How to Use Stimulus in Quizzes

Introduction

In Canvas, a stimulus is a piece of content, such as a passage, image, or graph, that is presented alongside one or more related questions. It's commonly used in New Quizzes and acts as a shared reference for multiple items, helping instructors assess student understanding based on a specific set of information.

Contents

• How to Create a Stimulus in Canvas New Quizzes

Step-by-Step Instructions

How to Create a Stimulus in Canvas New Quizzes

This guide walks you through inserting a stimulus block and attaching questions to it inside a Canvas New Quiz.

1. Click "+" to add a new item:
   • In the quiz builder, click the plus (+) button where you want to add your stimulus.
2. Select "Stimulus" from the item type menu:
   • Choose Stimulus from the list of question/item types.
3. Enter a title for the stimulus (optional):
   • If you'd like, give the stimulus a short title for your reference. This title does not display to students.
4. Add your stimulus content:
   • In the content area, enter the text, image, table, you want students to read or view. Use the Rich Content Editor to format as needed.

NOTE: An instructor should add alt text to their images to ensure that all students, including those with visual impairments or who use screen readers, can access and understand the content. Alt text provides a written description of the image, allowing students who can't see it to grasp its purpose or meaning. This supports inclusive teaching, aligns with accessibility laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and helps create an equitable learning environment for everyone.

1. Select your orientation:
   • Currently you can select two options - Questions to the right or Questions Below.
2. Click "Done" to save the stimulus:
   • After adding the content, click Done to insert the stimulus block into your quiz.
3. Select "Attach Question":
   • Below or to the right of your stimulus block, click + Add Question to attach one or more questions related to the stimulus content.
4. Choose a question type:
   • Select a question type (e.g., Multiple Choice, Matching, True/False) from the list.
   • Note: you can also select Item banks connected to your course by clicking the Folder Icon in the right corner of the Question select screen.
     
5. Write your question and answers:
   • Enter your question text, choices, and correct answer(s) in the question editor.
6. Click "Done" to save the question:
   • Click Done to finish creating the question. Repeat the add-question steps to include more questions under the same stimulus.
     
7. Click "Return" to go back to the quiz page:
   • Once you're done adding questions, click Return in the top-right corner of the page to exit the quiz builder.
     
8. Click "Publish" when the quiz is ready:
   • From the main quiz page, click Publish to make the quiz available to students.

Have Questions? Contact the Academic Technology Support Team

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