Add Tests
The Add Tests feature allows you to add a test or quiz to any Content
Area of your course site. You can use this feature to either create a
new test or to add an existing test. Test questions created in
Blackboard, with the exception of Short Answer/Essay questions, are
automatically graded and entered into the Gradebook. Short
Answer/Essay questions require manual grading. They cannot be
automatically graded by the Blackboard.
From the Control Panel:
1. Click on your desired Content Area.
2. Click the
Test icon.
3. Select your test from the Add Test list. Note: If you have not
yet created a test, click Create. See the Test Manager document
for step-by-step instructions on how to create a test.
4. Click Submit and OK.
5. Once the test is added to the Content Area the Modify Test
page will appear.
Modify the Test in the test canvas if you need to revise the text
of a test, including the description, instructions, and test
questions.
Note: A warning will appear if any Students are in the process of
taking the Test or have already taken the Test when Modify is
selected. Certain areas of the Test will not be available for
modification if the Test has already been taken by Students. If
the Instructor modifies an Assessment after a Student has
submitted it, the Student will view the new, modified
Assessment when they view their grade and feedback. They will
not view their original Assessment attempt.
Name – Allows you to modify the name of the test.
Choose Color of Name – Allows you to choose the color the
name will appear.
Description – Allows you to enter a text description for the test.
Launch Item in external window – Allows you to define if the
test will open up in a new window when the link is click by the
student.
Modify the Test options includes options for setting the Test
information such availability, feedback, and presentation of the
Test in addition to the name and description.
Test Availability
Do you want to make the link visible? – This option makes
the test visible. Visible means that your students can see and
take the test. Typically documents are made “invisible” when
you don’t want students to access them. This option can be
changed at any time.
Add a new announcement for this Test – Select “yes” if you
would like and Assessment Posted Announcement to appear in
your Blackboard course.
Allow multiple attempts - This option allows students to take
an assessment multiple times. Scores and answers from all
attempts are saved and the instructor has the option of saving
the following in the Gradebook:
 First attempt
 Last attempt
 Highest attempt
 Lowest attempt
 All attempts within a specific date range
Force Completion – This option requires the student to
complete the assessment the first and only time it is launched.
Set time limit - This feature allows you to limit the time your
students have to take a test. The clock starts as soon as the
student begins taking the test and displays in the lower left
corner of the screen on the browser. Students get a five-minute
or one-minute warning, depending on time limit. If the student
goes over the limit they will still be allowed to complete the test,
however, they will not receive a grade in the Gradebook. The
status of the test will be "Needs Grading." You will have to
review the test and the time they exceeded, in order for you to
change or accept the score.
Display after - This option allows you to make the test available
automatically by setting a timer. Make sure the date and time
are correct for both the “Display after” and “Display until”
settings. The default values in the calendar are not the current
time.
Display until - This feature removes the functionality of the test
link on a specified date. This feature does not alter the visibility
of the link.
Set password - This feature requires that students enter a
password, which is assigned by the instructor, before taking the
assessment. This optional choice can increase security for on-line
tests.
Self-assessment Options
Include this test in the Gradebook score calculations will
allow the instructor and student to view the results.
Hide the score of this test from the Gradebook will allow
only the student to view the grade and the grade is not included
in the final score.
Test Feedback - Instructors may select any combination of the
score, submitted answers, correct answers and feedback. In
addition, instructors have the option of not selecting any Test
Feedback.
Test Presentation – Presentation Mode
 All at Once – The student is presented the entire
assessment on one screen
 One at a Time – The student is presented only one
question at a time.
 Prohibit Backtracking – Prevents students from
returning to questions they’ve already answered
 Randomize Questions – Randomizes the questions on
the assessment so that each student will see a different
order or set of questions.
6. Click Submit.
Questions and Answers:
Q: I have created a test in the Test Manager, but the students cannot
see it.
A: The test needs to be added to a Content Areas using the Add Test
icon. Tests also need to be made visible under Modify test options
before students can access them.
Q: I created a test earlier, but it doesn’t show up in my Select an
existing test box.
A: Tests can only be added to Content Areas once. If the test has been
used before, it will not show up on the list of available tests. If you
want to reuse questions, you can create a new assessment based on
questions from the original assessment.
Q: Where can I get more instructions on how to create a test?
A: See the Test Manager document.
Q: May I also create a link from the Announcements page?
A: You can create a link to the Content Areas where the test is located,
but you can not create a direct link to the test in the Announcements
section.
Q: How do I view grades?
A: When students take a test in Blackboard, their score is
automatically entered in the Gradebook. If you want to view a
student’s individual question responses, click on their score in the
Gradebook.
Q: How do I grade the short answer questions?
A: From the Gradebook, access the student's test results by clicking on
the Exclamation Point in the spreadsheet view. This will show you
the student's individual answers. Add the points received in the Points
field and click Submit.
Q: How do I turn off the test when I no longer want students to be
able to take it?
A: In the Test Manager, click on the Modify button next to the name
of the test. In the Modify Test Options link, choose No to the Do
you want to make this link visible question and click Submit.
Q: How secure are on-line tests? How can I make them more secure?
A: Anytime you give a student a test online, you run of risk of
cheating. At this time, there is no way to make sure that your student
is the one actually taking the test. This does not mean that the test
feature is Blackboard should not be used. To increase test security you
can add passwords, randomize questions, put time limits on tests, or
administer them in a proctored lab environment. You can also create
assessment questions that assume the “open book, open note” type of
an environment and will require essays or short answers. However, if
security concerns are too great, you might consider using the test
feature in Blackboard is for practice or review tests. This is an
especially good use for the Allow Multiple Attempts, Selfassessments, the random sampling and question pool features.