Create Tests
This article describes the Create Tests screen as part of the built-in Focus Assessment System. If your district has purchased the add-on Learnosity assessment module and you are looking for help on creating assessments, click here.
Focus allows teachers to create and customize online or paper-based tests. Tests can be created using your own questions or questions shared with you by other users. Tests can be created from the Create Tests screen, or directly in the Gradebook.
Tests can be created using your own questions, questions set up by the district, and questions shared with you by other users. You can also add new questions to the test directly from this screen.
1. In the menu, click Assessment. Then click Create Tests.
The Items tab is automatically displayed at the left side of the screen. The District Items, My Items, and Shared Items check boxes are selected by default. District Items are questions created by the district that are shared with you. My Items are questions you have created. Shared Items are questions created by other users that are shared with you. You are able to add district questions, your questions, or shared questions to the test.
2. Deselect the District Items, My Items, or Shared Items check boxes to hide those questions, if desired.
3. Click the subject area, grade level, strand, cluster, and standard that houses the question you want to add to the test, or click Non Standard to view questions not linked to a standard.
4. Select the check box next to each question to add to the test, or click the check box next to the subject area, grade level, strand, cluster, or standard to select all questions within that level.
5. Click Add to Test.
The selected questions display in the center of the screen in the test layout.
6. To edit the cognitive complexity of a question, click the field and make the change as needed.
Changing the cognitive complexity of a question in the test layout only changes it on this particular test. The question will still have its original cognitive complexity when used on future tests.
7. To edit a question, click the edit icon.
The question information is displayed in a pop-up window.
8. Make any edits as needed and click Add.
Editing the question within the test layout does edit the question itself. The edits will be maintained when using the question on future tests, and when viewing the question on the Create Questions screen.
9. Click the red X next to a question to remove it from the test.
10. To add a page break to the test, click and drag Page Break bar to the desired area.
11. To add an additional section to the test, click Add Section.
Having multiple sections allows you to assign different test options, like calculators or scratch pads, to each section of the test.
After adding the section, the section is displayed in its own tab. Questions and page breaks can be added to the new section.
12. To remove a section, click Remove Section.
13. On the right side of the screen, select the Test Options.
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | Enter the name of the test. |
| Open to students online | This option is selected by default. This allows students to take the test online in Focus. |
| Open in new window | Select this option so that the test opens a new browser window when the student accesses the test. |
| Open Test in Security Browser | Select this option to restrict students from moving outside of the test window when taking the test. |
| Large Print Font |
Select this option to allow students to change the font size within the online test. |
| Alternate Multiple Choice lettering between odd and even questions |
Select this option to give odd numbered questions different letter choices than even numbered questions. (e.g. even numbered questions use A, B, C, D and odd numbered questions use E, F, G, H). |
| Allow retakes of the test |
Select this option to allow students to retake the test. When this check box is selected, the options “Insert Hightest Test Score into Gradebook,” “Average Test Scores into Gradebook,” and “Retake Refresh Time” display. |
| Insert Highest Test Score into Gradebook | This option displays when “Allow retakes of the test” is selected. Select this option to insert the hightest test score of the student's retakes into the Gradebook. |
| Average Test Scores into Gradebook | This option displays when “Allow retakes of the test” is selected. Select this option to average the test scores for all of the student’s retakes into the Gradebook. |
| Retake Refresh Time | This option displays when “Allow retakes of the test” is selected. Enter the number of minutes that must pass before students can retake the test. |
| Autograde Test (Questions that cannot be autograded will be excluded from score) |
This option is selected by default. When this option is selected, Focus will automatically grade the test questions that can be auto-graded, such as multiple choice, true/false, etc. Any questions that cannot be auto-graded, such as short response and extended response, will remain ungraded until you manually grade them. |
| Login Pin | To require students to enter a login pin to access the test, enter the pin. If left blank, no pin is required. |
14. For each section of the test, select the Section Options.
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | If desired, enter a name for the section. |
| Strikout | Select this option to allow students to strike out text on this section of the test. |
| Calculator | Select this option to provide a calculator on this section of the test. |
| Scientific Calculator | Select this option to provide a scientific calculator on this section of the test. |
| Scratchpad | Select this option to provide a scratchpad on this section of the test. |
| Clock | Select this option to provide a countdown clock for the test due date/time on this section of the test. |
| Two Column Printing | Select this option to display test questions in two columns on this section of the test. |
| Shuffle Questions | Select this option to shuffle questions for each student on this section of the test. |
| Shuffle Multiple Choice Answers | Select this option to shuffle multiple choice answers for each student on this section of the test. |
15. To view a preview of test, click the HTML tab. To view the print format of the test, click the PDF tab. The PDF can be downloaded to your computer or printed for print-based tests. To walk through the test online as a student would, click the Online tab.
16. Click the Item Analysis tab to view analytics for the questions used on the test.
If a test question was used on a previous test, a graph will display for each question that indicates the number of students who selected each answer, and the tests that used this question.
17. To save the test as a draft, click Save Draft.
The test will save and will be available in the pull-down for viewing and editing at a later time.
18. To save and publish the test, click Publish Test.
19. Click OK in the confirmation window.
The test will save and will be available for assignment in the Gradebook. The FAS Tests screen will display.
Teachers can create answer key only tests to be used in conjunction with paper tests or test documents uploaded into Focus. This is useful if you already have a paper test or test document that contains the test questions. Students will refer to the paper test or document for the test questions, and they will enter their answers in the answer sheet within Focus. When you upload a PDF document, the file will open directly in the student’s screen for the student to refer to. When you upload a Word document, the document will automatically download to the student’s computer for the student to view when answering the test questions.
1. At the top of the screen, click Answer Key Only Test.
The New Test tab is opened by default.
2. To link questions to a standard, select the Standard Category.
3. Enter the # of Questions.
A corresponding number of answer fields will populate onto the screen.
4. Select the Answer Range. You can select A - E, A - D, or A - C.
5. In the Files box, optionally attach a file containing the test questions.
If you upload a PDF, the PDF will open directly in the student’s screen for the student to refer to as they enter the answers in Focus. If you upload a Word document, the document will automatically download to the student’s computer when they access the test. The student can refer to the Word document as they enter their answers in Focus.
6. For each question, select the correct answer and, if desired, the applicable standard.
7. Select the Test Options.
For a description of test options, see Creating a New Test.
8. When finished, click Publish Test.
9. In the confirmation window, click OK.
The test will save and will be available for assignment in the Gradebook. The FAS Tests screen will display.
An answer key only test can be created based upon a previously created answer key only test.
1. At the top of the screen, click Answer Key Only Test.
2. Click the Previous Templates tab.
Any previous answer key only tests you have created are listed.
3. Click the test to use as a template.
The settings for the selected test are displayed.
4. Adjust the settings as needed.
7. Select the Test Options.
For a description of test options, see Creating a New Test.
8. When finished, click Publish Test.
9. In the confirmation window, click OK.
The test will save and will be available for assignment in the Gradebook. The FAS Tests screen will display.
You can search for questions to add to a test by subject area, grade level, strand, cluster, standard, question ID, or user. The search will include your questions and questions shared with you by other users.
1. On the left side of the screen, click the Search tab.
2. Enter search criteria in the Subject Area, Grade Level, Strand, Cluster, Standard, Quester ID, and/or User fields.
3. Click Search.
The pop-up window displays any questions that match the search criteria.
4. Select the check box for each question to add to the test, and click Add to Test.
The selected questions are added to the test layout.
New questions can be set up directly on the Create Tests screen. Once added, the new question will also be available on the Create Questions screen for later viewing and editing, and will be available for use on future tests.
1. In the Items tab, click the subject area, grade level, strand, cluster, and standard where the question will be added, or click Non Standard to add a question not linked to a standard.
2. Click Add Question.
3. In the pop-up window, set up the question. See Adding a New Question for detailed instructions.
4. When finished, click Add.
The question is added to the test layout.
The Load Previous Test Questions button allows you to select a previously created test and load those test questions into the new test you are creating.
1. At the top of the screen, click Load Previous Test Questions.
2. In the pop-up window, select the test to load questions from.
3. Select Load All Questions into Current Section to load all of the test's questions into the section of the new test you have currently open.
4. Click Load.
The questions from the selected test are added to the test layout.
5. Continue setting up the new test as needed.
Questions can be shared with other teachers and staff. You can share all of your questions with a user, or only specific question groups.
1. Click the Sharing Options tab.
2. In the Items tab, click Enable Sharing to share your test questions.
3. Click Add New to select a user to share with.
4. In the pull-down, select the user to share with.
You can begin typing the user’s name in the Filter box to locate the user in the list.
5. Select the question groups you want to share with the user, or select Share All Questions to share all of your test questions with the user.
6. To add an additional user to share with, click Add New and repeat steps 4 and 5.
7. Click Save Settings when finished.
Draft tests that you have created can be shared with other teachers and staff.
1. Click the Sharing Options tab.
2. Click the Drafts tab.
Any tests you have saved as a draft are listed.
3. Click Custom under the test you want to share.
4. Click Add New to select a user to share with.
5. In the pull-down, select the user to share with.
You can begin typing the user’s name in the Filter box to locate the user in the list.
6. To add an additional user to share with, click Add New and repeat steps 4 and 5.
7. Click Save Settings when finished.
Published tests that you have created can be shared with other teachers and staff.
1. Click the Sharing Options tab.
2. Click the Tests tab.
Any tests you have published are listed.
3. Click Custom under the test you want to share.
4. Click Add New to select a user to share with.
5. In the pull-down, select the user to share with.
You can begin typing the user’s name in the Filter box to locate the user in the list.
6. To add an additional user to share with, click Add New and repeat steps 4 and 5.
7. Click Save Settings when finished.
Once your test has been created and published, it is available for assignment to students in the Gradebook. You can also assign tests that have been created by other users and shared with you. Students will be able to access the test between the Assigned Date and time and the Due Date and time.
1. In the menu, click Gradebook.
2. Click the plus sign to add a new assignment.
3. Enter all of the assignment details. See Adding Details for more information on setting the assignment details.
4. In the Assign Test pull-down, select the test to assign to students.
5. To assign a login PIN students must enter to access the test, enter the Test Login PIN. This is optional.
A login PIN may already have been set up for the test when the test was created on the Create Tests screen.
6. To prevent students from viewing test answers for a specific number of days, enter the number of days in the Test Review Delay (Days) field.
7. When finished, click Save.
In addition to creating tests on the Create Tests screen, you can also create tests directly in the Gradebook. Most of the options are the same as when setting up a test on the Create Tests screen, therefore this procedure will only go over the options that are different in the Gradebook.
1. In the menu, click Gradebook.
2. Click the Category or Assignment tab.
3. Click the applicable category and click Add Test.
A pop-up window opens with the Create Tests screen. Follow the procedures Creating a New Test, Creating a New Answer Key Only Test, Creating an Answer Key Only Test Using a Previous Template, Searching for Questions to Add to a Test, and Loading Previous Test Questions into a Test for detailed instructions.
When creating a test in the Gradebook, there are additional test options within the Options tab for assigning the test to students:
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Assigned | Select the Assigned date and time for the test. |
| Due | Select the Due date and time for the test. |
| Restrict to between times | Select the check box to restrict access to the test to the assigned and due dates and times. |
| Points | Enter the number of points for the test. |
| Assignment Category | Select the assignment category for the test. |
| Test Review Delay | To prevent students from viewing test answers for a specific number of days, enter the number of days. |
| Description | Enter a description of the assignment. |
| Requires Completion Of | If students need to complete an assignment before taking the test, select the assignment. |
| Individual Times | If you are assigning this test to more than one of your sections and you need to set different time windows for each section, select the Individual Times check box. Each of your sections will be listed. You can select the check box next to each section that will be assigned this test, and you can enter a different start time and due time. |
| Sections | When Individual Times is not selected, select which of your sections you will assign this test. The section you are currently logged in to will automatically be selected. |
4. When finished, click Save Draft or Publish Test.
When the test is published, the assignment is created and displayed within the Gradebook.
Students can access and complete the online test directly from the Student Portal.
When an online test is available to students based on the assigned and due dates and times, the test will display in the Alerts block on the Student Portal.
After clicking on the link in the alert, the test is opened and students can begin. If a login pin was set on the test, students will be prompted to enter the pin.
If no pin was set, students can click the link to begin.
At the end of the test, students can revisit previous questions, if needed. When finished, they will click Submit and Exit.
Students will be prompted to confirm submission of the test.
The score for auto-graded items on the test will display.
If retakes are available for the test, the link to the test will redisplay on the Alerts block once the retake refresh time has passed.
For answer key only tests with a PDF file uploaded, the PDF file will display on one side of the screen, and the bubble sheet will display on the other side of the screen for students to record their answers.
Once the due date/time for a test has passed and you have graded any ungraded questions, parents and students can log in to the Parent/Student Portal and view the test and your comments on the Grades (Assignments) screen.
Once a student has submitted the online test, you can view the student's answers and add scores for any ungraded items in the test. You can also add comments to each question on the test, and adjust the scores for any auto-graded items.
1. In the menu, click Gradebook.
2. Locate the test assignment in the Gradebook.
Once a student has submitted the test, the assignment score will display as a blue link. If all items on the test were auto-graded, the student's score will be displayed. If the test contained at least one item that cannot be auto-graded, the student's score will display as NG.
3. Click the score link.
4. In the pop-up window, review the student's answers.
5. To enter a comment for an item, click the Comments? box beneath the item.
6. Enter the comment and click Post.
7. On the left side of the window, enter scores for any ungraded items, or adjust the scores for auto-graded items as needed.
8. When finished, click Save.
The student's grade for the assignment is recalculated and is displayed in the Gradebook. Once the due date/time has passed for the assignment, students and parents can view the test and your comments in the Parent/Student Portal.
