Question Writer

Question Writer is a quiz authoring tool for Microsoft Windows. It is used for authoring questions and compiling them into quizzes in HTML5 format. The software is published by Central Question.[1]

Question Writer
Stable release
Question Writer (3.0) / May 1, 2008
Operating systemWindows
TypeQuiz Authoring
LicenseProprietary EULA
WebsiteQuestion Writer home page

User interface

The user interface treats each quiz as a separate document. The document interface makes available the questions in a tree-view on the left hand side and a large preview pane on the right hand side. This pane can display a preview of the question, section or entire quiz. The software uses a multiple document interface allowing a number of quizzes to be open simultaneously. Drag and drop is used to re-order questions within a quiz and copy questions between quizzes.

Versions

Question Writer is in its third iteration and comes in three editions, 'Basic', 'Standard' and 'Professional'.[2] The Basic version is made freely available for personal use but is restricted to multiple choice questions.[3] The Standard version has a wider range of question types, features and quiz themes. The Professional version adds more advanced features, notably a partial credit question[4] and question pooling.[5]

Features

Question Writer users create quizzes by adding questions and choosing the settings that apply to the quiz. The main settings allow changes to do with question randomization and selection, time limits, the reporting and feedback level, the marking scheme and the passing score.

8 question types can be used, those are

  • Multiple Choice
  • Multiple Response
  • Matching[6]
  • Sequencing[7]
  • Fill in the Blank
  • Essay[8]
  • True/False
  • Partial Credit[4]

Manual

The manual is available online as a WikiBook.[9]

Publishing

Quizzes can be published for the web, in which case a SWF is compiled and exported together with a small driver HTML and JavaScript file. Quizzes can also be published as SCORM packages, in which case the files are published inside a SCORM 1.2 compliant zip file. Question Writer is notable in that it compiles all the resources of a quiz into a single standalone SWF file.

File formats

Question Writer makes use of various file formats. The main ones are:

Format File Extension Extent
Quiz Source .qwz .qwz files contain source material for the application. Question Writer can edit QWZ files and compile them into quizzes. All resources required for a quiz are contained in the .qwz file.
Themes .qws .qws files contain themes. Question Writer can apply a QWS file to a quiz to give it a new look and feel.
Flash .swf Question Writer compiles quizzes into .swf files that can be played back in the Flash player. Question Writer also imports .swf files for use as supporting material for questions.
Images .gif / .jpg Images in GIF and JPEG formats can be imported to be used as illustrations to support questions.
Text Questions .txt / .rtf Questions stored in a text file in a specified format can be imported.[10]
Moodle XML .xml Questions that have been exported from the Moodle LMS or prepared for import into the Moodle LMS in XML format can be imported[11][12]

References
  1. "Publisher website".
  2. "Question Writer Feature Comparison".
  3. "Product blog entry on personal usage".
  4. "Partial Credit question description".
  5. "Introduction to question pooling".
  6. "Matching question description".
  7. "Sequencing question description".
  8. "Essay question description".
  9. "Question Writer 3 Manual".
  10. "Text import format".
  11. "Import formats".
  12. "Moodle XML format".
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