Setting Up Timed Quizzes

Why Use Timed Quizzes?

Adding a time limit to your quiz creates a sense of urgency, prevents respondents from looking up answers, and simulates real exam conditions. Timed quizzes are commonly used for certification tests, classroom assessments, and competitive trivia.

Enabling the Timer

To add a time limit to your quiz:

1. Open your quiz in the editor.
2. Navigate to Settings > Timer.
3. Toggle on Enable Timer.
4. Choose your timer mode (see below).

Timer Modes

WittyForm offers two timer modes to fit different quiz formats:

Total Quiz Time

Set a single countdown for the entire quiz. Respondents can allocate their time across questions however they choose.

• Enter the total time in minutes (e.g., 30 for a 30-minute quiz).
• The countdown starts as soon as the respondent begins the quiz.
• Respondents can navigate freely between questions within the time limit.
• Best for: standardized tests, final exams, and comprehensive assessments.

Per-Question Time Limit

Set an individual time limit for each question. When time runs out on a question, the quiz automatically advances to the next one.

• Enter the time per question in seconds (e.g., 30 for 30 seconds per question).
• You can set a default time and override it for specific questions that need more or less time.
• Respondents cannot go back to previous questions in this mode.
• Best for: trivia games, speed rounds, and quick-fire assessments.

What Happens When Time Expires

You can configure the behavior when the timer runs out:

• Auto-Submit: The quiz is automatically submitted with whatever answers have been provided. Unanswered questions are marked as incorrect. This is the default behavior.
• Show Warning First: Display a warning dialog when time is almost up (e.g., 1 minute remaining) before auto-submitting. This gives respondents a chance to quickly answer remaining questions.

For per-question timers, when a question's time expires, the current answer (if any) is saved and the quiz moves to the next question. If no answer was selected, the question is marked as unanswered.

Countdown Display Options

Control how the timer appears to respondents during the quiz:

• Always Visible: The countdown is displayed at the top of the quiz throughout the entire session. Respondents can always see how much time remains.
• Last Minutes Only: The timer is hidden initially and only appears when a configurable amount of time remains (e.g., last 5 minutes). This reduces anxiety while still giving a time warning.
• Hidden: The timer runs in the background but is never shown to respondents. The quiz auto-submits when time expires. Use this when you want to enforce a time limit without adding pressure.

Tips for Timed Quizzes

• Test the timing yourself: Take the quiz and see how long each question realistically takes. Set your time limit accordingly with some buffer.
• Communicate the time limit: Add a note on your quiz's welcome page letting respondents know there is a time limit and how long it is.
• Consider accessibility: Some respondents may need extra time. You can share a separate version of the quiz with extended time limits for accommodations.
• Disable back navigation with per-question timers: This is automatically enforced to maintain fairness.

Viewing Time Data

Quiz responses in your dashboard include timing information. You can see how long each respondent took to complete the quiz and, with per-question timers, how much time they spent on each question. This data can be exported along with other response data.