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Learn about Test Banks


What is a Test Bank?
What does a Test Bank look like?
What are the benefits of Test Banks?
In which software format are Test Banks delivered?
Why are there different versions of Test Banks?
Which version should a lecturer use?
How does a lecturer obtain a Test Bank?
Which OUP textbooks have Test Banks?



What is a Test Bank?


A Test Bank is a ready-made electronic testing resource that can be customised by lecturers for their teaching.

Written by an OUP author, it is tailored to the contents of an individual textbook. Feedback is often provided on answers given by students, containing page references to the book.

Questions can be any of the following types:

Test Banks are available in a number of software formats to cater for a wide range of users, and are password protected to ensure that only lecturers gain access.



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What does a Test Bank look like?


The following screenshot shows an example of a Test Bank created using Questionmark Perception software.


Questionmark screenshot



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What are the benefits of Test Banks?




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Which software formats are used?


Some assessment packages allow instructors both to create assessments and also administer them electronically. The most popular example of this type of software in the UK is called Questionmark Perception. (Another example is called Exam View.) All OUP Test Banks are available to download as a "Qpack" directly into an institution's Questionmark Perception software.

Questionmark logo

Another example of assessment software used by OUP is called Respondus. Unlike Questionmark Perception, Respondus doesn't allow assessments to be administered. it is, however, more flexible in other ways because once an assessment has been created it can then be imported directly into a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), such as Blackboard, Web CT, and Moodle. It can also be printed to paper. All OUP Test Banks are available to download from the Respondus Test Bank network.

Respondus logo

All OUP Test Banks are also available in Word format, which does not offer the same functionality as Questionmark Perception or Respondus, but enables institutions which do not have the relevant software/systems set up to make use of the questions and print them out.

Lecturers can also request a Test Bank to be made available as QTI XML, if their institution has any other software that conforms to international standards. QTI stands for Question and Test Interoperability and is the international standard associated with Test Banks, allowing for interoperability between different types of assessment software. Lecturers may need to consult their ICT support person/e-learning co-ordinator for advice.



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Why are there different versions?


Despite some international standards aimed to facilitate the importing and exporting of assessments between systems, each system tends to recognise and organise Test Banks differently. In order to minimise the amount of tweaking a lecturer may have to do when importing a Test Bank, OUP provides Test Bank files in all of the most popular assessment software formats, as outlined above.



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Which version should a lecturer use?


Lecturers should know whether their institution has Questionmark Perception, any other type of assessment software, or a VLE. If not, they should refer to their ICT support person/e-learning co-ordinator for advice.

If an institution has a VLE, while a Test Bank will always be available to download via the Respondus Test Bank network, there may additionally be a VLE 'cartridge' available for all the resources for that textbook (for more information about VLE cartridges, see the 'Learn about VLE' page). If a VLE cartridge is available, we advise this should be used, as this will contain all the other resources for the textbook (including the Test Bank files) in a format that corresponds with their system.

It is still possible, of course, to use the Respondus files if a lecturer solely requires the Test bank.



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How does a lecturer obtain a Test Bank?


Any lecturer adopting a textbook is eligible for access to the password-protected lecturer area of an Online Resource Centre, and this includes any Test Bank content.

Lecturers should register for access on the textbook's Online Resource Centre. All password applications are verified and activated within two working days. Once registered and provided with a password, they should go back to the textbook's Online Resource Centre. Then:

  1. Click on the 'Test Bank' link in the left-hand navigation bar, or in the body of the page.

  2. Click on the appropriate version of the Test Bank and follow the specific instructions to download it to your computer (this should only take a few minutes).

  3. You can now upload the Test Bank.
    Please see 'Importing and customising Test Banks' for a step-by-step guide to specific systems.




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Titles with Test Banks are:


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