Hawai ̒i Pacific
University
Creating Tests with Question Sets
In Blackboard, instructors are able to create tests with test banks which can randomly select questions
to limit the chances of cheating. This document will show you how to:
1. Creating a Test
2. Adding a Question Set
3. Deploying a Test
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Creating a Test
1. Click on Tests, Surveys, and Pools
under Course Tools in the Control
Panel
2. On the Tests, Surveys, and Pools page, select Tests
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3. On the Tests page, select
Build Test
4. On the Test Information
Page, type the name of
the test in the Name box
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5. Scroll down to the Instructions text box, type in the instructions for the exam, and then click on the
Submit button.
6. On the Test Canvas page, there will be a confirmation message at the top of the page. Now it is time
to add questions to the exam.
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Adding Question Sets to an Exam
One way to deter students from cheating is to use a pool of questions, and have Blackboard randomly
choose questions from that pool. When creating question sets, instructors should create the sets by
question type (i.e. multiple choice, matching, short answer, etc.).
1. From the Test Canvas, move your cursor over Reuse Question and select Create Question Set
2. On the Create Question Set page, select the pool you want to add to your test.
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3. To filter these questions, click on Question types to expand and check Multiple Choice. This filters
the pool down to 1613 questions.
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4. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on the Show All button.
5. Scroll back to the top of the page. Now all 100 questions are displayed. Select the check box at the
top of the first column to select all the questions, and the Selected Questions will show all 100
questions have been selected. Click the Submit button at the bottom of the page.
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6. On the Test Canvas:
a. There is a message indicate success in adding the Question set. For this example, there are
100 questions in the set.
b. Out of the 100 questions, only 1 question is being selected for this question set worth 10
points
c. To change the amount of questions in this set, click on the Number of Questions to display
d. To change the point value of each question, click on Points per question
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7. Clicking on the Number of Questions to display, enter the amount of questions to randomly include
in this exam and click the Submit button.
8. This exam now contains:
a. 5 total questions for a total of 50 points
b. Questions 1 through 5 of this exam includes 5 questions randomly selected from this
Question Set
c. To change the value of each question, click on the number under Points per question
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9. In the Update Points box, enter the amount of points for each question and click on the Submit
button.
10. The exam has been updated to 5 total questions at 2 points each for a total of 10 points
Follow steps 1-11 to add more question sets.
Tip:
•
Create a question set for each type of question and each chapter/pool. If you wanted multiple
choice questions and short answer questions to be included in the exam from multiple chapters,
create separate question sets for each chapter and each type of questions.
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Deploying a Test
After creating a test, it still needs to be made available (deployed) to the students. To deploy a test:
1. Go to a Content Area. For this
example an Assessment Content
Area link was created on the Course
Menu
2. On the Content Area page, put the cursor over Assessments and select Test
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3. On the Create Test page, select the exam you created from the Add Test box and then click on the
Submit button
4. On the Test Options page, there will be a message at the top of the page indicating that the exam
has been created.
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5. Scroll down to the Test Availability section to set the availability options for your exam
a. By default the link to the test is set to No. Make sure Yes is selected
b. Keep Force Completion unchecked. If it is checked and students lose internet connection
while taking the exam, they will not be able to continue the exam even though they still
have time. They will get a message that says they already took the exam.
c. Check Set Timer, set the amount time students will be given to take the exam, and select
Auto Submit ON. Selecting these options will start a timer for the test once students take
the test. They can leave the test and be able to still access it, but the timer continues. Once
time is reached, the test will automatically be submitted.
d. Checking the display boxes will reveal the link to the test to the students only between the
dates and time that is selected.
e. The password feature is a good feature for students, who miss the exam with a valid excuse.
After the exam period is over, the instructor can re-open the exam and set a password to it;
only allowing students, who know the password, to take the exam.
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6. Due Date. Check the box and set the end date and time.
7. Self-assessment Options. By default, all tests are calculated as part of the final grade. If the test is a
practice test, and not going to be counted as part of the final grade, uncheck “Include this Test in
Grade Center Score Calculations”
8. Test Feedback. By default only Score is revealed to students after they take the exam. Keep
Submitted Answers, Correct Answers, and Feedback until after the due date has passed for the
exam. After the test is no longer available, check these boxes to allow students feedback on their
test. This will reduce the chance of cheating.
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9. Test Presentation. By default test are presented all at once. Check Randomize Questions if students
are allowed to take the test multiple times.
10. Click on the Submit button
11. The test has been added to the Content Area.
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