Formatting CSV files for question conversion

For more information on the conversion workflow, see Conversion from exam files.

Preparing the CSV file

A well-structured CSV helps TAO Studio distinguish between question prompts, answer choices, correct answers, and any supporting metadata when converting the source content into digital assessment items.

Organize the CSV so that each row represents one question and each column represents a consistent type of information.

Depending on your content, the CSV columns can include:

• Question prompt: The question or instruction presented to the test taker.

• Option A, Option B, Option C, Option D: The available answer choices. Use a separate column for each option.

• Correct answer: The option that should be identified as correct. Use a consistent format throughout the file, such as A, B, C, or D.

• Metadata: Optional information that provides additional context or can help categorize the generated content, such as subject, grade, difficulty, standard, or source.

What happens during CSV conversion

During conversion, TAO Studio analyzes the first 50 records to identify which columns contain relevant information. AI may be used during this step to determine how the columns correspond to these fields.

Once the columns have been identified, mapping is applied to the entire CSV. Each row is converted into a separate question, and each column designates the configuration of that question. During this process:

• Answer choice columns are converted into answer options, with empty options omitted.

• Correct answer values are preserved.

• Additional columns can be converted into metadata.

• Common question types, including single choice, multiple choice, true/false, and essay, can be inferred from the source content.

• Plain text is converted to safe HTML, while existing HTML is preserved.

• Valid image URLs can be used to embed images in questions.

The data is saved to the TAO Studio library as QTI material. Depending on the selected conversion mode, the output can consist of individual questions or questions assembled as part of a test.

Example

For example, a CSV containing three multiple-choice questions could be structured as follows: