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Online written examinations

Brief description

Online written examinations can be held in various ways, and as with any other exam, the aim is to test the extent to which the student has met the academic objectives. Below you will find descriptions and tips on how to hold online multiple-choice written examinations, and alternatives to on-site exams and exams that include submission of a product. Please note that the page does not contain guidelines and requirements for the type of examination. Check the sidebar to the right for links to specific guidelines.

Multiple choice

When preparing a multiple-choice exam, it is important to tailor the number of questions to the allotted time, so there is less opportunity to check Google and contact fellow students. MCQ tests can advantageously include other types of questions, such as calculations, multiple answers, short answers, prioritizations, and matching. Read more about different types of questions here.

Avoid plagiarism

You have several options if you want to individualise the exam. You can randomize questions, draw questions from a question bank or set up question sets so the students are given different questions. This will reduce the risk of plagiarism. It is also a good idea to draw up a pool of questions that is larger than the number of questions the students are presented with (preferably by a factor of 2), as this will randomise the exam for different students.

Prepare the questions

When you prepare questions, consider how to create identical -sounding questions with different answers and similar levels of difficulty. Here are some tips::

  • Several versions of the same multiple-answer questions with different correct and incorrect answers.

  • Use several variables, for example for calculations. Students will use the same method of calculation but get different results.

  • Different interpretations. Students will use the same method but get different results.

  • Use free text. Include one or more question(s) asking students to explain their answers in free text using their own words. You can randomize, so students are asked to explain different answers. This will reduce the risk of plagiarism.

Alternative to written on-site exam

When a written on-site exam is converted into an online exam, it may give rise to concerns that students will seek out so much help from each other or others that it is not possible to assess the student's individual performance. This can be particularly challenging if the ordinary type of exam is completed without study aids.

Proposals on how to individualise exam papers: 

  • Make sure that there is sufficient time pressure, so students do not have time to communicate with each other.    

  • Randomise the assignments so they appear in different orders for the students. This will make it more difficult to share and compare responses.

  • Use different empirical data/datasets/variables when the assignments are similar. For assignments with a description of context, you can change the context, e.g. change the species, sources, text piece, etc. Please note, however, that the assignments must be comparable in terms of content and level of difficulty, and thus be interchangeable    

  • Create assignments where the student must use data or other information from reports or assignments they have completed during the semester. You can also include essay questions, where you ask the student to describe and explain the results of a report. If they have not yet submitted any reports, there is still time: hand out different datasets to students and ask them to analyse them.

Creating a product for assessment

When a test is replaced by a product created by the student, it is important that students are familiar with the assessment criteria for testing the product. The criteria should be closely linked to the course’s learning outcomes. For example, the quality of a video should not be a criterion if this was not a learning outcome of the course (as long as the sound and image are clear). One way of preserving the 'here and now' element is to have students draw a topic in the morning, after which they must prepare the product within a specified time frame. It is also a good idea for students to begin their video by stating their name and showing their student ID card.

NOTE: At some degree programmes, this type of examination may be an asynchronous oral examination where students prepare their oral presentations as a video or audio file. This type of examination cannot be combined with the ordinary product exam.

Suggestions for types of product

When uploading different types of projects, e.g. via WISEflow, be very aware of delays and upload times.

Below you will find suggestions on products appropriate for assessment in exam types where the student draws a topic and prepares it within a specified time frame:

  • Video: The topic for a video can be a theoretic topic from the syllabus, a laboratory report or a previous submission from the course. Ideally, the subjects should be known by students in advance to ensure that they are better prepared for the exam and to avoid too much uncertainty. The video should ideally be a combination of the student’s explanations and include drawings or figures    
  • Presentation: For example, in PowerPoint, the student explains a topic using text, figures and illustrations. It is a good idea to record audio that overplays during the student’s presentation    .
  • Written exam papers: The topic of the paper can resemble an earlier submission during the course or a theoretic topic from the syllabus. In some cases, the topics can be shared with the students beforehand to ensure that they are better prepared for the exam and to avoid too much uncertainty. It can be challenging to identify individual students in connection with written exam papers. A solution to this may be a short video to accompany the written exam paper.
  • Audio: As there is no visual element to accompany the audio, explanations must be very detailed and descriptive. The subject can resemble an earlier submission during the course or a theoretic topic from the syllabus. Ideally, the subjects should be known by students in advance to ensure that they are better prepared for the exam and to avoid too much uncertainty. The students must be familiar with the assessment criteria    
  • Mindmap: Students create mind maps that link the different topics and concepts of a course. A mind map should ideally be accompanied by a video with an oral explanation. An example of a mind map:
  • Free form explanation of a topic. The student chooses whether to use video, text, drawings, etc. It is crucial that the student is familiar with the assessment criteria beforehand.    

Contact

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