How to Create a Test (Movie 04:47)

Test Basics

No purely online assessment system can prevent all forms of cheating. Unless you are giving the test as a proctored computer lab test, you should consider Blackboard assessments tantamount to a take-home exam. If you are not comfortable with take-home exams, you should not be using Blackboard for assessments.

  1. Ensure Edit Mode is ON, and access the Content Area where the test will be added.
  2. On the Action Bar, mouse over the Assessments tab.
  3. Select Test.
  4. On the Create Test page, select a test from the Add Test box.
  5. Click Submit.

    After an existing test is added to a Content Area, the Test Options Options page appears.

    Topic: Setting Test Options

  6. If desired, edit the Test Name.
  7. If desired, edit the Test Description and whether or not it opens in a new window.
  8. Under Test Availability, select the Yes radio node for Make the Link Available to students.
  9. Select Self-assessments Options. Be aware that these are very important in how the test is administered.
  10. Select how long you wish for the test to be available to students and if it should or should not have a password to access.
  11. Click Add User of Group if you want to make Test Availability Exceptions for certain students in the course. NOTE: Timer and Force Completion must be enabled (See Step 9) to allow for Exceptions.
    7-3-2013 11-44-35 AM
  12. Select the due date.
  13. Select options regarding grading.
  14. Select the various forms of feedback you wish to return to your students.
    7-3-2013 12-07-55 PM
  15. Select how you wish the students to view the test.
  16. Click Submit.
    7-3-2013 12-14-05 PM

If the name or description of the test is changed, the changes only appear in the Content Area. They will not change in the Tests tool or in the Grade Center column.

Setting Test Availability

The following table describes which Test Availability options to select based on your pedagogical requirements.

 Option When to select
Make the Link AvailableSelect Yes to make the test available to students. The default setting is No.NOTE: If a display date is selected (see Display After or Display Until explained below), that setting will be used in conjunction with the link availability setting.
Add a New Announcement for TestSelect Yes to announce the availability of a test. The announcement text is automatically generated and includes the test location.
Multiple AttemptsSelect Multiple Attempts to allow students to take the test more than once. Use the Grade Center settings to determine which score to use. Left unselected, students are allowed one attempt.
Force CompletionSelect to force students to take the test the first time it is launched—without saving it and returning to it later.
Set Timer HoursSelect to know how long students take to complete the test. If the timer is set, students are timed, but not stopped if the time expires; however, their grades are withheld until you review the tests. A timer is visible to the students during the test.
Display After and Display UntilSelect the display dates for test availability during a specific time frame.
PasswordSelect to set a password requirement for students to access the test. Passwords are limited to 15 characters and are case-sensitive.