Guide · Updated

How to make an online test with negative marking

Short answer

To make an online test with negative marking in MegaExams, give each question a negative value (for example 0.25 or 1 mark) in the question editor or in your import file, then turn on Negative marking in the exam's Marking settings. A wrong answer then loses that question's negative marks, a skipped question loses nothing, and students see the penalty next to each question before they answer.

Negative marking discourages blind guessing, and it is standard in many entrance, recruitment and olympiad exams, so students preparing for them need to practise under the same rules. This guide covers the common schemes, the exact setup, and how to check the scoring before anyone sits the test.

Step by step: set up negative marking

  1. Step 1: Decide the marking scheme

    Write it down before you build: marks for a correct answer, marks lost for a wrong one, and nothing for a skipped question. Common schemes are +1 and -0.25 (a quarter of the marks), +4 and -1, and +1 and -0.33 (a third). Penalties can differ by question, for example a bigger penalty on harder sections.

  2. Step 2: Create the exam and add questions

    Sign in at megaexams.com/register, open Exams and choose New exam. Add questions by typing them, picking from your bank or the library, or importing a file (see importing from Word, Excel or PDF).

  3. Step 3: Set the negative marks on each question

    In the question editor, each question has Points and, next to it, a red Negative marks field that moves in steps of 0.25. Enter the penalty, for example 1 for a 4-mark question. To set penalties in bulk, put them in your import file instead: a CSV column named negative_marks, or a spreadsheet column headed Negative marks or Penalty. The import review also shows a negative marks box on every question.

  4. Step 4: Turn on Negative marking for the exam

    In the Settings step, under Marking, switch on Negative marking. This is the exam-level switch; each question then uses its own negative value. While you are there, set a Pass percentage if the test has one.

  5. Step 5: Tell students the rule

    Add one line to the instructions, such as "Each correct answer gets 4 marks; each wrong answer loses 1 mark; unanswered questions get 0." During the exam, students also see a small "-1 if wrong" note beside each question that carries a penalty.

  6. Step 6: Check it in the preview

    Open Preview before you publish. The summary line shows "Negative marking on" with the number of questions that deduct marks, so a missed question or a switch left off is easy to spot. Then publish and share the link.

  7. Step 7: Read the results

    Scores are calculated the moment each student submits. On their result page, a student whose score went down from penalties sees how many marks the wrong answers cost and what the score would have been without them, which is a useful lesson about guessing. Ranks use percentage, so they stay fair when questions carry different marks.

How a negative-marked test is scored

Take a 100-question test with +4 for a correct answer and -1 for a wrong one, so the maximum is 400. A student answers 80 questions: 60 correct and 20 wrong, and skips 20.

  • Correct: 60 x 4 = 240 marks
  • Wrong: 20 x -1 = -20 marks
  • Skipped: 20 x 0 = 0 marks
  • Total: 220 out of 400, or 55%

To try other numbers, use the free negative marking calculator.

Rules MegaExams applies

  • Skipped questions never lose marks. Only a wrong answer that was actually given is penalised.
  • Partly right answers are not penalised. If a multi-select, matching or ordering question has partial credit turned on, a partly correct answer earns its share of the marks and never loses any.
  • Written answers are never penalised. Essays and long answers are marked by you, with AI-suggested marks to start from.
  • Each question uses its own value, so you can mix penalties on one paper.

Fixing a mistake after students submit

If you spot a wrong answer key or the wrong penalty after the exam, fix the question and use Regrade all attempts on the exam page. Before you confirm, MegaExams checks how many students' totals would actually change. If a question was faulty, open Marks and bonus and give everyone full marks for it; that award is reversible and survives later regrades.

When to use negative marking, and when not to

Use it for practice tests that copy a real exam with the same scheme, and for any test where guessing would distort the ranking. Avoid it for early learning checks and homework, where you want students to attempt everything and show you what they do not know. A middle path is a small penalty such as a quarter mark. For running a whole series of practice tests, see how to create a mock test series.

Try it on your next exam

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Frequently asked questions

Do unanswered questions lose marks with negative marking?

No. In MegaExams only a wrong answer that the student actually gave loses marks. A skipped question scores zero.

Can different questions have different negative marks?

Yes. The penalty is set per question, so one paper can mix values, for example 0.25 on easy questions and 1 on hard ones.

How do I add negative marks to many questions at once?

Put the penalties in your import file: a negative_marks column in CSV, or a column headed Negative marks or Penalty in a spreadsheet. Each imported question takes its value from that column.

Does negative marking apply to multiple-correct questions?

A fully wrong answer loses that question's negative marks. If partial credit is turned on and the answer is partly right, the student gets part of the marks and nothing is deducted.

Is negative marking free in MegaExams?

Yes. Negative marking, sections, timers and ranks are free on every exam. MegaExams has no paid plans.

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