Moderating Quizzes & Managing Exceptions

After a quiz is published, instructors often need to adjust dates, update delivery settings, or provide student-specific accommodations. Quizzes built with New Quizzes include tools that allow you to make changes without rebuilding the quiz.

Where Quiz Changes Are Managed

Most quiz-related changes happen in three places. Knowing where to go can save time and prevent unintended edits.

Assignment Details

Points, assignment group, due/availability dates, “Assign to,” and Gradebook-related settings.

Quiz Settings

Delivery settings for all students (time limit, access code, results visibility,, and attempt behavior).

Moderate Page

Individual accommodations and exceptions (extra time, extra attempts, reopen attempts, logs).

Edit Assignment Details

Assignment-level settings control how the quiz appears in the Gradebook and who is required to take it.

Edit the quiz name and total point value
Move the quiz to a different assignment group
Adjust due dates and availability dates
Assign the quiz to specific sections or individual students
Exclude the quiz from final grade calculations (if applicable)
Add a rubric to the quiz

Important: If students have already submitted, some changes (such as point totals) may require regrading.

Use the Moderate Page (Individual Students)

The Moderate page is used to manage exceptions and accommodations for individual students.

Grant extra time or additional attempts
Reopen a student’s most recent attempt
Apply reduced answer choices (when available/eligible)
View attempt details and logs
Manually submit in-progress attempts if needed
Review attempts where auto-grading failed

Note: Quiz logs are informational and should not be used as definitive evidence of academic integrity issues.

Manage Quiz Settings (All Students)

Quiz settings affect how the quiz is delivered to all students. In New Quizzes, these settings are accessed from the Build page under the Settings tab.

Set a time limit and control attempt behavior
Require an access code (if needed)
Shuffle questions and/or answer choices
Show one question at a time and allow (or prevent) backtracking
Control when and how students see results and feedback

Other settings may be available depending on your institution’s configuration (e.g., calculator, IP restrictions, session detection).

If students have already started or submitted the quiz, Canvas will display a warning before changes are saved.

Multiple Attempts (Common Scenario)

If multiple attempts are enabled, you can control:

How many attempts are allowed (or unlimited)
Which score is kept (highest, average, latest, or first)
Whether a waiting period is required between attempts
Whether students can build on their last attempt

Note: Late submission policies are not supported when multiple attempts are enabled in New Quizzes.

Grade Visibility & Student Notifications

Quiz grades follow your Gradebook posting policy (automatic or manual).
Hiding quiz results does not fully hide grades unless manual posting is enabled.
You can notify students when quiz details change, including students who have already submitted.

Related Canvas Guides

How do I manage settings for a quiz in New Quizzes?
How do I edit the assignment details of a New Quizzes quiz?
How do I use the Moderate page in New Quizzes?

You can find all the Canvas Guides by clicking the Help button at the bottom of the Green Global Navigation Bar (left side of your window).

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