Exam FAQs

You will need to log on to the Moodle course for your module on the date of the examination. The exam assessment will be available on that page. Open the assessment there. If you log in before the start time of your exam, you will need to refresh the page after the start time to make the assignment visible.

In most cases the assessment will consist of a PDF question paper which should be downloaded. There may be additional PDF documents such as formula sheets or case studies if required.

You should complete your answers in a Microsoft Word document or similar file. Please type your answers to all questions in a single document, labelling each question clearly. Save your work regularly.

You should upload a single file containing all your work to complete the exam before the window closes.

In some cases the exam may take the form of a Moodle quiz or other online activity.

Where a calculator is required for a paper, students are free to use any suitable calculator that they have available to them. This can include calculator apps on your phone or device or a web calculator.

Students may print a copy of the paper for their personal use in the exam.

Please note that the paper is confidential and should not be shared with other people. Do not share paper or electronic copies with any other people including other Brookes students.

You should start the exam at the scheduled time shown in your Google calendar, normally 10.00am or 2.00pm BST (British Summer Time).

There will be a 24 hour window to enable you to complete and upload the exam. This allows for technical problems, connectivity issues, time differences, permitted extra writing time and permitted rest breaks. You should aim to complete the exam in the normal time for the exam. You are not expected to work for the full window. 

There are some modules that will have a different time window to meet accreditation body requirements. Module Leaders will provide information to you if this is the case for your exam.

We are aware that students may face issues, which may include illness or lack of access to IT that could prevent them from taking the online assessment. Please contact exams@brookes.ac.uk if you have any issues in the first instance and we will try to find a solution. In the case of poor IT provision, it may be best to sit the exam on campus in one of the libraries. Illness on the day should use self certification and exceptional circumstances.

Please email exams@brookes.ac.uk.

On the day of your exam, if you experience any issues with accessing the exam paper, please email exams@brookes.ac.uk and copy in the Module Leader. The Exams email account will be monitored from 09:00 to 17:00 (UK Time), and we will respond as quickly as possible. Emails relating to the exams currently running will be prioritised. 

You can use Microsoft Paint or a similar program and cut and paste the diagram into the final document.

You may also choose to hand draw and include a scan or photograph in the final document. You will be responsible for ensuring that any scans or photographs of such work are clearly legible for marking.

See the Online Exam Guide for instructions on including diagrams and graphs in your answer sheet.

A Microsoft Word template for answering multiple choice questions is available.

A Google Docs template is also available. Please see the instructions on how to access this.

You can use the equation tool in Word.

You may also choose to hand draw and include a scan or photograph in the final document. You will be responsible for ensuring that any scans or photographs of such work are clearly legible for marking.

See the Online Exam Guide for instructions on including equations and mathematical formulae in your answer sheet.

See the Online Exam Guide for instructions on typing in Japanese.

Place a statement in the answer text against the question to state that you suspect an error and what that error is.

Answer the question as best you can stating any assumptions.

After the exam, email exams@brookes.ac.uk with the details of the suspected error.

The 24 hour window allows for any extra writing time or rest breaks that students normally have.

If your exam has a shorter window to meet accreditation body requirements then arrangements to allow extra time and rest break entitlements will be made.

Blue marking cards will be managed in the normal way for Moodle submissions. You do not need to take any special steps.

It is assumed that students will use assistive technology (AT) in place of a reader or scribe. This can be your DSA provided software, such as Dragon, Claro or Read and Write, or the in-built accessibility features within your PC or Mac. Students for whom this is not possible or is insufficient, or who feel that another temporary change to their Inclusive Support Plan (ISP) is needed should contact the Inclusive Support Service.

Students should be able to use zoom functionality to make print larger on screen. Students with a specific font requirement on their ISP will be sent a special version of the paper.

Students can choose to print on coloured paper at home if they wish and have the facility to do so.

It will depend upon the reasonable adjustment. Students will hopefully be able to sit the exam at a suitable desk and chair in a room that meets their needs. They will be able to supply any food, drink or medicines and to take any medication, rest or movement breaks as their condition requires. If a student has a requirement that they cannot meet at home then please email altprov@brookes.ac.uk so we can review their circumstances and reach the best possible solution for them.

For IT related issues with equipment and access, please contact the IT Service Desk for assistance - Monday to Friday 8.30am to 5.00pm (UK Time)

Telephone: +44 (0)1865 521 125

Chat via our portal (including 24 hour Self Service): https://service.brookes.ac.uk

Once the exam has begun, ensure that you have enabled popups from Moodle on your web browser.

If you are unable to upload your work successfully to Moodle and are running out of time, then you may email the document to exams@brookes.ac.uk. We will treat the email timestamp as the submission time.

If you do not have your own a suitable IT device, it is recommended that students use the computers on campus. Note - the Headington PC rooms will be in use for face-to-face examinations, therefore it is advised to use the Headington campus library. Other campuses are unaffected.

Students may also wish to borrow a Chromebook to use for their exam. They are available to borrow for free from the self-service cabinets at Headington (JHBB Forum), Swindon Library or Marston Road (MRG44). You will need your student ID card. Ask at the desk to borrow a Chromebook at the Harcourt Hill library.

If you also lack a suitable IT device, you may wish to check whether you are eligible for financial support with the cost of equipment. If, having done this, you are still unable to access IT equipment for your assessments, you will need to apply for exceptional circumstances.

We have provided recommendations on the optimal set-up for completing examinations online. We accept that the conditions will not be normal exam conditions and module leaders are adjusting their assessments and/or marking plans to reflect this where necessary. It will still be a valid assessment of each student's knowledge and ability.

Other universities will be developing their own processes. Information from colleagues in the sector shows many are using similar approaches to assess their students and enable them to progress. On all programmes which have an accrediting body (e.g. RIBA for Architecture, NMC for Nursing), academic staff are working with those bodies to ensure that they are happy to continue to offer their accreditation for the programme when it is assessed in a new way. Students will be able to complete their degrees with the accreditation they need from those professional bodies.

Offering a 24 hour completion window will enable some students to work around childcare or other problems but we acknowledge that in some cases this may not be possible. If you are unable to complete online examinations, then we would encourage you to apply for exceptional circumstances.

Students are expected for the time given on the rubric.

The 24 hour window will allow students who are entitled to extra writing time or rest breaks to complete their papers, alleviation of any technical issues, any timezone differences for any international students, and any care commitments.

Attempting to monitor this would require significant configuration of IT systems, whilst introducing the potential for additional technical problems onto personal devices which would be very difficult to resolve remotely.

Academic staff are aware that the additional time may be used to work. They are taking account of this in the design of the assessments and the mark schemes.

Academic staff are aware that students will have access to other materials. They are taking account of this in the design of the assessments and the mark schemes.

We acknowledge that these online exams are not the same style of assessment as a face-to-face written exam. Exams are not the only way to effectively assess the knowledge, skills and understanding that students have achieved. The assessments will be fair.