Blackboard Test and Quiz Best Practices

1. Read the instructions before you begin. Note if you have a time limit and the number of attempts available
2. Internet Explorer will likely give you errors when taking and submitting an exam or test. Please use Firefox or Chrome
3. Close other browsers and windows, and only allow your Blackboard exam to be open

1. Your instructor will let you know where your test is located through messages, email or on the Announcements or What's New pages
2. Access your test, and click Begin
3. Instructions for the test are located at the top of the page, and once you begin your test, the time limit starts (if there is one)
4. Save and Submit your answers once you are finished with your test
5. Access My Grades to confirm your test was successfully submitted. You will see a green box with an exclamation mark if your submission was successful

1. Begin in your course
2. Click the My Grades button on the course menu if there is one
   • If there is not a My Grades button, click the Tools button, scroll halfway down, and click My Grades in the right hand column
   • If you can not find My Grades - your instructor has likely turned it off
   • Please note that a green box with an exclamation mark means your submission was successful, a red box with an exclamation mark means your submission failed, and a paper-and-pen icon means you have started an assessment, but have not submitted it yet
3. You can view Grades and Comments once you access the My Grades button

Check your computer settings:

• Wireless or Dial-up Connections are NOT recommended
• Always use a hard-wired connection while taking tests in Blackboard
• High-speed access is strongly recommended!
• Make sure your computer is free of viruses and/or spyware

Browser Versions:

• Use the newer versions of Firefox, Google Chrome
  • Internet Explorer or Edge browsers are not recommended
• Add Blackboard as a trusted site in each browser you use:
• See your browser’s Help menu for specific instructions

Close all other programs running on your computer before you start a Blackboard exam. Do not take a test with other applications running in the background, such as movies, music, e‐mail, or IM (instant messaging).

Be certain that you are ready to take the test and set aside time in which you will be free from interruptions BEFORE clicking on the link to the test.

Do not enter any test or exam until you are ready to take it! Once you click “Begin” to enter a test, Blackboard counts this as an attempt at the test, even if you only look at the test and do not answer any questions. (Your instructor is the only one who can clear an incomplete attempt from your record) Find out the dates that the test will be available in the course and take your test as soon as you are ready. DO NOT wait until the last day to take a test in Blackboard. (If you have technical difficulties or lose your connection, there may not be enough time for you to resolve the issue, and you may not be permitted to complete or re‐take your exam.)

•  Wait for the entire test to load before you answer or save the first question
  • Scroll down to the bottom of the test to make sure all questions appear (unless questions are presented one at a time)
• DON'T click the browser’s Back, Forward or Cancel buttons, close the browser window, use the scroll wheel on your mouse to navigate, or try to go to another area of the course
  • If the instructor set the test for "single attempt" or "force completion" you may be locked out and unable to open the test again
  • If you get 'locked out' of the test, contact the instructor immediately and ask them to clear your attempt – you may have to retake the test from the beginning!
• If you see a text box editor window for any question with only one row of toolbar buttons displayed, click the “Show More” button on the far-right end of the toolbar to display more tools
• Stay active in the test window – Blackboard tests are set to "time out" after a certain period of inactivity – click Save periodically to avoid this problem!

• Do not resize or refresh the window during a test
• Do not click anywhere outside the test area during an exam
• Do not close the window of the test for any reason
• Never click the “Back” button or the “Refresh” button on your web browser while you’re taking a test
• Answer all the questions of the test
• Stay active in the test window. The assessment feature in Blackboard is set to time out after a certain number of minutes of inactivity (30min). You must do more than just type or click answers to keep the test active. Save individual questions periodically to reset the activity clock using the “Save Answer” (yellow button) next to each question
• Review all of your answers before submitting the test
• Make sure to click the “Save and Submit ” (blue button) ONLY ONCE when you are done with the test. You will not get credit for your answers unless you have clicked “Save and Submit”

Confirmation of Test Submission
After you click the “Save and Submit” button you should see a confirmation and/or feedback for the test results.

To check your test grade click the “OK” button and you will see the following:

• Your score for the exam (if enabled by your instructor) or
• A green square with an exclamation mark, which means the test is submitted but not yet graded by the instructor (in case of an essay test)
• If you cannot confirm that your test has been successfully submitted, contact your instructor.

Problem Description
Blackboard sessions timeout after 4 hours of inactivity. Any work that was done but not saved or submitted prior to the timeout message is unfortunately unrecoverable. Web Browsers DO NOT register typing as activity. If you're typing an assignment, assessment, or discussion submission for longer than 4 hours, the session may timeout when the submit button is pressed. This means that you may lose your work.

Solution
To prevent lost work, create your content in a word processor, and then copy & paste the content into Blackboard. If you are taking a test or working on anything within Blackboard, be certain to save answers as you are working in tests, or click within the application every now and then so it does not time you out. If you had done work previously, but had not submitted it or saved and left the window idle for more than four hours, any work that was done prior to the timeout message is unfortunately unrecoverable. Dialup and DSL users may also experience timeouts set by your Internet Service Provider (ISP). This is not related to Blackboard timeouts. If you need assistance with changing ISP timeout settings, please consult with your ISP.