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Turn your lecture notes into a Canvas-ready quiz

Upload a chapter, slide deck or set of notes and get multiple-choice, true/false or open questions with explanations. Review them, then take them into 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 good Canvas quiz questions

Canvas makes it simple to publish a quiz once the questions exist, but writing them is the slow part. If you are working out how to make a Canvas quiz from a textbook chapter or a set of slides, DeckOwl can draft the questions from your own files. Upload the PDF, DOCX, PPTX or notes, and it returns multiple-choice, true/false or open questions, each with an explanation.

Generate questions from PDFs, PPTX slides, DOCX files, plain notes or photos of pages.
Choose multiple choice, true/false or open questions, each with an explanation.
The free plan includes 3 generations per month and studying in the browser; exports are paid.
Pro adds QTI 2.1 and Moodle XML export for importing into a learning management system.

Example Canvas quiz setup questions

In Canvas, what does the Allowed Attempts setting control?It sets how many times a student can submit the quiz. Limiting it to one keeps scores comparable on a graded test.

What is the difference between Classic Quizzes and New Quizzes in Canvas?New Quizzes is Canvas's newer engine with item banks, while Classic Quizzes is the older one, so confirm which your course uses before building.

Why turn on Shuffle Answers for a multiple-choice question in Canvas?It randomizes the answer order for each student, which makes copying from a neighbor less useful.

When should you choose to show correct answers to students in a Canvas quiz?Show them after students finish, so they can review mistakes without passing answers to classmates who have not yet taken the quiz.

What should a true/false question test in a Canvas quiz?One clear idea stated as a fact, so a student is not marked wrong because of a detail buried in a long sentence.

Generate the full set

Built from your material

Upload PDF, DOCX, PPTX, plain text or photos of pages, and the questions come from what you actually teach.

Three question formats

Choose multiple choice, true/false or open questions, and each one includes an explanation for the correct answer.

Export for your LMS

Pro exports QTI 2.1 and Moodle XML, so you can move reviewed questions into your learning management system.

How it works

Upload your source

Add the chapter, slides or notes you want to test students on.

Pick question types

Select multiple choice, true/false or open questions and generate a set.

Review and export

Edit weak questions, check the explanations, then export the file your course needs.

Read every draft against your source before it reaches students. AI output can be wrong or cover material you did not teach, so keep the questions that match your learning outcomes, edit the wording, and set point values yourself. Mixing question types, such as a few true/false items among multiple choice, often shows more clearly what students understand.

When the questions are ready, export them as QTI 2.1 or Moodle XML on the Pro plan. Check that your Canvas instance accepts the file on a test course before a graded quiz depends on it.

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Frequently asked questions

How many questions should a Canvas quiz have?

There is no fixed rule, but 10 to 20 questions works well for a unit check and usually fits in one sitting. Adjust the length to how long your students need per question.

How do I keep a Canvas quiz fair when students can look things up?

Set a time limit, shuffle questions and answers, and allow one attempt for graded quizzes. Application questions resist lookup better than simple recall questions.

Can I export AI-generated questions straight into Canvas?

Exports are paid features: PDF and DOCX are on Plus, and QTI 2.1 and Moodle XML are on Pro. Confirm that your Canvas instance accepts the import format before relying on it for a live quiz.

Is the free plan enough to try it out?

Yes, the free plan includes 3 generations per month and studying in the browser. Try it on one chapter first, then decide whether a paid plan fits your workflow.

Generate free quizzes

Keep exploring the topic

Review the main ideas visually or practice recalling them.