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Exam Design

A well-designed exam helps Uflo identify pages, match them to students, and isolate answers for grading. Missing page numbers, unlabeled answer boxes, or absent student ID fields will cause delays and require manual work after scanning. Follow the guidelines below carefully before creating your exam document.

Page Numbers

Every page must have a clearly visible page number. Exams are disassembled and scanned as individual pages, so Uflo relies on page numbers to reconstruct order and detect missing pages.
  • Place page numbers at the bottom center of each page, including the cover/title page.
  • Use at least 10pt font and ensure page numbers are not crowded by other content.
  • If your exam has an odd page count, add a blank page so the total is even. Otherwise, the blank back side of the last page will have no page number, causing scanning issues.
Common MistakePage numbers placed only in the document header may not print reliably. Always verify page numbers appear correctly on a printed test copy.

Student ID Fields

In order for Uflo to identify each student, the first page of the exam must include:
  • Student full name
  • Student ID number
  • You may also include additional information such as date of exam, seat number, etc.
  • It is also recommended to include student identifiers on every page of the exam.
Put Student Info on All PagesIf the cover page is shuffled into another student’s exam during disassembly or scanning, pages without identification cannot be matched to a student automatically.

Formatting Questions

Free Response

  • Specify point values in the question stem including each subquestion.
  • Extend questions to the full page width. Avoid placing questions side by side.
  • Add a bordered answer box (bordered text box in Word) after each question, as large as possible, without overlapping questions, exceeding margins, or covering page numbers.
  • Avoid answer boxes that span multiple pages, as Uflo does not support them.
Example of a free response question with a bordered answer box below the question stem

Multiple Choice

  • Label each answer choice alphabetically as A, B, C, D, E…
  • Include a bubble next to each choice for students to fill in solidly, like a scantron.
  • Circling, crossing, or other selection methods are not supported.
Example of a multiple choice question with bubble answer choices labeled A through D

Additional Tips

Beyond the rules above, these practices will improve scan quality and grading accuracy:
  • Use high-contrast black text on light backgrounds. Avoid watermarks in answer boxes.
  • Use a standard, readable font (Arial, Times New Roman, or Calibri at 11–12pt).
  • Keep content at least 0.5 inches from page edges, as scanners may clip margins.
  • Include a brief instruction reminding students to write their name and ID.
  • If your exam has multiple versions, include the version label on the cover or every page.
  • Every page must contain text since scanners may skip blank pages and cause uneven page counts (common with scratch paper or odd-paged exams printed double-sided).

Saving Your Exam Files

Prepare and save the following files before printing:
  • Blank template (PDF only): Contains only question prompts, answer boxes, and student ID fields without solutions or rubric. Used to generate QR coded printouts.
  • Complete template (Word or PDF): Includes all questions, solutions, and rubric. Used to import questions and configure AI grading.
  • Name files clearly to avoid confusion (e.g. Exam2_Complete.docx vs Exam2_Blank.pdf).
  • Keep original editable files in case revisions are needed.

QR Codes and Printing

Before printing, upload the blank template so Uflo can stamp QR codes on each page.
ImportantAlways use the blank exam template for this step. Students should not see solutions or rubric on their printed exam.

Uploading the Blank Template

1

Navigate to Uflo

In Uflo, navigate to the course you want to assess and create a chapter for the exam.
2

Create a New Assessment

Inside the chapter, click ”+ Test” to create an assessment. Set the name, due date, total points, and allowed attempts to 1, then uncheck the visibility box.
3

Open Grading App

Then open the SYNC dropdown inside the assessment and click on Import Submissions.
4

Upload Blank Template

Upload your blank exam template PDF and preview it with QR codes
5

Preview QR-codes

Adjust the count and placement of QR codes and download the template.
6

Configure the Exam

Enter the number of questions in the exam and select which pages contain student info.
Best PracticeUse the preview tool to verify QR codes don’t overlap with question text or answer boxes.

Printing the Exam

  • Print the downloaded PDF on standard white 8.5” × 11” paper at 100% scale.
  • Do not “fit to page” or scale to margins, as this can distort or cut off QR codes.
  • Print one extra copy for your own records before the exam.
Finalize Before PrintingIf you change question content after QR codes have been generated, you must regenerate QR codes and reprint the exam. Finalize everything before printing.

Next: Before Administering

Upload your exam file and configure AI grading in Uflo.
Last modified on April 9, 2026