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Online time controlled assessments

The majority of examinations are sat face-to-face, but some will take place online. When a University exam timetable has been released, check your personal exam timetable in TimeEdit for the details of exam locations. 

Online time-controlled assessments (OTCAs) will take place on Moodle. Their details and links will be provided to you in due course. If an exam is online, it will run to the same, or a similar schedule as to the standard exam timetable. Your personal exam timetable in TimeEdit will include details of how to access the exam. Online exams will be time-constrained, with a time window for completion, which allows for any international time differences, rest breaks, additional writing time or technical problems. You should aim to complete the tasks on your own in the time allowed.

Appropriate academic conduct during exams

Mock online time-controlled assessment

We have created a Moodle course with a mock exam for you, to practise downloading an exam paper and uploading an answer sheet to Turnitin. You will need to enrol yourself on the course to participate in it by clicking on the "Enrol Me" button.

Assistive technology

If you have an Inclusive Support Plan (ISP), you can 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 a change to their ISP is needed, should contact the Inclusive Support Team: inclusivesupport@brookes.ac.uk.

What you will need for online time-controlled assessments

To sit an online assessment, you will need access to the following:

  • internet
  • computer, laptop or other device
  • a web browser capable of accessing Moodle
  • software able to open PDFs (many browsers do this)
  • your Moodle login details
  • Microsoft Word or other word processing software
  • a desk and a suitable chair to work.

We recommend the following:

  • arrange a quiet room away from noises and disturbances
  • ensure you have reliable internet
  • have the device plugged in, so you do not run out of battery
  • do not put drinks or liquid food near the device, to avoid spills
  • switch off or silence any other devices you may have (e.g. phone), so they do not disturb your work. Ideally, put them out of sight, so they do not affect your concentration.

Appropriate academic conduct during online time-controlled assessments

As a general rule, the University’s academic conduct regulations will always apply and your work will normally be put through Turnitin. Unless you have specifically been told about a variation to the conduct rules, follow the guidance below to comply with the regulations and avoid an academic conduct investigation.

You should:

  • always write your answers yourself, in your own words. The Centre for Academic Development has some tips about paraphrasing;
  • if you need to use other people’s words, figures, pictures or ideas (e.g. from a book or another source) in your answer, make sure you reference them properly using the appropriate referencing style. The Centre for Academic Development has some tips how to avoid plagiarism;
  • work on your own without getting help from anyone else;
  • submit your own work via Moodle.

You should not:

  • help other people complete their exam or share your exam with anyone else - this is a breach of the academic conduct regulations and you will be penalised.
  • make contact with anyone else taking the same exam as you during the exam period - this may look like an attempt to cheat. If you have an issue with the exam paper itself, contact the Exams Team, the Module Leader, or see the 'technical issues' section of the Exam FAQs below.
  • copy previous work you have submitted for other assignments or exams - this will be deemed duplication and is a breach of the regulations.
  • gain access to any unauthorised materials relating to the assessment before the information is released.
  • take copies or photos of questions and upload them for the purposes of sharing with others who may not have taken the exam yet.
  • use custom writing services.

If you have any questions about what you can or cannot do in relation to an online examination, ask your Module Leader.

Guides and templates

 Alert You must be signed into your Google@Brookes account to access the exam materials. Work to be uploaded should be saved as a *.PDF or *.docx file. Please do not try to upload a *.pages file to Turnitin as this will not be accepted. If you log in to Moodle before the start time of your exam, you will need to refresh the page after the exam has started in order to access the paper.

The following guides and templates will help you prepare for an examination:

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

To prepare for an online assessment, please see the Exam FAQs Guide. It includes useful information on:

  • what to expect
  • how to prepare
  • your exam working environment 
  • the use of technology. 

If you think you may have difficulty accessing online exams, please contact exams@brookes.ac.uk. 

Exam FAQs