Getting Started with Respondus (Faculty)

Updated on Dec 15, 2025

Overview

Respondus is a comprehensive tool designed to streamline the creation and management of quizzes, allowing faculty to build exams offline and publish them directly to Canvas Classic Quizzes. This system significantly increases efficiency, saving valuable hours whether you are printing paper tests or delivering online assessments. This guide details the essential features of the Respondus suite and provides key resources to help you seamlessly integrate the tool into your Canvas courses.

Key Features:

Exam Authoring: Create and manage exams offline in a Windows environment. Supports up to 15 question types, including multiple choice, true/false, matching, fill-in-the-blank, and calculated questions. Has the ability to import questions from Word documents or other formats.
Question Import & Conversion: Import questions from Word, rich text, or CSV files. Convert existing exams from other formats into Respondus-compatible files.
Publishing to LMS: Seamless integration with major LMS platforms (Canvas, Blackboard, Moodle, etc.). Publish exams directly to your LMS or retrieve exams from it for editing.
Offline Editing: Work on exams without needing an internet connection. Useful for faculty who prefer to prepare assessments offline.
Batch Upload & Management: Upload multiple questions at once. Organize questions into pools or banks for reuse.
Print Options: Generate printed versions of exams for paper-based testing or review. Create answer keys and randomized versions for academic integrity.
Multimedia Support: Embed images, audio, and video into questions. Great for language learning, science, and other multimedia-rich subjects.