Tests are online assessments that can be used to measure students' understanding of course material. The CMS Test tool permits the instructor to assign point values to each question on a quiz. When a student completes a Test online, it may be automatically graded and recorded in the Grade Center.
Using the online test feature requires two steps:

1. Creating a Test
2. Making a Test available to students

Test Tool Basics

1. To create a Test,

• Click on the Control Panel
• In the Assessment area, click Test Manager
• Click Add Test
• Enter a name, description, instructions and click Submit
• Click Creation Settings, select the appropriate options and click Submit

Note: The Test Creation Settings page allows instructors to adjust settings and add options to a Test. These settings control options, such as feedback to answers, categorization of questions and default point value.

• A receipt confirming your selected options will appear. click OK
• In the Test Canvas, select a question type from the drop down menu. The types of questions that can be created are as follow:

Multiple Choice; True/False; Fill in the Blank; Multiple Answer; Matching; Ordering; Essay

• Click Go and enter the question in the Question Text field

• Type answers to choose from and select the correct answer
• Repeat the steps above as needed. Click OK when finished adding questions.

2. To make a Test available,

• From the Control Panel, click the content area where you would like to add the Test and select Add Test
• Select the Test to add to this content area and click Submit, then click OK
• Click Modify the test options
• Scroll down to Test Availability. Select Yes to Make the link available.

Note: To make the test unavailable, select No to Make the link available. You are advised to not remove the test. Removing a test deletes all student attempt data.

Grading Tests

When a student completes a Test online, it is submitted for grading and the results are recorded in the Grade Center.

To view you students' grades,

• Click on the Control Panel
• In the Assessment area, click Grade Center
• Locate the title of your Test
• The column underneath the title lists your students' grades

Modifying Tests

To modify a Test,

• From the Control Panel, click on Test Manager in the Assessment area
• Click Modify next to the Test that needs to be modified
• Click Modify next to the question that needs to be modified

Note: Only textual changes to existing fields are allowed, for example to correct a typo or reword a confusing question. Note that after you make textual changes, existing assessment attempts (tests that students have already taken) will show the new text, not the original text.

• Enter the changes and click Submit, then click OK

Now that you have read some basic instructions for creating a test and making it available to students, here is a detailed explanation of the test options you may want to utilize once a test has been created.

After creating a test and deploying it in a content area, you will have to click Modify the Test Options. These options will appear.

1. Test Information
   Name : This field is already filled out from when you created the test.
   • Choose Color of Name: Use color to make links to the test stand out
   • Description: This field is already filled out from when you created the test.
   • Open Test in new Window:
     • This option will be helpful if students have to type large amounts of text. Let students know that maximizing this new window will allow them to scroll to the bottom of the test.
2. Test Availability
   • Make the link available:  This controls whether students see the test link or not. This must be set to Yes for the students to take the test. Also, this option is the best way to 'hide' a test from the students.
   • Add a new announcement for this Test: This will create a new entry on the Announcements page about this test.
   • Allow multiple attempts: Only the last attempt will be recorded.
   • Force Completion: (Choose this option carefully.)
     • Students will only have one attempt to complete the test. Although they will be able to save the attempt, once they leave the testing page, they will not be able to return.
   • Set Timer: The timer only works on Internet Explorer 6.x. It appears in the bottom left corner of the window, on the gray status bar.
   • Display After / Display Until: This option controls the link availability. If you would simply like to control the availability of this link manually, leave these boxes unchecked.
   • Password : You can require that students enter a password to take this test.
3. Test Feedback: The options presented here will affect what the students will see after successfully completing and submitting the test.
4. Test Presentation
   • All at Once: Selecting this option will show all of the questions at once.  
   • One at a Time : When this option is selected, the student will have to click Next to get to the next question.
     • Prohibit Backtracking : (Choose this option carefully.) This will prevent students from going back to previous questions and can lock them out of the test if they try to go back.
   • Randomize Questions : This will present the questions in a different order every time, for each student and each attempt.
5. Submit: Click Submit. The options you have selected will be applied to the test.