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Understanding Quizzes

In QuizOxide, a Quiz is a container for questions with specific rules about who can take it, when they can take it, and how it behaves. This guide explains the key settings you'll use to configure your quizzes.

Access Control​

One of the most important decisions you'll make is who can access your quiz. QuizOxide offers three distinct security levels:

🌍 Public​

Best for: Viral quizzes, public surveys, or open practice.

  • Who can access: Anyone with the link.
  • How they join:
    • Anonymous: Users simply type in a name (Alias) to start.
    • Registered: Users with a Participant ID can enter it to track their progress across multiple quizzes.
  • No Code Required: Access is immediate.

🔑 Shared​

Best for: Classrooms, workshops, or group events.

  • Who can access: Anyone who has the Access Code.
  • How they join: Users must enter the correct code to view the quiz. Once unlocked, they join just like a Public quiz (using an Alias or Participant ID).
  • Automatic Code: When you select "Shared", the system generates a unique 6-digit code for you to distribute.

🔒 Private​

Best for: Certification exams, employee training, or secure assessments.

  • Who can access: Only specific participants you have explicitly authorized.
  • How they join: Users must log in with specific credentials:
    • Participant ID: Their unique username.
    • API Key: A secure password generated by you.
  • Secure: Unlike Public or Shared quizzes, strangers cannot join even if they have the link. You must provide the credentials to your users beforehand.

Availability & Timing​

Control when your quiz is open for submissions.

📅 Availability​

  • Always: The quiz is open immediately upon publishing and never closes.
  • Scheduled: You specify when the quiz opens and closes. For example, you might set it to open on Monday at 9 AM and close on Friday at 5 PM. Users can only start and take the quiz during this window. Once the end time arrives, the quiz is no longer accessible.

⏱️ Time Limits & Submission Modes​

All quizzes require a time limit (minimum 60 seconds). Choose a submission mode to control how strictly it's enforced.

Submission Modes​

🟢 Soft Limit (Flexible)

  • Best for: Practice quizzes, self-paced learning, low-stakes assessments.
  • Behavior: Users can continue answering even after the timer expires. They just receive a visual warning.
  • Auto-Submission: The attempt is automatically submitted when the configured time limit expires.
  • Compatible with: Both "Always" and "Scheduled" availability.
  • Timing Example:
    • You set a 30-minute time limit
    • User starts at 2:00 PM
    • At 2:30 PM, their timer expires and their attempt auto-submits
    • They can see their score immediately
    • (If you used "Scheduled" availability, this only works if the quiz's end time hasn't passed yet)

🔴 Hard Limit (Strict)

  • Best for: Timed exams, competitive assessments, official certifications.
  • Behavior: When the timer hits zero, the attempt is immediately and automatically submitted—users cannot continue answering.
  • Auto-Submission: Triggered automatically at the earlier of:
    1. The timer deadline (when they've been answering for the full time limit)
    2. The quiz's end time (if you used "Scheduled" availability)
  • Compatible with: Only "Scheduled" availability (requires a specific end date).
  • Timing Example 1 (Time Limit Expires First):
    • You set a 1-hour time limit
    • Quiz runs from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM (scheduled)
    • User starts at 3:30 PM
    • At 4:30 PM (1 hour later), their attempt auto-submits immediately—they cannot answer anymore
  • Timing Example 2 (Quiz End Time Comes First):
    • You set a 2-hour time limit
    • Quiz runs from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM (scheduled)
    • User starts at 4:15 PM
    • At 5:00 PM (quiz closes), their attempt auto-submits immediately—they only got 45 minutes instead of 2 hours
    • This is why Hard Limit requires a specific end date; the quiz closure acts as a hard cutoff

⚠️ Important: Hard Limit submission mode cannot be used with "Always" availability because the system needs a specific end date to enforce the hard deadline. Use "Scheduled" availability with Hard Limit mode.

Lifecycle Status​

  • Draft: You are still working on it. Nobody can see or take this quiz yet.
  • Published: The quiz is live! Depending on your Access settings, people can now attempt it.
  • Archived: The quiz is closed. New attempts are defined, but old data is preserved for historical records.

Other Settings​

Looking for more?

We are actively developing new configuration options! Expect to see more settings like quiz assignment to specific participant, incoming quiz notification, and passing scores in future updates.

  • Shuffle Questions:

    • On: Randomizes the order of questions for every user. Great for preventing cheating in a classroom setting.
    • Off: Questions appear in the exact order you arranged them. Better for storytelling or logical progression.

  • Max Attempts:

    • Limit how many times a single person can take the quiz.
    • Set to 1 for strict exams, or unlimited for practice drills.
    • Note: This limit tracks the unique Participant ID. For Public/Shared quizzes, it does not prevent a user from entering a new, different Alias to try again.

  • Question Capacity:

    • A single quiz is currently limited to 100 questions.
    • Need a larger exam? Please contact us to discuss expanded limits.