How To Have Your Own Practice Test Created! Free!

Here are step-by-step instructions for creating your own custom test data files that we can then use to program randomly generated sample tests:

1. First take a look at the sample test and sample test key to get a feel for how the sample test works using the spreadsheet that you will edit.
2. Open and save the Excel file spreadsheet.xls to your computer. You will edit this file and use your own test questions and answers.
3. If you plan to use images for your questions or answers you probably also will want to save the sample question image file question2-1.gif to your computer and also save the sample answer image file answer6-1.gif to your computer.
4. If you are not using any images, use Excel to edit the spreadsheet.xls fields of text and answer. There is also an optional category field that you may edit, but you don't have to edit it unless you want the category listed with each question. In the sample tests I have developed, I have not listed categories, but it can easily be done. If no images are used, you can skip to step 7 after you edit all the text and answer cells. If you want your test to be longer or shorter, you can do so and we can make appropriate changes in code. If you wish to use more than 4 or less than 4 possible questions for each problem, email me and I can send out the appropriate spreadsheet.
5. If you are using images in the questions, create image files and reference them in the questionimage field. In the sample test that corresponds to the sample Excel spreadsheet file you saved, there are question images used for all four options of question 2. For question 2-1 (question 2, option 1), the image is named question2-1.gif. If you used a question image for question 23, option 4, you would insert question23-4.gif in the questionimage field in the Excel spreadsheet file and also you would create a GIF file named question23-4.gif. Microsoft Paint, the free utility available on nearly every PC, can be used to create and edit GIF files. Also, there are other tools like Photoscape (free) that work well. Your image may be any height you need it to be but it should be 650 pixels wide like the sample images. If no image is used, leave the cell entries blank20.gif as is - this inserts a blank line 20 pixels high.
6. If you are using images in the answers, create image files and reference them in the answerimage field. In the sample test key that corresponds to the sample Excel spreadsheet file you saved, there are answer images used for all four options of question 6. For the answer to question 6-1 (question 6, option 1), the image is named answer6-1.gif. If you used an answer image for question 23, option 4, you would insert answer23-4.gif in the answerimage field in the Excel spreadsheet file and also you would create a GIF file named answer23-4.gif. Again, if no image is used, leave the cell entries blank20.gif as is - this inserts a blank 20 pixel high line.
7. When you have completed your spreadsheet.xls file and created all question and answer images that you need, zip them together using either WinZip or one of the free zip tools shown here and email them to me at mikesemail2000-tests@yahoo.com. If you have 5 or fewer total files, they may be emailed individually at unzipped attachments. Note that if you are not using any image files, all you have to send me back is the edited spreadsheet.xls file. Along with the files, give me the Title of your test. Also, if you want Categories listed in the test or the test key, let me know.
8. We will contact you when your test is ready or let you know if you need to make any changes.

Note that any test you create will be available to anybody using this site and your submission implies your permission for us to post your data on this site. You or your students may use these tests online. Also, you may copy and paste the contents into a Word document (or Open source word processor if you use FireFox) and edit for content, spacing, or printability. Include the acknowledgement Free Practice Test Courtesy of YourPracticeTest.com on the bottom of at least one page of any test you redistribute.