Glossary

What is the Canvas quiz log?

It's the single most misunderstood part of Canvas — and the thing that actually catches people. Here's exactly what it records.

Definition

The Canvas quiz log is a timestamped, per-student record of how a quiz attempt unfolded — when you started, answered each question, changed answers, and stopped viewing the quiz page. Instructors open it from the quiz moderation screen to review an attempt.

What's in the log

For a Classic Quiz, the log is a behavioral timeline that captures:

  • when you started the quiz and when you submitted
  • when each question was answered, and in what order
  • when an answer was changed
  • when you stopped viewing the quiz page (a tab switch or lost focus) and when you resumed

You can see exactly how those entries read in the quiz log simulator.

Who sees it, and when

The log is instructor-facing — students never see their own. And most instructors never open it: it's typically reviewed only when a grade looks out of step with a student's other work. When it is reviewed, the flagged events — repeated “stopped viewing” entries lined up with correct answers — are what tell the story.

What it doesn't contain

The log records behavior on the quiz page, not the world around it. It has no record of your keystrokes, your other tabs, your screen, or any second device. It knows you left; it has no idea where you went. That single limitation is why answering on the page keeps a log clean.

Frequently asked questions

Can students see their own quiz log?
No. The quiz log is an instructor-facing tool, opened from the quiz moderation screen. You don't get a view of your own log.
Do instructors always check the quiz log?
No. Most never open it. It's usually reviewed only when something prompts suspicion — a grade that doesn't match a student's other work, for example.
Does the quiz log show what websites I visited?
No. It records that you stopped viewing the quiz page, but never where you went. Browsers keep that information out of reach.

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