Rearranging formatted numbered items

[Peter Schmutzer]

I wrote up a 200 question multiple choice exam for a course I am teaching
and I want to make 2 different copies, with the questions in different
order, to prevent cheating.

The text is formatted in numbered outline style, with each question being
numbered 1 to 200 and each possible answer for each item being labeled a, b,
c, or d.

Can I randomize the order of the questions somehow so that I can make 2
different tests without having to retype 200 questions again? I've tried
cutting and pasting, but the auto-formatted text isn't coming out correctly
when I paste.

Thanks.

 

[Dayo Mitchell]

Hi Peter,

Cutting and pasting is working for me here (word 2001). Did you use the
Format | Bullets and Numbering dialog, or let AutoFormat as You Type apply
it? What version are you in, and if X, have you applied updates 10.1.2,
10.1.4, and 10.1.5?

The answers to this questions actually should not differ from Mac to PC, so
you may also want to post on microsoft.public.word.numbering, and see if
they can help you there.

If you are going to be doing this in the future as well, it is probably
worth setting up your own outline numbered style--Word's numbering is very
complicated. How to do so is explained here:
http://www.shaunakelly.com/word/numbering/OutlineNumbering.html

If you did that, you could assign an outline level to the questions, and
then Outline View should let you move them around very easily.

DM

 

[John McGhie [MVP - Word]]

Hi Peter:

Yes, you can. First you have to understand that the automatic number are
attached to paragraphs. When you copy and paste, you have to be careful how
and what you copy and paste for it to be reliable.

Since you want the questions in random order, what I would do is:

1. create a blank document
2. Copy your questions
3. Paste using Edit>Paste Special>Text Only
4. This gives you a two-column tabbed list. You want to delete the numbers
and the tabs. To do this you hold down the Option key and drag from the top
left corner of the numbers column to the bottom right corner. This selects
a vertical block of text. Press Delete and they are gone.
5. Now select all the questions and use Table>Sort>and choose Paragraphs
6. The questions are now in alphabetic order
7. You can sort by all sorts of things, or you can put numbers in front to
change the sort order.

When you have sorted, save a new version each time.

Having saved your new version, use the Number button to re-number the
questions in the order they currently are in the document.

Hope this helps

I wrote up a 200 question multiple choice exam for a course I am teaching
and I want to make 2 different copies, with the questions in different
order, to prevent cheating.

The text is formatted in numbered outline style, with each question being
numbered 1 to 200 and each possible answer for each item being labeled a, b,
c, or d.

Can I randomize the order of the questions somehow so that I can make 2
different tests without having to retype 200 questions again? I've tried
cutting and pasting, but the auto-formatted text isn't coming out correctly
when I paste.

Thanks.

--

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John McGhie, Consultant Technical Writer,
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
Sydney, Australia. GMT + 10 Hrs
+61 4 1209 1410, mailto:[email protected]