Exams in this online course

This is an online course. The exams in this course are "open book", "open internet", "open notes". This means you can use notes that you prepare in advance, software help text, and anything you can find on the internet. For example, feel free to use Google Search.

How Exams are different from Assignments

Exams have time limits - usually around 90 minutes. Assignments do not have time limits. You are allowed only one attempt on Exams. Once you submit the Exam, you cannot open it again and change your answers. On Assignments, you can re-open the Assignment and make another attempt any time before the assignment is graded. On exams, you may not seek or accept help from any one (except the instructor).

How to "Work Around" Exam Time Limits

There is a time limit set on Exams in this online course. However, the "force completion" option is not set. This means that if you save your work and then close the exam, the timer stops running and you can go do something else. When you re-open the exam later, the timer starts running again. This "extra time" compensates for the fact that you do not have the advantage of being in class and asking the Instructor to clarify a point or answer a question. Instead, you must stop work and send an email.

You may open and close the exam as many times as you want before you finally submit your work. However, once the total time that the exam is open exceeds the time limit, Blackboard will automatically submit the exam for grading and you will not have access to the exam until after it is graded.

Recommended Exam Strategy

Start taking the exam several days before it is due. If you need to stop and ask a question, it may take the Insturctor 24 hours to respond. You need to allow for this.