How to take a Test or Survey in Blackboard
Blackboard allows you tutor to create online test and surveys in your Blackboard module.
These tests or surveys can be located in the content area of your module.
Your tutor should advise if they are using such tools in your Blackboard module and where in your
module these can be accessed within the module.
This section provides some helpful tips when taking a test or survey.
This section includes information about the different types of questions and what you can do
as a test taker to optimize your test taking experience.
Please click on the links provided below to the section you wish to access
  • Test Taking Warnings
  • Locating Your Test
  • Question Types
  • Test Presentation
  • Saving and Submitting Your Answers
  • Multiple Assessment Attempts
  • Force Completion
  • Timed Assessment
  • Prohibit Backtracking
  • Feedback and Grades
Please follow the steps below to begin taking a Test:
1. Locate the Test in your Blackboard module and click the link associated with it.
2.ClickBeginto begin the Assessment.

Note:Your tutor may choose to have password set to begin taking an Assessment.
If necessary, enter the valid password that was provided to you by your tutor and select Submit to begin
the Assessment. The Assessment will continue to prompt for a valid password until the correct one
is entered.
Back to top
Question Types :
Each test can have several different types of questions.
Below is a list of these question types and a brief description.
  • Multiple Choice: Allows A number of choices with one correct answer.
Indicate the correct answer by selecting a radio button.

  • True / False: A statement with the option to choose either true or false. True/False answer options
are limited to the words True and False
.

  • Fill in the Blank: A statement that requires an answer to complete it.
    Answers are evaluated based on an exact text match.

  • Multiple Answer: A number of choices with one or more correct answers.
  • Matching: Two columns of items where each item in the first column must be matched
    to an item in the second column.
  • Essay: A question where the answer must be entered in a text box.
  • Calculated: Contains a formula with a number of variables.
    The correct answer can be a specific value or a range of values.
  • Calculated Numeric Response: Resembles a fill-in-the-blank question except a number is entered
    to complete the statement. The correct answer can be a specific number or within a range of numbers.

  • File Response: Uploaded files are used to respond to the question.

  • Hot Spot: A specific point on an image is used to indicate the answer.
  • Fill in Multiple Blanks: Multiple responses are inserted into a sentence or paragraph.

  • Jumbled Sentence: A sentence with a number of variables within it.
  • Opinion Scale / Likert: A rating scale used to measure attitudes or reactions.
  • Short Answer: Similar to Essay questions; answer length is limited.

  • Either / Or: A statement with a pre-defined choice of two answers.
  • Quiz Bowl: An answer appears; the users uses a who, what, or where question
    to respond.
Back to top
Test Presentation
Depending on which option your instructor has chosen questions can be displayed one of two ways:
all-at-onceorone-at-a-time
  • All-at-onceAssessments present all of the questions at the same time.

  • One-at-a-timepresents each question at a time.

  • To navigate one-at-a-time tests:
  • Use the navigation arrows (,,, or).
    The Question/Section Indicator describes the current location in the Assessment and the overall
    number of questions. If backtracking is prohibited these arrows will not appear.
  • Theallows the user to backtrack to the very first question of the assessment.
  • Theallows the user to move forward to the very last question of the assessment.
  • Theallows the user to backtrack to the previous question of the assessment.
  • Theallows the user to move forward to the next question of the assessment.
Back to top
Saving and Submitting Your Answers
When taking a test for your course you are allowed the option to save your progress.
Depending on the options your instructor has chosen you can either save and resume the test later on.
You may press the Save button at the bottom of the page at any time. This will save your answers,
but not submit the test for marking. If you left the test and accessed it again at a later date or time your
answers will appear for you, ready for you to complete the unanswered questions. Note that if the test has
a time limit the clock will not stop if you save your progress and resume it later. Therefore do not use
this feature with a timed test. The Save button allows a you to keep their connection / session alive by
allowing you to save your work before submitting or just to save your test periodically.
This is to prevent browser timeouts or internet connection timeouts.
  • When taking an all-at-once test you can use the Save Answer button to the right of each
    question to save a specific question.
  • At the very end of the assessment, click theSubmitbutton to submit your assessment.
    Please note:If you choose to use the Save Answer button to the right of each question
    you must do this with every other question as well.
    If you do not do this and you click Submit at the bottom of the page the system will not
    recognize the rest of the answers you have given.
Back to top
Multiple Assessment Attempts
Allowed: You may take this test as many times as you wish.
Your most recent score will be recorded in the Gradebook.
Not Allowed: You have only one opportunity to take this test.
You will not be permitted to take the test again.
  • Users may be allowed to take an Assessment multiple times.
    If multiple attempts are allowed it is noted at the top of the Assessment.
  • The Instructor may also set a limit on the number of attempts - which will also be noted
    at the top of the assessment.
  • A link to take the Test again appears if the Test is re-opened.
  • The Instructor determines if one or more of the test attempt scores is recorded in the Gradebook.
Back to top
Force Completion
  • Users must complete the Assessment the first time it is launched if Force Completion is enabled.
    It CANNOT be resumed later: You cannot reopen the test and restore your saved answer values.
    You should complete the test in one sitting.
  • If Force Completion is enabled it is noted at the top of the Assessment.
  • Students may not exit the Assessment and continue working on it at a later date.
  • The Save button is available for Students to save the Assessment as they work through it,
    but they may not exit and re-enter the Assessment.
Back to top
Timed Assessment
Timed Assessment
If a time limit has been set a clock will begin counting upwards from zero to the time limit.
Note the clock counts upwards from 0 in the bottom right corner of your browser window.
You will receive a warning before the time limit expires.
  • If the Assessment is timed, the elapsed time appears above the test.
Back to top
Prohibit Backtracking:
  • Users may not return to questions they have already answered if backtracking is prohibited.
    If backtracking is prohibited it is noted at the top of the Assessment.
    When taking an Assessment that does not allow backtracking,
    an error appears if attempting to use the Back button within the Assessment.
Back to top
Feedback and Grades
The results received by the user after completing a Test depend on the options selected by your tutor.
For example, your tutor may only show the final score for one Test, while for another
Test the final score and correct answers are displayed. Feedback includes one or more of the following:
  • The final score for the test - displayed numerically with how many points earned.
  • The answers they submitted - the asnswers selected by the user for each question of an assessment.
  • The correct answers - the correct answers to each question of the assessment.
  • Feedback for the questions - feedback provided by the instructor for a particular question
    or set of questions.
To access feedback and grade information, select the Test in the Content Area or use the My Grades Tool.
Test Taking Warnings
  1. Warning: Before you begin a test, make sure you close any other program or application.
    Make sure Blackboard is the only program open in your computer.
  2. Warning:It is important that users do not use the Back button in the Browser during an Assessment.
    This may cause loss of data.
  3. Warning:When saving each test question during an all-at-once test make sure toclick the Save
    buttonat thebottom of the page before submitting.
  4. Warning:In a timed test, if you save and wish to resume the test later the timer will still
    continue to count down.
  5. Warning:In aforced completiontest youmust completethe test.
    Youcannotsave and resume the test later.
  6. Warning:If the test page loads too long, try to log out and re-login. Remember, if you do this,
    you must do it immediately because the timer will keep running until the Submit button is clicked.
    This solution step will only apply to a non forced completion test.
Back to top

This work is licensed under aCreative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Lead Design & Development -Sukhtinder KaurCELT