Canvas provides two different kinds of quizzes: Classic and New. The Classic Quiz platform is stable and mature, it will not be updated.

Note: only the Classic Quiz option will allow you to create surveys.

Create a Classic Quiz

The quiz functionality in Canvas allows you to assess students with various question types – most can be automatically graded. Quizzes will reside in the Quizzes tab of a Canvas course, but can be added to a module for students to see them within the context of the course material. If you create the quiz from within the Modules tab, you won’t have to add it later.

To start a quiz from the Quizzes page:

1. 1. Select the Quizzes page in the course navigation menu
  2. Click the +Quiz button in the top right corner of the page
  3. Select the quiz engine you would like to use – Classic or New
    Note: you can ask the system to remember your choice for a course
  4. Jump down to the step 1 of Add Quiz Details

To start a quiz in a module:

1. 1. Click the [+] sign in the header of the module you want the quiz to reside
  2. Select Quiz from the dropdown options
  3. Select [Create Quiz] to start a new quiz or select a previous quiz from the list
  4. Select the Classic Quizzes Quiz Engine
  5. Name the quiz
  6. Select the assignment group category
  7. You can add indentation for module organization
  8. Click Add Item

The quiz will show at the bottom of the module, drag and drop it to rearrange with the module content if needed.

Add Quiz Details

If you started in a module, you created a shell for your quiz - click on the title of the quiz to continue.
Now it is time to define the settings.

1. 1. Enter any needed details and instructions in the rich content editor box – this is the information students will see before they start the quiz, Canvas will also display some of the parameters like time limits and if students get multiple attempts
  2. Select the Quiz type: graded or not, quiz or survey – quizzes have correct answers while surveys do not
  3. Add it to the appropriate Assignment Group
  4. Set options to shuffle answers and set time limit if wanted
  5. Allow multiple attempts – this is unlimited attempts unless you put in a specific number
  6. Decide if and when you want students to see their responses and correct answers
  7. Show all questions on one page, or show one question at a time – if it is one question at a time, you can lock questions so students can not go back to previous questions
  8. Quiz Restrictions: require an access code allows you to set a password to start the quiz, filter IP address limits computers that can access the quiz, this only come into play if students are taking the quiz in a lab environment and will not be necessary for most quizzes
  9. Enter a due date to have it show on the calendar and times you want the quiz available – if you have students who need to access the quiz at a different time, click the +Add button to select the student and enter different dates
  10. Click Save

Add Questions

If you just added the settings to a quiz, it should still be open. Otherwise, click on the title of the quiz to open it.

1. 1. Click the Edit button in the top right corner
  2. Select the Questions tab
  3. You’ll see three options to add questions:

+ New Question

1. 1. Click the + New Question button
  2. Enter a question title (this is helpful if you ever search for the question to use again)
  3. Select a question type
  4. Enter your question in the rich content editor – this can include images, video, etc.
  5. Depending on the question type you select, you will see appropriate options - enter answers and select the correct one by clicking an arrow in front of it
  6. You can enter feedback for specific answers and the overall question – green text boxes are for correct responses, red boxes are for incorrect responses, and blue boxes are for general feedback
  7. Click the Update Question button when finished:

Find Questions

You can use previous questions with the Find Questions button:

1. 1. Click the Find Questions button
  2. Select a course quiz or question bank from the lefthand column
  3. Check the box in front of the question(s) you want to add to your quiz
  4. Click the Add Questions button – you may have to scroll down to see the button

+ New Question Group

The +New Question Group lets you create a group of questions or associate the group with a question bank – this makes it possible for each student to have different questions and in a shuffled order

1. 1. Click the +New Question Group button
  2. Enter a title for the group
  3. Enter how many questions you would like displayed from the group in the quiz and how many points they are worth
  4. Associate the group with a question bank if you want - question banks are an easy way to organize and easily attach questions
  5. You can add new questions after creating the group
  6. Click the Create Group button

Rubric

You can connect a rubric and/or outcomes to a quiz by clicking the 3-dot icon next to the Edit button:

Arrows pointing to the three dots and the show rubric option

Moderate Quiz - Accommodations

The quiz needs to be published to moderate it. If you are concerned about students seeing the quiz early, you can publish it quickly, make adjustments, and then un-publish it, or adjust the available dates so students cannot access it when it is published.

1. 1. Click on the title of the quiz
  2. If you do not see the button to Moderate Quiz, make sure it is published, click the button:
  3. Click the pen icon next to a student’s name to add extensions – you can add extra time for accommodations, allow them to see the results one more time, or unlock the quiz for another attempt (this is needed if the available dates have passed):

Grading

Speed Grader – the grading platform in Canvas – is available when you click on the title of the quiz. Click on the Speed Grader button to review the quiz submissions.

Quiz options with SpeedGrader circled

1. 1. The quiz responses will open in SpeedGrader to review and provide feedback
  2. Enter/edit points for questions that need reviewed
  3. At the very bottom of the quiz, enter Fudge Points if desired and then click the Update button to update the points earned in SpeedGrader
  4. Remember to post grades when you are ready if you set the grade posting to 'manual'

Quiz Statistics

After a submission has been graded, the Quiz Statistics option will appear for the quiz.

1. 1. Click on the quiz title to open it and then select the Quiz Statistics button:
  2. A quiz summary will open with a breakdown of each question
  3. Select the Student or Item Analysis buttons to download csv files to see all of the data

Quiz summary options with student and item analysis buttons circled

Preview

While creating and/or after completing a quiz, you can preview your work.

1. 1. Click the quiz title
  2. Click the Preview button
  3. Or, click the Student View button in the top right corner and take the quiz as a test student.

Resources

Video overview for Classic Quizzes from Canvas

Detailed Guides for Classic Quizzes from Canvas