With the examination period fast approaching, it’s important to make sure you have all the information you need to sit your exams as calmly and confidently as possible! As you study your course content, we’ve put together some key tips for sitting both online and in-person exams.
In-person exams
Many students will be sitting in-person exams for the first time – which can be extremely stressful! Here are some tips for managing the logistics of an in-person exam.
You can check the exam timetable here. This is also where you can find your exam’s location, and your personal seat number.
Do
- Bring one form of valid photo identification – a University of Sydney student card, a passport (either Australian or international), an Australian driver licence, or an Australian photo card. Your ID must be valid and in-date, and must be the original, not a photograph, screenshot or photocopy. Use a physical form of ID if possible, though a digital ID on the Service NSW app will be accepted if you don’t have anything else. However, some exam locations may not have great mobile phone reception, so prioritise bringing a physical form of ID.
- Memorise your SID! You will need to provide this to exam invigilators, and write it on your exam paper.
- Familiarise yourself with your seat number, and the location of the building that the exam will be held in.
Do not
- Don’t wear a watch. Analogue and digital watches are prohibited items in the examination room.
- Don’t bring your pencil case. You won’t be able to take it into the exam room.
- Don’t bring a metal drink bottle. Only see-through drink bottles are allowed in the exam.
Online exams
Students sitting online exams are monitored by ProctorU software, which monitors your examination conduct through:
- your computer microphone and camera
- your mouse and scrolling activity
- your browser activity – whether you have other windows or tabs open, even if you don’t view them during the exam.
ProctorU is no joke – it generates a huge amount of information about what you are doing during the exam. We recommend taking great care with your conduct during a ProctorU-invigilated exam.
Do
- Test ProctorU at least 20 minutes before the scheduled start of the exam, and make sure your camera and microphone can connect.
- Show your ID clearly to the camera at the start of the exam. Make sure the camera focuses sufficiently so that the details of your ID can be read. ID must be either a Usyd student ID, a passport, a NSW driver license or a NSW photo card.
- Stay visible to your computer’s camera throughout the exam. Avoid hunching or leaning down for extended periods, as this can raise questions about your exam conduct.
- Check what materials are permitted in your exam and keep a record of these instructions (take a screenshot of the instructions on Canvas).
Do not
- Don’t leave the room you are taking the exam in.
- Don’t leave your phone switched on – Canvas can automatically update, making it appear you are accessing prohibited materials. For this reason, do not allow someone else to use your phone during the exam.
- Don’t use any device other than the one you are taking your exam on during the examination. It’s safest to keep any devices outside of your exam room – if your iPad makes an alert sound, even if you don’t look at it, this can raise issues with your exam conduct.
- Don’t use any browser plug-ins, particularly translation software. Even in exams where you are permitted to use a dictionary, online plug-ins are almost always considered prohibited materials.
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