On exam day

Sitting an exam can be stressful. Find out how to prepare on the day, manage your time in the exam and cope with nerves. 

Prepare for your online exam

Academic integrity

  • The University expects that staff and students will observe values such as trust, honesty, fairness, respect, responsibility and courage in all that we do.
  • During your online exam, it’s very important to follow these values. You can do this by observing the University’s academic integrity principles and standards. See the University’s information on academic integrity.

 Set up your space

  • Set up a quiet space that is free from distractions. If you cannot guarantee this at home, consider booking a space on campus.
  • Check that your laptop has enough power/battery for you to complete your online exam.
  • If sitting your exam on campus, you should arrive at least 15 minutes before your exam start time. If you aren’t familiar with the locations of the University rooms or computer labs, you may want to allow extra time to find the room.
  • Once settled, open your online exam through the assessments page on your Canvas course site. The exam will begin at the scheduled time.

During the exam

Read the instructions carefully

  • Check how many questions you have to answer and if there are compulsory questions you must complete.

Plan your time

  • Managing your time effectively is very important in the exam. Calculate the time you spend on each question based on the marks each question is worth.
  • Make sure to include some time to plan and check your answers as well.

Read all the questions carefully

  • Make sure you break down and analyse the question so you understand what your answer must include.
  • Determine which order you want to answer the questions. You may want to start with the easy questions to build your confidence.

Answering questions during the exam

  • Make a brief plan before you start writing your answer. This can help to present your ideas in a clear and organised way. Think about the main points you will cover and how you will structure your answer.
  • Use strategies to answer different types of exam questions.
  • If you come across a question you cannot answer, move on the next question and return to it later.

Managing nerves and other emergencies

  • If you feel nervous and forget everything you studied, do not panic. Take some deep breaths and try to calm your nerves. You can try calming strategies to help you during exams.
  • If you run out of time, outline your main ideas in short bullet points to give examiners an indication of your answer.
  • If you cannot sit or complete an exam due to illness or a serious personal event, you can apply for an aegrotat or compassionate consideration.
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