Security settings for assignments

Updated 18 May 2023

Some assignment settings can discourage answer-sharing among students and provide an additional level of security for tests. Each standard Mastering assignment (includes parent assignments) inherits its security and other settings from the category it belongs to, whether Homework, Quiz, or Test.

 Adaptive Follow-Up assignments,  Scheduled Reading assignments,  Dynamic Study Module assignments, and  Learning Catalytics.

Security settings also do NOT apply to "" Interactive Lab assignments.

""Watch a video: Use Mastering security features

  • Require Password — Students must complete password-protected assignments on a computer, not a mobile device. This setting is turned off in the provided Homework, Quiz, or Test categories.
    1. Open the assignment for edit to the 1 Settings page.
    2. Select Edit Settings under Grading and Presentation Settings.
    3. Select Require Password from the Cheating Defense area of the grading and presentation setting
  • Pool, Randomize Item Sequence, and Randomize variables (for applicable content) - These options are available from the 3 Organization page of the create/edit assignment process. Randomize Item Sequence is on by default for the Test category.

As you edit assignment settings or edit category settings, apply one or more of these security settings. More info about these settings

In the Question Attempts area of the settings page:

  • Randomize Item Sequence (category setting) — Discourages answer sharing based on item order for assignments in this category. Turned on by default for the Test category. To turn this on for an individual setting, see previous section.

In the Cheating Defense area of the settings page:

  • Assignment Has a Time Limit — If you select this option, enter the time limit for the timed assignment. Students must complete timed assignments on a computer, not a mobile device. This setting is turned off in the provided Homework, Quiz, or Test categories.
  • Allow Students to Print — This setting is turned on in the Homework category, but turned off for Quiz and Test.
  • Hide Item Titles - Discourages answer-sharing based on item titles, especially when used in combination with the Randomize Item Sequence setting. You can still see the item title in Student View by pointing to the substitute title. The Hide Item Titles setting is turned on in the provided Test category, but turned off for Homework and Quiz.
  • Limit Student Access between completion and due date — This setting is turned on in the provided Test category, but turned off for Homework and Quiz.

See also: About grading settings