diff --git a/runestone/assess/js/timed.js b/runestone/assess/js/timed.js
index d2cdcb610..a8855e3ee 100644
--- a/runestone/assess/js/timed.js
+++ b/runestone/assess/js/timed.js
@@ -260,7 +260,9 @@ Timed.prototype.renderSubmitButton = function () {
     });
     this.finishButton.textContent = "Finish Exam";
     this.finishButton.addEventListener("click", function () {
-        this.finishAssessment();
+       if (window.confirm("Clicking OK means you are ready to submit your answers and are finished with this assessment.")) {
+          this.finishAssessment();
+       }
     }.bind(this), false);
 
     this.buttonContainer.appendChild(this.finishButton);
@@ -361,6 +363,8 @@ Timed.prototype.handlePrevAssessment = function () {
 
 Timed.prototype.startAssessment = function () {
     if (!this.taken) {
+        $("#relations-next").hide(); // hide the next page button for now
+        $("#relations-prev").hide(); // hide the previous button for now
         $(this.startBtn).hide();
         $(this.pauseBtn).attr("disabled", false);
         if (this.running === 0 && this.paused === 0) {
@@ -455,6 +459,7 @@ Timed.prototype.increment = function () { // increments the timer
                 this.done = 1;
                 if (this.taken === 0) {
                     this.taken = 1;
+                    window.alert("Sorry, but you ran out of time.  Your current answers have been saved");
                     this.finishAssessment();
                 }
             }
@@ -506,7 +511,6 @@ Timed.prototype.tookTimedExam = function () {
 };
 
 Timed.prototype.finishAssessment = function () {
-    if (window.confirm("Clicking OK means you are ready to submit your answers and are finished with this assessment.")) {
         this.findTimeTaken();
         this.running = 0;
         this.done = 1;
@@ -523,7 +527,8 @@ Timed.prototype.finishAssessment = function () {
            $(this.timedDiv).hide();
            $(this.pauseBtn).hide();
         }
-    }
+        $("#relations-next").show(); // show the next page button for now
+        $("#relations-prev").show(); // show the previous button for now
 };
 
 Timed.prototype.submitTimedProblems = function (logFlag) {
diff --git a/runestone/shortanswer/js/shortanswer.js b/runestone/shortanswer/js/shortanswer.js
index 936462025..53a68d9f3 100644
--- a/runestone/shortanswer/js/shortanswer.js
+++ b/runestone/shortanswer/js/shortanswer.js
@@ -86,6 +86,9 @@ ShortAnswer.prototype.renderHTML = function() {
     this.jTextArea.rows = 4;
     this.jTextArea.cols = 50;
     this.jLabel.appendChild(this.jTextArea);
+    this.jTextArea.oninput = function () {
+       this.feedbackDiv.innerHTML = "Your answer has not been saved yet!";
+    }.bind(this);
 
     this.fieldSet.appendChild(document.createElement("br"));
 
@@ -93,7 +96,7 @@ ShortAnswer.prototype.renderHTML = function() {
     this.fieldSet.appendChild(this.buttonDiv);
 
     this.submitButton = document.createElement("button");
-    $(this.submitButton).addClass("btn btn-default");
+    $(this.submitButton).addClass("btn btn-success");
     this.submitButton.type = "button";
     this.submitButton.textContent = "Save";
     this.submitButton.onclick = function () {
@@ -134,6 +137,7 @@ ShortAnswer.prototype.submitJournal = function () {
                         console.log(data.message);
                       });  */
     this.logBookEvent({'event': 'shortanswer', 'act': JSON.stringify(value), 'div_id': this.divid});
+    this.feedbackDiv.innerHTML = "Your answer has been saved, but the instructor has not had a chance to provide a comment yet.";
 };
 
 ShortAnswer.prototype.loadJournal = function () {