Extegrity Exam4 – FAQs (Faculty)

The Laptop Option has been made available for examinations in all first year courses and in all second year registration priority courses.  Students who opt to take their exams on the computer will be using a program called "Exam4".  The following has been created to assist faculty in understanding the Exam4 software features, capabilities, and limitations. 
If your examination does not lend itself to a laptop option, please let both the students and the Registrar know so that all may plan accordingly.
NOTE: Vista is supported by Exam4

Can Exam4 be used for open and closed book examinations?

• Exam4 has the capability of locking down a student’s computer so that the student has no access to any other materials on his or her computer.  (CLOSED mode)

• Exam4 has the capability of giving a student access to other information, programs, and materials stored on the student’s laptop (OPEN mode)

• Exam4 has the capability of giving a student access to information stored on the student’s laptop as well as access to the internet (OPEN mode with internet access).

Faculty are asked to indicate which laptop mode is to be used for their examinations when completing the examination information cover sheet [hyperlink to PDF ]

What will the students receive if they are taking the exam on a laptop?

All students will receive a paper copy of the examination questions and any other supplemental material made available by the professor.  The only difference is that laptop takers will type their examinations and submit them over the internet.

Can I require the students to have specific margins?

Margins cannot be changed for exams typed in Exam4. All exams are printed with a margin of approximately 1¼".

Will the students be able to insert page breaks?

Exam4 automatically inserts page breaks if the student inserts an “answer separator” for each answer. If page breaks are important, you should instruct your students to insert an answer separator between each answer. (This option can be found in the Exam4 software).  If the length of the answer is an issue, the Exam4 software CAN keep a word count for each answer, so you may instruct your students to keep their answers within a particular word count range. 1 page is approximately 500 words.

Does the Exam4 software have spellchecking?

Exam4 does not have a spellchecker, as per the administration's recommendation. A student taking the computerized exam should NOT be expected to have a higher spelling standard than students writing out their exams in the Blue Books.

Can I require students to double-space their exam?

All exams will be printed double-spaced by default.  Exam4 does not have any line-spacing options.

Can I have page requirements for each answer?

Exam4 does not automatically number pages while the students are typing their exams, so it may be difficult for students to know how many pages they have typed; it will, however, keep a word count for each answer.  Professors are encouraged to create word count requirements for individual answers, if desired. (E.g. 500 words for answer 1, 400 words for answer 2, etc.)

Can I have a page requirement for the entire exam?

Exam4 does have a page count for the entire exam; the page count does not count pages for individual answers within the exam.

How do I create equal length requirements between typed and hand-written exams?

Since the Exam4 software is most accurate with a word count, professors are encouraged to do the following:

• Students who type their exams on their laptop should be given a word count requirement.
• Students who hand-write their exams in a blue-book should be given an equivalent page or line count requirement.

In order for professors to offer equivalent length requirements between students typing their exams and those hand-writing their exams in a blue-book, ITS has come up with this ratio:

• In a Blue-Book exam, a student will write an average of 100 words per page (double-spaced).
• In a Blue-Book exam, a student will write an average of 7 words per line.

What will the Exams look like when printed?

• Cover Sheet : The examination will print out with a cover sheet containing the following information:

  Class Name, Professor, Date, Student Exam Number

  If the exam was taken in the OPEN mode, that will be indicated on the Cover Sheet as OPEN.

  There will be a word count, but it will only show a word count for each answer IF the student inserts an answer separator from the software. 

• Exam Answer Format

  All exams are printed with a margin of approximately 1¼".  Exam4 does not automatically number pages; however page numbers are added when the exams are printed.

  If the student has inserted answer separations within their exam, each answer will start on a new page.