Overview
The Assessment element lets you add a graded quiz assessment anywhere in a topic. Each Assessment element has its own pool of Quiz, Fill-in and Match activities. It asks learners a set number of questions and marks them automatically against a pass mark you choose.
You can add as many Assessment elements to a topic as you need. You can use them as:
A knowledge check partway through a topic
A final assessment at the end of a topic
A pre-assessment at the start of a topic, so learners who already know the material can skip ahead. Learn how to set up a pre-assessment.
Each Assessment element has its own settings for retakes, time limits, critical questions, what happens when a learner passes or fails, and for whether an admin or assessor must review results.
Note: Tribal Habits also offers the Assessment module, a single assessment at the end of a topic. We recommend the Assessment element for all new topics due to its range of functionality. The Assessment module is still fully supported and remains a good fit for a simple end-of-topic test in existing topics.
Assessment element or Assessment module?
Both build an assessment from the Quiz, Fill-in and Match activities in your topic, and both mark learners automatically, but they work differently.
Click here to learn the differences between each option
Click here to learn the differences between each option
| Assessment element | Assessment module |
Where it sits | Anywhere in a topic. Added from the content box like any other element. | A separate module at the end of the topic. Turned on in Settings → Manage navigation. |
How many per topic | As many as you need. | One. |
When learners can start it | As soon as they reach it in the part. | Once all previous parts of the topic are complete except the Destination module, if enabled. |
Question pool | Its own pool. You choose which questions belong to each Assessment element. | One pool for the whole topic. |
Critical questions | Yes. You can mark questions that must be answered correctly to pass. | No. |
What a pass can do | Let the learner continue, complete selected parts of the topic, or complete the entire topic. | Let the learner complete the topic. |
Retakes | Retake the entire assessment, or only the questions answered incorrectly. | Retake the entire assessment. |
When retakes run out | You choose: the learner must request another retake, or the learner can continue with a fail result. | The learner must request another retake. |
Attempt history for assessors | Every attempt, with the learner's answers to each question. | The latest result. |
You can use both in the same topic, but most topics only need one. A single Quiz, Fill-in or Match activity can be included in any number of Assessment elements and in the Assessment module.
Steps to add an Assessment element to a topic
In the part where you want the assessment, click + Content and select Assessment.
Enter a Label of up to 50 characters. The label identifies the assessment in reports and assessor screens, so make it specific (for example ‘Fire safety final assessment’).
Enter the Instructions, up to 300 characters. Learners see the instructions before they begin. Use them to explain what the assessment covers and what learners need to do to pass.
Under Options, set Questions asked, Pass mark and Retakes allowed.
If required, click Advanced options and set Time limit, Hide answers and Requires review.
Choose the Pass event, Retake event and Fail event.
Under Question pool, select Display in random order or Display in specific order.
Click Save.
Add questions to the pool. Instructions are in the next section.
Each setting is explained in Settings and options below.
Note: You can save an Assessment element before it is ready; for example, before you have added enough questions. The editor shows a notice listing what still needs to be done, and the topic can’t be published until the assessment is ready. Learn more about publishing and updating Assessment elements.
Steps to add questions to an Assessment element
Each Assessment element has a question pool: the Quiz, Fill-in and Match activities you add to it. Each attempt asks a set number of questions from the pool. You create each question once, then choose which assessments it belongs to.
Create or open a Quiz, Fill-in or Match activity anywhere in the topic.
Under Where should this quiz be shown (or fill-in, or match), tick each Assessment element the question should belong to. Assessment elements are listed by their label and the part they are in.
Tick This part if the question should also appear in the topic content where it was created. Untick it if the question should only appear in assessments.
Click Save.
To review the question pool, open the Assessment element and click Show questions under Question pool. From here you can:
Drag questions to change their order (used when Display in specific order is selected)
Tick Critical next to any question that learners must answer correctly to pass. Critical questions are always asked, and a learner who gets one wrong does not pass, whatever their score.
Important: The pool must contain at least as many questions as Questions asked, and Questions asked must be at least the number of critical questions. Otherwise, the topic can’t be published.
Settings and options
Options
Questions asked: The number of questions in each attempt. The minimum is 3.
Pass mark: The number of questions a learner must answer correctly to pass. This must be between 1 and the number of questions asked.
Retakes allowed: How many times a learner can retake the assessment after their first attempt, from 0 to 20.
Advanced options
Time limit and Timer length (mins): Learners must finish all questions within this time. The timer keeps running if the learner leaves the page.
Hide answers: Whether learners can review their answers after finishing. No shows their answers. After 15 minutes shows them for 15 minutes after the attempt. Yes never shows them.
Requires review: If set to Yes, results are held until an admin or assessor reviews them.
Pass event
Pass assessment: The learner passes and continues through the topic.
Pass assessment and complete selected parts: Passing automatically completes the parts you tick. Learn how to use this for a pre-assessment.
Pass assessment and complete entire topic: Passing automatically completes the whole topic. Only use this if learners don’t need to complete or review any other content in the topic.
Retake event
Retake entire assessment: Each retake asks a full set of questions.
Retake only failed items in assessment: Questions the learner answered correctly carry forward and count towards their score. A retake only asks the remaining questions.
Fail event
Must use retakes until passed assessment: The learner can’t continue past this part until they pass. If they run out of retakes, they can request another one.
Must use retakes until pass or fail assessment: Once the learner has used all their retakes, they can continue with a fail result.
Question pool
Display in random order: Questions are selected from the pool in random order for each attempt.
Display in specific order: Questions are asked in the order shown in the pool.
How learners interact with this element
Learners reach the Assessment element as they work through the part it sits in.
Before starting: Learners see your instructions, the number of questions, the pass mark, the number of critical questions (if any) and the time allowed (if a time limit is set). They click Begin assessment! to start.
During the assessment: Questions are shown one at a time (for example ‘Question 1 of 5’). Feedback isn’t shown on individual answers. If there is a time limit, a timer counts down at the top of the assessment.
After finishing: Learners see their result (Passed, Did not pass or Time expired), their score, the pass mark and how many critical questions they answered correctly. If Hide answers allows it, they can click Show answers for this attempt to review each question.
If results need review: Learners see Results submitted and a message that an assessor will review their results. Their result is released once an admin or assessor approves it or allows a retake.
If they don’t pass: Learners with retakes remaining click Retake assessment. Learners who have used all their retakes do one of two things, depending on the Fail event: they click Request a retake, or they continue with a fail result.
If passing completes parts: Learners see a list of the parts that passing has automatically completed.
Until the assessment is complete, learners can’t move past the part it sits in. Instead, they see the message ‘You must complete this assessment to continue’.
How assessors interact with this element
Admins and assessors review attempts, approve results that need review and allow retakes. Learn more about this in our guide for assessors.
Best practices
Add more questions to the pool than the number asked and use Display in random order, so retakes don’t repeat the same questions.
Keep assessments focused. 3 to 10 questions per assessment usually gives a strong indication of understanding.
Use critical questions sparingly, for knowledge a learner must not get wrong (such as a safety procedure).
Use Retake only failed items in assessment when learners only need to revisit what they got wrong. Use Retake entire assessment when they need to demonstrate all the knowledge again.
Use Hide answers when assessment questions should not be shared or memorised, particularly in compliance training.
Only use Requires review when results need a human check before release, as it adds a step for your assessors.
Examples
Example 1: Knowledge check partway through a topic
A short check at the end of Part 2, so learners confirm their understanding before moving on.
Configuration:
Questions asked: 3
Pass mark: 3
Retakes allowed: 3
Pass event: Pass assessment
Retake event: Retake only failed items in assessment
Fail event: Must use retakes until passed assessment
Behaviour: Learners must pass before continuing to Part 3, and they only retake the questions they got wrong. If they run out of retakes, they will need to request more.
Example 2: Pre-assessment for refresher training
An annual refresher where most staff already know the content.
Example 3: Compliance assessment with critical questions and review
A final assessment for high-risk compliance training.
Configuration:
Questions asked: 10, from a pool of 20
Pass mark: 9
Critical questions: 2
Time limit: 20 minutes
Hide answers: Yes
Requires review: Yes
Behaviour: To pass, learners must answer both critical questions correctly and score 9 or more. An assessor reviews each submission, then approves it or allows a retake.
Troubleshooting
Problem: The topic can’t be published.
Cause: One or more Assessment elements aren’t ready. For example, the question pool may have fewer questions than the number asked.
Solution: Fix each assessment listed when you publish, then publish again. Learn more about publishing and updating Assessment elements.
Problem: A learner has run out of retakes and can’t continue.
Cause: The Fail event is Must use retakes until passed assessment, and the learner has used all their retakes.
Solution: The learner clicks Request a retake, which emails your admins. An admin or assessor then clicks Allow assessment retake.
Problem: Learners can’t see their answers after finishing.
Cause: Hide answers is set to Yes. Alternatively, it is set to After 15 minutes and more than 15 minutes have passed.
Solution: This is expected behaviour. Change the Hide answers setting if learners should be able to review their answers.
FAQs
Can I use the same question in more than one assessment?
Yes. In the question’s settings, tick every assessment it should belong to.
Where should I place assessment quizzes?
You can place quizzes anywhere in the topic. What matters is ticking the correct box for the assessment element the quiz belongs to. As best practice, store each quiz either in the same section as its assessment or alongside the learning content it relates to. If 'Show in this part' is unticked, the quiz will appear only in the assessment.
What happens if a learner leaves partway through?
Their progress is saved. When they return, they continue from the next unanswered question. If there is a time limit, the timer keeps running while they are away, and the attempt ends when the time is up.
Can learners go back and change an answer?
No. Each answer is submitted when the learner moves to the next question.
Can I change an assessment after learners have started it?
Yes. Changes reach learners when you next publish the topic, and they never change results that have already been recorded. Learn more about publishing and updating Assessment elements.
Who gets emailed when a learner requests a retake or needs review?
Admins receive an Assessment retake request email when a learner requests a retake. They receive an Assessment review required email when results need review. Learners receive an Assessment retake approval email when a retake is allowed. You can manage these emails in the topic’s notification settings.
Can I use an Assessment element in a short topic?
Yes! You can add Assessment elements to short topics as well as standard topics.