Practical Information for Part I exams
PDF versionTable of contents
Exam information for students
Examination information
For general information about the course and examination, please consult:
Preparing for Exams
Past exam papers
Recent past exam papers, their solutions and when available examiners comments are available to students online. For new (or revamped) module papers, such information might not be available, but students might expect that the style will be similar to those of any ‘sample papers’ issued during the year.
Exam skills training
The department provides every year a briefing session to help students prepare for exams and be more effective during the exam.
Before the exam
Check the timetable and find the room
Exams for Part I modules begin on Monday of week 6 and ends on Tuesday of week 7.
The exam timetable can be found here and will be displayed on the exam noticeboard in the Inglis corridor before the end of Lent Term.
Exam entries and withdrawing from an exam
If you are a graduate student and you wish to take an undergraduate module for exam it is very important that you ensure that your Course Director has registered you for the exam.
If you wish to withdraw from an exam, or are unable to attend an exam due to illness etc at short notice, you must inform your College Tutorial Office immediately.
Document/Equipment allowed during exams
Databooks
Copies of the standard databooks will be provided at all exams. Where additional data sheets or databooks were provided for a particular course they will be provided.
Open book exam
There will be no open book exams in 2017.
Calculators and watches
Calculators permitted in exams
The only models of electronic calculator that students will be permitted to take into the exam room are:
- CASIO fx 991 (any version)
- CASIO fx 115 (any version)
- CASIO fx 570 (any version).
Each such calculator must be marked by the Department in the approved fashion.
No other calculator may be brought into the exam room. This is a University regulation and cannot be varied by the Department. Please refer to the official University notice for more information.
Calculators will be checked at the beginning of every exam. If your calculator is not shown above, or is unmarked, you will not be allowed to use it for your exams.
Purchasing and marking an approved calculator
An approved calculator can be purchased from the Computer Operators at the back of the DPO (cash or cheque only please). If you already have a suitable but unmarked calculator, Reception can mark it for you at no cost.
Further information about calculators and watches in exams
You may not bring into the exams the instructions booklet, but you may bring spare batteries. You are warned that the examiners are not prepared to make allowance, when marking, for malfunction of a student’s calculator either due to running down of batteries or for any other cause.
You may not bring a smart watch or wireless earpiece into the exams. No watch, calculator or other device may be allowed to emit an audible alarm during the course of any exam.
Items that can be taken into the exam room
It is very important that you follow the instructions at the top of the exam paper scrupulously and comply with the following rules and any instructions given by the invigilators.
You should take with you into the exam room:
- your University photo ID card to identify yourself: you will be required to place this on the desk alongside your name ticket;
- your candidate number: you will need to write this on the coversheet of each paper in place of your name and will also need it to find your desk in the exam room;
- your own pens and any other officially approved materials;
- an approved and marked calculator as described above.
You are permitted to take a small screw-top bottle of non-carbonated liquid into the exam room, but are not normally allowed any other items of food or drink. You should not take your mobile phone into the exam. If it goes off in an exam room will be liable to a £50 fine.
You are not permitted to bring a dictionary into the exam room.
NB. your exam confirmation sheet is the definitive source of these University rules.
The Exam Day
Arrive early
Students should present themselves at the exam room at least 15 minutes before the advertised start time of each paper.
Late arrival at an examination
No-one will chase you up if you do not arrive for your exam. Colleges are not informed within the first 30 minutes if you don't arrive. If you arrive within the first 30 minutes you may sit the exam in the time remaining. If you are more than 30 minutes late you will not be permitted to sit the exam anywhere.
Reading time
There will be 10 minutes’ reading time before the start of every exam unless otherwise announced. (NB. the only module that is currently known not to have reading times is 4I8 ‘Medical Physics’.)
During the Exam
Writing legibly
Illegible writing may result in loss of marks. The Examiners will accept any legible work but would prefer blue or black ink.
Showing working
In the working of all questions, and in the evaluations of numerical quantities, you should show a sufficient number of steps for the Examiners to make a proper assessment of your answers.
Ban on removing paper from the exam rooms
You must not remove ANY paper including the question paper, and most particularly your exam script, from the exam rooms. The accidental removal of scripts can have extremely serious repercussions for the student concerned.
Celebrating after the exams
Please remember that post-exam celebrations within the Department could be very disruptive to others.We understand that you want to celebrate but please do not throw food at anyone or squirt liquid at passers-by.
To read the University's practical instructions for examinations go to:
Last updated on 24/08/2016 17:44