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Online exams

We are expecting to return to some face-to-face exams in the 2021/22 academic year, and details of exam locations will be updated as soon as we have more information. Some exams will remain online and details of these will be provided to you in due course.

Where an in-person exam is replaced by an online exam, it will run to the same, or a similar schedule as the original exam timetable. Students' Google calendars 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 in the time allowed, on your own.

Appropriate academic conduct during exams

Mock exam

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 by clicking on the "Enrol Me" button.

Assistive technology

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 a change to their Inclusive Support Plan (ISP) is needed, should contact the Inclusive Support Service on disabilitysupport@brookes.ac.uk as appropriate.

What you will need for online exams

You will need access to the following to sit online assessments:

  • internet access
  • 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 suitable chair to work.

We recommend the following as far as possible:

  • try to arrange a quiet room away from disturbances
  • try to ensure reliable internet access
  • try to have the device plugged in so you won’t run out of battery
  • try not to have food or drink on the desk. Please take care to ensure there are no spills if you choose to have a drink
  • switch off or silence any mobile electronic devices so that they do not disturb your work. Ideally put them out of sight or reach as their presence can spoil concentration.

Appropriate academic conduct during exams

As a general rule, the University’s academic conduct regulations will always apply and your work will normally be put through Turnitin, so unless you have specifically been told about a variation to the conduct rules, follow the below guidance to keep within the regulations and avoid a 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) for part of your examination answer, properly reference them using the correct referencing style. The Centre for Academic Development has some tips about avoiding 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 conduct regulations and you would 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 FAQ 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 material relating to the assessment before the information is released
  • take copies or images 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.

 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.

Guides and templates

The following guides and templates will help students prepare for and be successful in the new style assessments.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

In order to help you prepare for an online assessment, we are providing an exams FAQs guide on:

  • what to expect
  • how to prepare yourself
  • your working environment 
  • your technology. 

This information will continue to be updated. If you think you will have difficulty accessing online exams, please contact exams@brookes.ac.uk. 

Exam FAQs