Examination regulations

3.1        At the start of each semester, Schools/Divisions advise the Registry Officer (Examinations) and the Academic Administration of the examinations to be scheduled in the diet of examinations for that semester, as well as providing the examination papers (both first and retrieval diet) required for those examinations. A record form will be issued for each examination paper at this time; the form will be used as a sign off sheet and will provide further details about the administration of the examination.

3.2        The finalised examination paper - that is the examination paper that has been checked and signed off by the paper setter and Head of Division (and External Examiners where required) - should be forwarded to the Registry Officer (Examinations) electronically along with the completed and signed paper record form. All finalised examination papers must be submitted to the Registry Officer (Examinations) at least three weeks before the start of the diet of examinations. This includes the papers for those exams which are intended to be delivered via an online Test on the VLE (Virtual Learning Environment). This is to accommodate instances where technology related problems impacts students’ ability to engage with the online Test and the questions must be provided by another means.

3.3        The Registry Officer (Examinations) will attach the front sheet (containing name of Division, the Programme(s) accessing the module, the level, the paper title, the module code, the confirmed date and time of the exam, the exam rubric and the name(s) of the paper setter(s) as detailed on the paper record form) to the examination paper.

For paper based exams, the paper will be sent to the Print Room or printed locally.

For VLE Drop-Box based exams, The Registry Officer (Examinations) will create an exam area within the relevant module site on the VLE and populate it with exam resources and the exam paper. Student access to the exam paper and drop-box will be restricted until the scheduled release time of the exam. The Drop-Box will be set up in a way that accommodates any relevant student with timing adjusted by an ILP.

For online Test exams administered through the VLE, the paper setter is responsible for creating the exam on the VLE and restricting student access until the appropriate time. The paper setter should set up the online Test exam in a way that accommodates any relevant student with timing adjusted by an ILP. The Registry Officer (Examinations) can support in the creation of an exam area within the relevant module VLE site.

3.4        If a Programme Team is unable to carry out this procedure for all examinations, according to 3.2 above, they should consult the Registry Officer (Examinations) regarding the appropriate steps to follow.

3.5       The Registry Officer (Examinations) will then collate the examination packs or prepare exam areas in VLE sites for each examination.

3.6        At the end of each session, the Registry Officer (Examinations) will forward examination papers to the Library for record.

4.1       Divisions/Programme Teams may nominate a member of staff to be the official contact for matters relating to examinations. Accountability for examinations however remains with the Head of Division/Programme Leader to ensure that the following points are actioned:

• co-ordination of examination arrangements for the Programme/Division, in consultation with the Registry Examinations Officer and the Programme/Subject team;
• ensuring, in consultation with the Registry Officer (Examinations), that students are informed of the assessment periods for both first and second diets and of their requirement to attend;
• co-ordinating the production of examination papers for their Programme and their submission to the Registry Officer (Examinations), in accordance with the examination schedule and the procedure specified in Section 3 above;
• co-ordinating secure arrangements for the draft examination papers to be moderated by internal examiners and, where appropriate, External Examiners;
• co-ordinating arrangements for paper setters to proof read typed draft papers;
• in consultation with the Head of Division/Programme Leader, provision of invigilators for examinations from the Programme Team/Division, as required by the Registry Officer (Examinations);
• arrangements for paper setters to be present during the five minute reading time (where allocated) to address any queries raised by candidates;
• ensuring that completed examination books are accounted for, are marked and are available for moderation until the Board of Examiners.

5.1     In co-ordinating the conduct of examinations within the University, the Registry Officer (Examinations) has the following responsibilities:

• ensuring, in consultation with Academic Administration/Examination Co-ordinators, that students are informed of the assessment periods for both first and second diets and of their requirement to attend;
• producing the full diet of examinations timetable, in consultation with Academic Administration/Examination Co-ordinators;
• requesting examination papers from the Examination Co-ordinators, in accordance with the examination timetable;
• co-ordinating the production of finalised examination papers;
• ensuring the security of all examination papers, prior to the examination being held;
• ensuring that the final draft of an examination paper is approved by the appropriate Head of Division before it is printed;
• liaising with Academic Administration/Examination Co-ordinators to ensure that the appropriate number of invigilators are provided;
• liaising with the Examination Co-ordinators to ensure that paper setters are present during the five minutes reading time (where allocated) to address any queries raised by candidates;
• ensuring the provision of written instructions to invigilators and to candidates;
• ensuring, in consultation with the appropriate member of the Estates and Facilities department, that examinations rooms have adequately spaced seating, that any material likely to be of assistance to candidates is removed and that a clock is provided;
• ensuring that the Registry Officer (Examinations) or other members of Registry are available to be contacted at all times during the main diets of examinations;
• ensuring that a Senior Invigilator’s Report is completed and signed by the Senior Invigilator for each examination;
• ensuring that all examination materials, including completed and unused answer books, are returned to Registry by the Senior Invigilator, for storage and distribution to markers. Where completed answer books are collected by the marker directly from the examination room, the relevant section of the Senior Invigilator’s Report should also be completed and signed by the marker;
• communicating ILP adjustments to relevant students, including but not limited to changes in venue from that published on the exam timetable and any extra time allocation.

6.1     The rubric on the front sheet of each examination paper will provide, in standard format, the following details:

1. name of institution
2. home Division
3. Programme(s) using this examination paper
4. level at which assessed
5. module / subject title
6. module / subject code
7. examination title (if different from module / subject title)
8. academic session
9. date of examination
10. duration of examination (and indication of allocation of reading time)
11. instructions to candidates
12. clear instructions as to the allocation of questions per answer book
13. paper setter

7.1     Examinations are conducted according to the published diet of examinations timetable. The confirmed timetable will be published for each diet of examinations at least three weeks before the start of the diet and displayed on the University website.

7.2     An examination pack, containing the appropriate examination papers, script books and other materials, as well as a list of candidates eligible to take the examination, will be prepared by the Registry Officer (Examinations), for collection by the Senior Invigilator thirty minutes before the start of the examination.

For VLE Drop-Box based exams, The Registry Officer (Examinations) will create an exam area within the relevant module site on the VLE and populate it with exam resources, a statement of academic integrity and the exam paper. Student access to the exam paper and drop-box will be restricted until the scheduled release time of the exam. Students will be unable to access the exam paper until they have clicked a button to indicate that they have reviewed the statement of academic integrity.

7.3     The procedure for the invigilation of examinations is detailed in Section 9 below.

7.4     The responsibilities of candidates undertaking examinations offered by Queen Margaret University are detailed in Section 10 below.

8.1     Except in cases of extreme difficulty, students are required to be available for every diet of examinations, including retrieval examinations. The following procedure is applicable to all students and all diets of examination. Requests for special arrangement of examinations outwith the University should be considered only if exceptional circumstances apply. Senate has agreed that being an international student (broadly defined to include an EU citizen domiciled at distance from the UK) may be considered as an exceptional circumstance.

8.2     The procedure for special arrangement of examinations to be held outwith the University is as follows:

8.2.1     Any request for an examination outwith the University requires to have the written approval of both the Programme Leader and the Head of Division/Dean of School:

• Approved requests for examinations outwith the University should be forwarded in writing to the Registry Officer (Examinations), who shall make all subsequent arrangements. The Registry Officer (Examinations) should normally be informed of any approved requests for special arrangements at the earliest opportunity and no less than six weeks before the relevant diet of examinations is due to take place.

• Students are asked to nominate a local centre willing to undertake the examination and to conform to the University’s examination procedures and regulations, but this has to be confirmed as suitable by the Registry Officer (Examinations). In addition, the Registry Officer (Examinations) will act as the official contact point for arrangements with the local centre and with the student.

• Any examinations organised at a designated local centre should normally take place at the same date and time (GMT) as the same examination at the University. Where this is not possible, and there is a possibility of contact between students, Registry may require the relevant paper setter to set an alternative examination paper.

• The Registry Officer (Examinations) will notify the student of all finalised arrangements in writing at least ten days before the scheduled date of the examination(s) in question.

• There will be an administration charge made by the University (currently set at £75) which will normally be payable by the student. This is intended to cover the costs of the arrangements. Where Programme requirements (such as placements) necessitate such arrangements, this charge will be waived. In addition, the local centre may make a further charge to cover any incurred costs, for which the student may be liable.

8.3     Further advice regarding the arrangement of examinations outwith the University is available from the Registry Officer (Examinations).

9.1     General 

9.1.1  Invigilators are responsible for the proper conduct of examinations in accordance with the instructions given below.

9.1.2  For each examination venue, there will be one Senior Invigilator for the first 30 candidates and one further invigilator will normally be appointed for each additional 30 candidates thereafter. Registry staff will be available in the vicinity of the examination to provide assistance throughout the duration of the examination.

9.1.3   For online tests administered on the VLE or VLE Drop-Box based exams, there will be no invigilators except where they are held on campus, then they will follow guidance in 9.1.2. Registry staff will be available online via email for the duration of the examination between 9am and 5pm.

9.2     Preparations before examinations

9.2.1  The Senior Invigilator is responsible for collecting the examination pack, containing all examination materials including a list of candidates eligible to take the examination, from Registry at least 30 minutes before the start of the examination.

9.2.2  All invigilators should be present in the examination room at least 20 minutes before the start of the examination.

9.2.3  The required number of answer books, the question papers, scrap paper and any other required examination material should be laid out on each desk before candidates are allowed to enter the room. Question papers should be laid face upwards.

9.2.4  The Announcements to Students (detailed in Paragraph 9.5 below) should always be read out prior to the commencement of each examination.

9.2.5  Paper setters should be present during reading time to address any queries raised by candidates, but should not attempt to interpret the examination paper for candidates.

Note: Any response to a query should be announced to all the candidates.

9.2.6  Reading time (where allocated, normally 5 minutes) is additional to the total time for an examination, and examination conditions operate from the start of reading time. Candidates must not commence writing in the answer books during reading time, but may be permitted to write on the scrap paper provided or the question paper itself (unless required to answer on the question paper).

9.3     Admission to the examination

9.3.1  Candidates should normally be admitted to the examination room 15 minutes before the start of the examination.

9.3.2  Candidates must produce their matriculation card on admission to the examination room. In addition, candidates must complete and sign the signature sheet and/or an attendance slip, as deemed appropriate by the Senior Invigilator. Where candidates are asked to sign attendance slips, the invigilators are asked to ensure that all slips are checked against the signature sheet, to indicate attendance.

9.3.3  Matriculation cards should be displayed on candidates’ desks throughout the examination.

9.4     Late admission of candidates

9.4.1  A candidate who arrives late should be admitted without question during the first half hour of an examination.

9.4.2  Admission after the first half hour may only be allowed with the prior permission of the Senior Invigilator and the Registry Officer (Examinations).

9.4.3  No extra time will normally be allowed to a candidate who arrives late for an examination session, unless there are accepted extenuating circumstances. This has to be agreed by the Senior Invigilator and the Registry Officer (Examinations).

9.5     Announcements to candidates before the start of the examination

9.5.1  The following announcements should be made to candidates before the start of the examination:

1. “Please display your matriculation card on your desk throughout the examination”.
2. “Only authorised materials should be retained on your desk during the examination. All other materials not specifically allowed in the rubric of the examination paper and all other belongings should be placed at the front of the room. The use of hand held personal technology including smart watches, personal organisers, electronic dictionaries and mobile phones is not permitted. Please ensure that all mobile telephones are switched off and retained in personal bags at the front of the examination room. The use of programmable calculators and those with text, symbolic or graphic capabilities is not permitted unless expressly authorised by the examiners, as stated on the front cover of the examination paper”.
3. “Please complete the front covers of the answer books before the start of the examination. You should ensure that you have completed and sealed the fold-down edge to maintain anonymity. You must also ensure that your name is not shown anywhere else on the examination answer book”.
4. “Please check that you have the correct question paper, and note the duration of the examination”.
5. “Please do not start writing in the answer books during reading time. You can, however, write on the question paper (unless you are required to answer on the paper) or the scrap paper provided during the reading time”.
6. “Any queries regarding the question paper should be raised during the reading time (i.e. the first 5 minutes) with the paper setter. The answer to any query will be announced to all candidates taking the examination”.
7. “Please do not leave the examination room during the first 30 minutes or the last 15 minutes of the examination, other than for personal reasons. If you require to leave the room temporarily, you will be accompanied by an invigilator”.
8. “You will be informed of the time 30 minutes and 15 minutes before the end of the examination”.
9. “Once the examination has been completed, candidates must obey the Senior Invigilator’s instructions either to remain in their seats until answer books are collected or to leave books on desks”
10. “Where there are any students who have been allocated extra time, please leave the exam room at the end of the examination quickly and quietly to ensure minimum disruption to the remaining student(s)”.

9.6 Procedures in event of evacuation due to a fire alarm activation or other emergency

In the event of the fire alarms being activated and candidates for an exam being evacuated during an examination, the following action will be taken in line with QMU Fire Regulations:

9.6.1  Invigilators will act as temporary fire wardens responsible for the orderly evacuation of the examination room.

9.6.2  Without delaying the evacuation of the candidates unduly, the candidates will be:

1. instructed to stop writing;
2. informed that the examination has been suspended and that further instructions will be given on re-admittance to the examination room;
3. asked to check that her/his name is on at least one answer book;
4. instructed to evacuate the room, leaving question papers, answer books and personal belongings in the examination room
5. asked to proceed as a group to the nearest the assembly point.

9.6.3  The invigilator will be the last person to leave the examination room and will record the time of the fire alarm activation and evacuation of the examination room.

9.6.4  Invigilators will return to the examination room when authorised by the Security Wardens and will re-admit the candidates.

9.6.5  If the alarm is activated at a point up to two-thirds of the way into the published time provided for the examination, the examination will re-start, and the period the examination will be extended by the period of disruption.

9.6.6  If the alarm is activated at a point within the last third of the examination period, the examination will not be re-started. The examiners will take the extenuating circumstances into account in determining the performance of candidates.

9.6.7  The period of disruption is from the time the alarm sounds until candidates are re-seated in the examination room. Should the period of disruption extend beyond one hour, then the examination will be considered null and void, and rescheduled at a time to be notified by the Registry Officer (Examinations).

9.6.8  On re-admittance to the examination venue, the Senior Invigilator will instruct candidates as to whether or not the examination will be re-started, or has been declared null and void [in line with paragraphs 9.6.6 and 9.6.7 above].

9.6.9  The Senior Invigilator will record the disruption on the Senior Invigilator Report so that the examiners can be advised to take this into account when assessing performance.

9.6.10   During the period of evacuation the Regulations for Examinations should be considered to be suspended until the examination is re-started or ended.

9.7   Procedures in the event of network disruption

9.7.1  In the unlikely event of network disruption that affects an examination completed on a computer, the University will put in place alternative arrangements for the examination. The precise nature of these arrangements will be determined on a case by case basis. In all cases, the priority will be not to disadvantage students.

9.7.2   In the event of network disruption, the examination will be handwritten, where possible and appropriate. Students with Individual Learning Plans who would normally use a computer to take an examination will be given the option of handwriting the examination. They will also be given extra time to complete the examination. Should this not be appropriate, attempts will be made to reschedule the examination.

9.7.3   Should a network disruption coincide with an examination on the HUB, the examination will be rescheduled.

9.7.4   Students are expected to check the University’s Facebook page and Twitter feeds for updates in the event of network disruption. Should there be a need to identify an alternative room for an examination affected by network disruption, physical signage at reception will provide details of the location.

9.8     Misconduct

9.8.1  If any candidate is suspected of cheating or other misconduct, the following procedure should be followed:

1. The candidate’s examination answer book should be removed and endorsed by the invigilator as having been used prior to the incident.
2. Any unauthorised materials should be removed and attached to the candidate’s original examinations answer book.
3. The candidate should be issued with a fresh examination answer book and instructed to continue the examination.
4. The Registry Officer (Examinations) should be notified of any incident immediately after the examination has finished.
5. The Senior Invigilator’s Report should be clearly annotated.

9.9     End of the examination

9.9.1  The examination should be stopped punctually, and candidates should be advised either to remain in their seats until the answer books have been collected or to leave all relevant materials on their desks. Care should be taken to ensure that each candidate returns all relevant materials.

9.9.2   The Senior Invigilator should count the number of answer books collected and complete and sign the Senior Invigilator’s Report.

9.9.3   Answer books and all other materials should be returned to the Registry Officer (Examinations), unless the marker collects the answer books directly. Where the marker collects the answer books directly from the examination room the Senior Invigilator should ensure that the marker completes and signs the relevant section of the Senior Invigilator’s Report.

10.1      General

10.1.1   Candidates must ensure that they are aware of the published examinations timetable for both first and second diet examinations and their requirement to attend.

10.1.2   Candidates must notify any change of permanent address through the Student Portal. This is essential for mailing of assessment results (student academic transcript) and information about graduation.

10.1.3   Candidates must arrive at the examination venue at least 15 minutes before the published start time. The examination timetable (published on the Registry website) should be checked to confirm the location.

10.1.4   Candidates must complete and sign the signature sheet and/or an attendance slip, as directed by the Senior Invigilator.

10.1.5   A candidate who is unable to attend an examination because of illness, or another valid reason, must submit an extenuating circumstances form with relevant documentary evidence.

10.1.6   A candidate who requires provision of additional examination arrangements must inform their Programme Leader as soon as possible and normally not later than four weeks before the first examination.

10.1.7   Candidates are referred to the Programme Regulations for specific details relating to their Programme assessment procedures, and to the general Assessment Regulations.

10.2      Late admission of candidates

10.2.1   A candidate who arrives late will be admitted without question during the first half hour of an examination.

10.2.2   Admission after the first half hour may be allowed with the prior permission of the Senior Invigilator and the Registry Officer (Examinations).

10.2.3   No extra time will normally be allowed to a candidate who arrives late for an examination session, unless extenuating circumstances are accepted by the Senior Invigilator and the Registry Officer (Examinations).

10.3      Conduct in the examination room

10.3.1   Candidates must retain only authorised materials on their desks during each examination. All other belongings should be placed either at the front or the back of the room. The use of hand held personal technology including smart watches, personal organisers, electronic dictionaries and mobile phones is not permitted. All mobile telephones must be switched off prior to entrance into the examination room and retained in candidates’ bags at the front of the examination room. The use of programmable calculators and those with text, symbolic or graphic capabilities is not permitted unless their use is expressly authorised by the examiners, as stated on the front cover of the examination paper.

10.3.2   Candidates are advised that they should complete the front cover(s) of examination answer book(s) before the start of the examination. Candidates should ensure that they have completed and sealed the fold-down edge to maintain anonymity. You must also ensure that your name is not shown anywhere else on the examination answer book.

10.3.3   Candidates should ensure that they have been issued with the correct question paper and note the duration of the examination.

10.3.4   Once the examination has started, communication or any other irregular practice is not allowed between candidates.

10.3.5   For the duration of reading time (where allocated this will normally last 5 minutes), candidates should not commence writing in the answer books, but may be permitted to write on the question paper (unless they are required to answer on this paper) or on scrap paper. The invigilator will instruct candidates when to commence writing in the answer books.

10.3.6   Questions on the content or presentation of the examination paper may only be asked during the specified reading time. The answer to any question asked will be repeated to all candidates taking the examination.

10.3.7   If a candidate wishes to attract the attention of the invigilator at any time during the examination s/he should do so by raising her/his hand. Candidates undertaking an exam online should email examinations@qmu.ac.uk. 

10.3.8   No candidate should leave the examination room during the first 30 minutes or the last 15 minutes of the examination, other than for personal reasons. Any candidate wishing to leave the examination room temporarily must be accompanied by the invigilator.

10.3.9   Candidates will be reminded of the time 30 minutes and 15 minutes before the end of the examination.

10.3.10 A candidate who becomes ill during an examination must inform an invigilator who should record the details on the invigilators report. Candidates should submit an extenuating circumstances form as soon as possible thereafter.

10.4      End of the examination

10.4.1   Candidates must obey the Senior Invigilator’s instructions either to remain in their seats until answer books are collected or to leave books on desks.

10.4.2   All answer books and other relevant material to be submitted should be clearly marked with the candidate’s name.

10.4.3   It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure that all relevant material for marking is submitted to the invigilator.

11.1  Summary

• An online exam is normally an exam you take remotely in your own space.
• Online examinations may also be held on campus in dedicated IT labs. The examination timetable will advise whether the examination is to be conducted on campus or remotely.
• Ensure you have appropriate technology to sit your exam and have downloaded the most recent version of Google Chrome
• The exams will either be an MSWord Document or equivalent which you submit to a Dropbox or an online/MCQ Test administered directly on the VLE
• Although the exams are not invigilated, there are still strict requirements for proper academic conduct and you are expected to act honestly and with integrity, without any cheating in any form. You are also expected to revise and prepare as you would for a traditional exam
• The exam will be time-limited, but rather than having, for example, two or three hours as for a standard exam, some exams will have 24 hours between the exam paper being made available to you, and the deadline for submitting your completed exam script.
• You aren’t expected to spend 24 hours working on your answers, this time is provided to give you time to access the paper, write your answers, and submit your completed script. The time you are expected to spend writing your exam will be stated in the Dropbox instructions.
• Dates for exam are published in the Exam Timetable. Please check the timetable regularly as the listed dates are liable to change.
• Your exam paper will be released at the start time of the exam, as listed in the Exam Timetable.

11.2  Preparing for Online Exams

• Date of your exam
• Make sure that you know the dates of all of your exams. Dates are published in the Exam Timetable. The exam timetable is subject to change so please check it regularly.

• Revising for your exam 
• Even though the online exams are not invigilated you are expected to revise prepare as you would a conventional exam.
• If your exam is ‘Open-Book’ you should prepare your notes, textbooks, handouts, website bookmarks etc. to make it easier to use them during the exam. Even with access to notes, you should still make sure that you know and understand the course content.

• Location and setting 

• You are responsible for creating your own exam conditions, choosing a set-up which suits you best. Plan in advance to make sure you have a quiet, comfortable place to take the exam. Tell your family/friends/flat mates that you have an exam so that you can take the exam uninterrupted. You might find it helpful to have your phone on silent, again so that you are not disturbed during the exam.
• You are welcome to sit the online exam on campus. The Examinations team will reserve a number of rooms to accommodate students who wish to undertake their online examination on campus. Please contact examinations@qmu.ac.uk if you wish to reserve a space in these allocated rooms.
• Rooms with suitable technology for online exams are available for students during the examination period if you feel like you don’t have suitable equipment at home. To enquire, please email Examinations@qmu.ac.uk
• If you have an Individual Learning Plan (ILP) that requires a reader and/or scribe and would rather sit your exam on campus with an in-person reader/scribe, we can arrange this for you. Please email Examinations@qmu.ac.uk to let us know.

• Technology 

• We strongly recommend you use Google Chrome for the online exams, as the VLE does not support other internet browsers such as Safari, Firefox and Internet Explorer. If you do choose to use an alternative browser, please bear in mind that some key functions may be disabled which could affect your exam.
• Please ensure you have the latest update of Google Chrome installed.
• In addition to Chrome, please ensure you have MSWord if your exam paper requires a typed response, or a scanning app if you are hand-writing your exam. You can download Microsoft Office for free.

11.3  During the Exam

• Accessing your exam paper 

• Your exam paper will be released on the module VLE site at the time stated in the Exam Timetable.
• In order to access the exam paper, you will have to read and accept the terms listed in the Statement of Academic honesty and Integrity. Only once you have reviewed and accepted these terms will your exam paper release.

• 24 hour or Timed Dropboxes 

• There will be one dropbox per module component for all students including those with ILPs.
• Majority of the dropboxes will remain open for a 24 hour period, but will display the correct duration of the exam in the dropbox instructions. We expect you to complete your exam within the time-frame stated in the dropbox instructions. The 24 hour period is to accommodate individual circumstances, including caring commitments, technical problems, interruptions and time zones.
• Not all exams will have a 24 hour dropbox. Some exams will be conducted in the usual time limited format due to professional accreditation requirements or for pedagogical reasons. You can find details on the arrangements for your individual exam on the Module VLE site.

• VLE Online Test/MCQ Exams 

• Some exams will be completed using the VLE Test function and will not require you to download an exam paper and upload your answers to a dropbox. The VLE exams will be conducted in a time limited format.

• Reading time 

• The paper setter will be available during the first 30 minutes of the exam. This is for the standard 15 minutes reading time and extra 15 minutes for any students with an ILP. The students can ask questions during this time only. Any questions from students should be emailed to examinations@qmu.ac.uk who will forward the email to the relevant staff member.

11.4   ILP Provisions

• Due to the exams being conducted online, we have made some adjustments to the way ILPs will be supported during the exams.

• All students who require rest breaks will be given 50% Extra Time on top of the Extra Time already allocated in their ILP.
• All students who require a Scribe will be granted 50% Extra Time on top of the Extra Time already allocated in their ILP.  
• Please note that this extra time is included in the 24-hour Dropbox. This does not mean that you receive 24-hours plus extra time.
• All Students who require a Reader should use the Text to Speech Function on Read&Write via one of the options below:

• Option 1

• Use Chrome Read&Write TextHelp Extension
• Please see below for training video on how to use Chrome Read&Write Speech Function

• Option 2  
• Access via QMU Remote Access
• How to connect via remote access (Windows & Mac users) - Select Method 2: Horizon Client Access
• Open QMU Desktop
• Select the Windows Icon
• Open Read&Write
• Please see below for training video on how to use Read&Write Speech Function

• Option 3
• Download the Trial Version of Read&Write for 30 Days to your machine
• Open Read&Write

• Please see below for training video on how to use Read&Write Speech Function
• You can download Scottish Voices for use with Read& Write at the following link: https://www.callscotland.org.uk/information/scottish-voice/

• Please ensure that you have accessed and tested one of these options in advance of your exam.

11.5   Academic Misconduct

• Expected conduct during online exams 

• Unlike a traditional exams, an online exam is not invigilated. However, it is absolutely essential that you practice proper academic and professional conduct, and you act with integrity and honesty – qualities which we value highly at QMU, as do your future employers. You must be alone when you take the exam, complete it on your own and not consult with anyone once you have downloaded the exam paper.

• If the exam is taken under “open-book” conditions, you have access to your notes, course material, and the internet during the examination.

• As with any assessment, plagiarism – passing other people’s work off as your own – is strictly forbidden. The University’s standard procedures for dealing with academic misconduct still apply to online exams.

• The exam response must be your own work, undertaken entirely on your own, this includes:

• Not receiving or giving any assistance to another student taking this examination.
• Not using any additional resources out with what has been approved by the paper setter.
• Not plagiarising someone else’s work and turning it in as your own.

• Acts of academic dishonesty may be penalised under Queen Margaret University Regulations, including receiving a failing grade for the course. Full Assessment Regulations can be found at here.

11.6   Uploading Your Exam Paper

• Uploading your exam script 

• The 24 hour dropbox period is to allow time for you to prepare and upload your script. Do not wait until the last 30 minutes to submit your exam script, in case you experience any technical difficulties. You can submit at any point during the time period. Please note that you may only submit your exam script once – so please double check you have answered all the questions before submitting your paper.
• Exam support will only be available during working hours (9am – 5pm). If you decide to submit your exam paper out with these hours, please note that there will be no support should you experience any technical difficulties which could result in your paper not being submitted and marked.
• If you are submitting your exam after 5pm and experience technical difficulties, please email your completed exam script to Examinations@qmu.ac.uk before the end of the exam time. Any late submissions will be reviewed and may not be accepted.
• When uploading your exam script to the dropbox please use your matriculation number only for the submission title.

• After you have uploaded your exam 

• If you have uploaded your exam script to a dropbox you should receive an email confirmation
• If you are submitting a online test/MCQ exam via the VLE you will not receive an email confirming your submission. Instead a notification will appear on your screen once you have submitted.

• Should you experience any issues during your exam or while submitting please contact Examinations@qmu.ac.uk as soon as possible. Please do not copy in the Module Coordinator or paper setter. Examinations will escalate the issue if required. 

Contact Details and Further Information

• If you have any further questions please contact Examinations at examinations@qmu.ac.uk

• Check your module module VLE site for further information and guidance for a specific exam