each question so wrong answers become study points.

Example Canvas quiz vs survey practice questions

In Canvas, what is the main difference between a graded quiz and an ungraded survey?A graded quiz records points toward a grade, while an ungraded survey collects responses for feedback without scoring them.

True or false: a survey is usually used to check whether students learned the course material.False. Surveys gather opinions or feedback, while quizzes measure knowledge and can be graded.

When should an instructor choose a survey instead of a quiz?When they want opinions, course feedback or preference data rather than measured knowledge, since surveys collect responses rather than test them.

Which question type best checks whether a student can explain a process?Short answer, because it requires students to produce the explanation rather than pick one from a list of options.

What should each question in a practice quiz include so it teaches, not just scores?An explanation of why the correct answer is right, so a wrong answer becomes a learning moment.

Generate the full set

Quizzes and surveys, side by side

See the practical difference between a scored quiz and an ungraded survey so you pick the right tool before you build anything.

Questions from your own notes

Upload a PDF, slides or notes and get multiple-choice, true/false or short-answer questions with explanations for each answer.

Export when you need it

Study in the browser on the Free plan. Plus adds PDF and DOCX export, and Pro adds QTI 2.1 and Moodle XML export.

How it works

Decide what you need to learn

Ask whether you want to measure knowledge with a score or collect opinions and feedback without one.

Upload your material

Add a PDF, DOCX, PPTX, text file or a photo of a page. Text recognition reads photos of pages.

Review and export the questions

Check the generated questions and explanations, then study them in the browser or export on a paid plan.

Once you know which you need, the harder part is writing good questions. Multiple-choice and true/false items are quick to score but can be guessed, so include some short-answer questions that require students to explain their reasoning. DeckOwl generates these from your own notes, with an explanation for each correct answer.

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Frequently asked questions

How many questions should a practice quiz include?

There is no fixed number, but 10 to 20 questions is usually enough to cover one unit and spot gaps. Mix question types so you test both recall and explanation.

When is a survey a better choice than a quiz?

Use a survey when you need opinions, pacing feedback or preferences rather than measured knowledge. A quiz is better when you want to check whether students learned specific material.

Can DeckOwl export questions for a learning management system?

Yes, but only on the Pro plan, which includes QTI 2.1 and Moodle XML export. PDF and DOCX export are included in the Plus plan at $99.90/year or $9.99/month.

Do I need a credit card to try DeckOwl?

No. The Free plan includes 3 generations per month and browser study, and you can start without a credit card. Students get 40% off with a school email.

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