diff --git a/perguntations/questions.py b/perguntations/questions.py
index fc585df..c406607 100644
--- a/perguntations/questions.py
+++ b/perguntations/questions.py
@@ -32,44 +32,6 @@ QDict = NewType('QDict', Dict[str, Any])
 class QuestionException(Exception):
     '''Exceptions raised in this module'''
 
-# FIXME if this works, use it below
-def QuestionFrom(question: dict):
-    types = {
-        'radio':            QuestionRadio,
-        'checkbox':         QuestionCheckbox,
-        'text':             QuestionText,
-        'text-regex':       QuestionTextRegex,
-        'numeric-interval': QuestionNumericInterval,
-        'textarea':         QuestionTextArea,
-        # 'code':             QuestionCode,
-        # -- informative panels --
-        'information':      QuestionInformation,
-        'success':          QuestionInformation,
-        'warning':          QuestionInformation,
-        'alert':            QuestionInformation,
-        }
-
-    # Get class for this question type
-    try:
-        qclass = types[question['type']]
-    except KeyError:
-        logger.error('Invalid type "%s" in "%s"',
-                     question['type'], question['ref'])
-        raise
-
-    # Finally create an instance of Question()
-    try:
-        qinstance = qclass(QDict(question))
-    except QuestionException:
-        logger.error('Error generating question "%s". See "%s/%s"',
-                     question['ref'],
-                     question['path'],
-                     question['filename'])
-        raise
-
-    return qinstance
-
-
 
 # ============================================================================
 # Questions derived from Question are already instantiated and ready to be
@@ -769,6 +731,48 @@ class QuestionInformation(Question):
         super().correct()
         self['grade'] = 1.0  # always "correct" but points should be zero!
 
+
+
+
+# ============================================================================
+def question_from(qdict: dict):
+    '''
+    Converts a question specified in a dict into an instance of Question()
+    '''
+    types = {
+        'radio':            QuestionRadio,
+        'checkbox':         QuestionCheckbox,
+        'text':             QuestionText,
+        'text-regex':       QuestionTextRegex,
+        'numeric-interval': QuestionNumericInterval,
+        'textarea':         QuestionTextArea,
+        # 'code':             QuestionCode,
+        # -- informative panels --
+        'information':      QuestionInformation,
+        'success':          QuestionInformation,
+        'warning':          QuestionInformation,
+        'alert':            QuestionInformation,
+        }
+
+    # Get class for this question type
+    try:
+        qclass = types[qdict['type']]
+    except KeyError:
+        logger.error('Invalid type "%s" in "%s"',
+                     qdict['type'], qdict['ref'])
+        raise
+
+    # Create an instance of Question() of appropriate type
+    try:
+        qinstance = qclass(QDict(qdict))
+    except QuestionException:
+        logger.error('Error generating "%s" in %s/%s',
+                     qdict['ref'], qdict['path'], qdict['filename'])
+        raise
+
+    return qinstance
+
+
 # ============================================================================
 class QFactory():
     '''
@@ -802,25 +806,8 @@ class QFactory():
       grade = question['grade']        # get grade
     '''
 
-    # Depending on the type of question, a different question class will be
-    # instantiated. All these classes derive from the base class `Question`.
-    _types = {
-        'radio':            QuestionRadio,
-        'checkbox':         QuestionCheckbox,
-        'text':             QuestionText,
-        'text-regex':       QuestionTextRegex,
-        'numeric-interval': QuestionNumericInterval,
-        'textarea':         QuestionTextArea,
-        # 'code':             QuestionCode,
-        # -- informative panels --
-        'information':      QuestionInformation,
-        'success':          QuestionInformation,
-        'warning':          QuestionInformation,
-        'alert':            QuestionInformation,
-        }
-
     def __init__(self, qdict: QDict = QDict({})) -> None:
-        self.question = qdict
+        self.qdict = qdict
 
     # ------------------------------------------------------------------------
     async def gen_async(self) -> Question:
@@ -829,44 +816,27 @@ class QFactory():
         which is a descendent of base class Question.
         '''
 
-        logger.debug('generating %s...', self.question["ref"])
+        logger.debug('generating %s...', self.qdict["ref"])
         # Shallow copy so that script generated questions will not replace
         # the original generators
-        question = self.question.copy()
-        question['qid'] = str(uuid.uuid4())  # unique for each question
+        qdict = self.qdict.copy()
+        qdict['qid'] = str(uuid.uuid4())  # unique for each question
 
         # If question is of generator type, an external program will be run
         # which will print a valid question in yaml format to stdout. This
         # output is then yaml parsed into a dictionary `q`.
-        if question['type'] == 'generator':
-            logger.debug(' \\_ Running "%s".', question['script'])
-            question.setdefault('args', [])
-            question.setdefault('stdin', '')
-            script = path.join(question['path'], question['script'])
+        if qdict['type'] == 'generator':
+            logger.debug(' \\_ Running "%s".', qdict['script'])
+            qdict.setdefault('args', [])
+            qdict.setdefault('stdin', '')
+            script = path.join(qdict['path'], qdict['script'])
             out = await run_script_async(script=script,
-                                         args=question['args'],
-                                         stdin=question['stdin'])
-            question.update(out)
-
-        # Get class for this question type
-        try:
-            qclass = self._types[question['type']]
-        except KeyError:
-            logger.error('Invalid type "%s" in "%s"',
-                         question['type'], question['ref'])
-            raise
+                                         args=qdict['args'],
+                                         stdin=qdict['stdin'])
+            qdict.update(out)
 
-        # Finally create an instance of Question()
-        try:
-            qinstance = qclass(QDict(question))
-        except QuestionException:
-            logger.error('Error generating question "%s". See "%s/%s"',
-                         question['ref'],
-                         question['path'],
-                         question['filename'])
-            raise
-
-        return qinstance
+        question = question_from(qdict)  # returns a Question instance
+        return question
 
     # ------------------------------------------------------------------------
     def generate(self) -> Question:
--
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