Creating an exam
Overview for creating an exam, more detail provided on each area in individual docs
Before you create an exam you'll need the following set up :
An Exam can only be set to one User group at a time. You can add people into the group after the exam has been set, and they will also be given access to the exam.
Creating exams video walkthrough
When you're ready head over to the exams page to start creating your exam
Give your exam a name and a short description if needed for your team, from here you can also add in a custom cover for your exam, else it will use a default cover. And select the group that will be sitting the exam.
Select the source of questions that your exam is being generated from. You will be able to search through all tests/quizzes in your library and you can add multiple if needed.
Decide whether your exam is Static or Dynamic
Static: all candidates will get the exact same exam and questions
Dynamic: questions are selected from a pool at random based on the rules you select.
Dynamic quizzes let you generate different exams for different students within a group based on a set of rules. The source of the questions can be from one large quiz or multiple quizzes. In order to create Dynamic exams your questions will need to be tagged correctly
Select the different settings and configuration you want on your exam.
Exam settings
Timed exam : the exam has a timer, when the timer runs out the exam is ended. Results at the end unless deferred. Set time on the timer below.
Exam: the exam has no timer and candidates won't be kicked out. Results at the end unless deferred
Practice mode: no time, candidates told whether they answered the question correctly after each question, feedback given instantly. Results cannot be deferred
Timer : if the exam is a Timed Exam then the timer is the duration of the exam once a student has started.
🧠 Note: Exams generated from one quiz that contains timed sections (Static) will have its timer inferred from the source quiz. Stating a time that is different from the sum of timed sections will have no impact as it is ignored in the exam config. If you wish to change the exams timer you must do this at the quizzes section.
Calculator: Show or hide Synap's default on screen calculator
Flagging: Flagging lets students flag potential issues with questions during an exam, this can be hidden from students.
Shuffle questions: changing the order of questions in an exam. Questions cannot be shuffled in quizzes that have sections
Having grades on an exam is optional. In order to use certificates and resits grades will need to be enabled. Exams with grades require at least on pass and one fail grade.
Example of simple grades
You can customise the results page users see once their results have been released, the main areas are:
Release results - when to release results (exams with free text questions require marking)
Individual metrics - the users individual stats
Cohort metrics - metrics of how the cohort (everyone on the portal)
See docs below for more details on exam configuration areas
Students can access the exam in 2 ways :
- Emailed a link
- Use their exam page
Either or both can be used, and either or both can be disabled
🚨 If you are running proctored exams, you should disable both access methods to force students to access their exam via your proctoring solution.
Exam communication options
Automated Emails: Send out automated exam emails to candidates, this can be set during the set up or you can come back to it later. Exam emails will send as soon as the exam is scheduled. Students will get their exam link however won't be able to start the exam until the exam window is open (see below)
Hidden: Exam will not be shown on the users exam page, links may need to be exported to CSV
Locked: Locked exam attempts cannot be started even after an open window is met, until an admin manually unlocks the attempt / attempts.
Example exam email
When the student exam page is enabled and the exams aren't hidden, students will see their exams grouped by state:
- Open - exams they can start now
- Upcoming - exams that are scheduled but not open yet
- Past - completed / closed exams
Table on students exam page
Use the left hand menu to move from Schedule to Users, here you can set the exam open and close window
🚨 Note: Open and close windows are not the duration of the exam this is the window that you're going to let candidates begin the exam. Think of it as the window that someone would be allowed to walk into the exam hall for an in person exam.
Open window : The earliest time that you want someone to start the exam,
Close window: The very last time you want someone to be able to join the exam
We recommend that you give a window of about an hour to account for any technical difficulties and late comers. If a student clicks on their exam link before the exam window then they will be kept on a holding page until their exam opens officially (see below)
You can also set instructions here for students to read before they start the exam
An exam with a 30 minute duration and a 2 hour start window between 12pm and 2pm on the same day means: The very first person to start will finish no later than exactly 12:30pm. And the very last person to start the exam will finish no later than 4:30pm.
Once you're happy with the exam save & schedule it.
If you get a screen with 'Exam attempts will appear here.' please refresh the page, if its a large group of users it may take a few minutes to generate the links. When your exam opens, use this page to see who has started and completed the exam
Users exam table for an exam
Once the exams have loaded you'll get a table of users and links to their specific exams. Each link is unique to the each student and exam, so if another student gets their hands on the link it won't work for them. From this page you can export the CSV if you are loading the exam links into a proctoring service or emails.
Each students attempt id is unique to them and to the exam. When the student clicks the link they'll be taken to the 'Exam Hall' which will open when the exam begins. From here they can see when the exam opens, when it closes, the time they have to do the exam and how many attempts they are allowed.
https://portal.synap.ac/exam-hall/{attemptId}
The exam hall
Once the exam has started you can view each students progress via the Exam User tab
- Enrolled (unless automated emails enabled)
- Notified (when automated emails enabled, or manually sent an email)
- Started (user has started their attempt, but not submitted)
- Completed (user has submitted their attempt, or timer ran out)
Here you can see who has started and who has completed the exam. Go to 'Link to exam' to view each users submission. See our progress and marking article for more on different exam status's
Check out or other docs on proctoring if you want to add an extra layer of security to your exam
Last modified 20d ago