About Duke Law

Student Procedures for Using Computers on "In-House" Exams

revised April, 2008

Pre - Exam Procedure

As provided in Rule 3-16(5), "Computers and word processors may be used for taking examinations, unless prohibited by the individual instructor(s). If computers are not prohibited, instructors are encouraged to inform students early in the semester of their individual preferences and any conditions respecting the use of computers on examinations. If computers are prohibited, instructors should inform students of the prohibition early in the semester. The use of computers is governed by the regulations set forth in Policy 3-1 and by the Law School's Honor Code. [Please consult Policy 3-1 at http://www.law.duke.edu/about/community/rules/sec3#policy3-1 for more detailed information.]

Because it is impossible to completely eliminate the risk of computer failure during an exam, please be aware that students who choose to use computers on exams assume the risk of technology problems and all resulting consequences. Although the Registrar's Office and the Computing Services staff will work to resolve computer problems in accordance with paragraph 7 below , students who suffer technology failures during exams will NOT be granted additional time beyond the 15 minutes described in paragraph 7 nor will they be granted special consideration when grading their exams.

Please note that each student is expected to report to the type of room (computer or bluebook) for which he or she originally signed up to take the exam. If you decide on the day of the exam to switch from computer use to bluebook use, you will be required to write your bluebooks in the room you originally selected, which was dedicated to computer use. Space limitations may prevent students from switching from bluebook use to computer use on the day of the exam.

Exam Procedures for Electronic Bluebook™ (“EBB”)

(1) Students are required to use EBB on any exam which they complete using a computer.

(2) Students taking spring 2008 final exams with a computer must install the current version of EBB pursuant to the instructions on the Computing Services web site by one hour before entering the exam room. Test EBB as recommended in the instructions prior to sitting for your exam.

(3) You need not bring any separate media to the exam. The final version of your exam answers will be uploaded to the law school's server. Be sure your computer is able to connect to the Internet before you enter the exam room.

(4) Arrive early on the day of the examination to set up the computer equipment. Start EBB as soon as you take your seat. Read the information screen, then proceed to the next screen by selecting "OK.".

(5) Select whether the exam is Blocked or Unblocked. The proctor will provide this information. This information is reported on the final copy of the exam. If you select "Unblocked" for an exam that is assigned as "Blocked" this is an honor code violation. Select the "Continue" button.

(6) Enter the identifying information requested by the program, including your student number (not name or social security number) in the space labeled "Student's Exam." Select your course number from the drop-down list. This will populate the fields for course name and instructor name. Also enter the number of questions you will answer where indicated. Do not select the "Start Exam" button until the proctor instructs you to do so.

(7) If your computer equipment fails, note the time of the equipment failure and how much of the exam you had completed at the time of the failure. You have three options for proceeding following a computer failure:

(a) You may immediately obtain a bluebook from the proctor and complete your exam by hand. In this case, you would notify the Registrar's Office or the Office of Student Affairs of the equipment malfunction immediately following the exam.

(b) You may restart the computer and restart Electronic Bluebook. If your computer crashed without properly shutting it down, when you restart EBB it will offer you the option to recover your work. If you do so your work completed prior to the failure will then be available in the file.

(c) If your computer fails and you wish to seek immediate technical assistance, you should notify the proctor. If the proctor is not in the room, you should notify the Registrar's Office. Either the proctor or the Registrar's Office will contact Computing Services staff for assistance. Continue writing the exam in a bluebook until and unless instructed otherwise by the proctor or Registrar's Office. Computing Services staff will report to the room as soon as they are available. A staff member will remove the computer to another area and examine the computer. The staff member may request you to accompany him or her to assist with diagnosis. Staff will spend up to fifteen minutes diagnosing the problem. The staff member will then return the computer to the student in the exam room, and will inform the proctor whether the student may resume using the computer or should complete the exam using a bluebook. The student shall receive up to fifteen additional minutes to complete the exam to account for time spent assisting in diagnosing the computer problem.

(8) The proctor will give a five-minute warning and a one-minute warning before the end of the exam. When the proctor announces that the exam period is expired, students must immediately stop typing and save their answers as described in this paragraph.

When you have finished the exam (either when time is called or beforehand), select the "Finish Exam" button. You will be prompted whether you are finished. Select "Yes, I am finished with my Exam and ready to quit." The program will then upload your exam to the network server and save an encrypted copy on your hard drive under the EBB folder. Do not delete any files from that folder until the beginning of the next semester. This copy will be necessary if there is a problem uploading your exam to the network server. If the program reports an error in uploading your exam to the server, please report this to the proctor and submit your exam by e-mail as instructed on the Electronic Bluebook instruction page.

EBB will automatically record the start and end times for your exam. Students who do not finish their exams when time is called will be considered in violation of the rules regarding Student Professional Misconduct.

If you are not ready to finish the exam but mistakenly select the "Finish Exam" button, select the "No, I am not finished with my exam and wish to return to it" button to continue working on the exam.

(9) At the end of the exam, submit the exam cover sheet and the exam questions to the proctor. Students need not hand in a hard copy of their exams. Unless instructed otherwise by the instructor, students must return all exam questions and related material to the proctor when they complete the exam.

(10) If you finish the exam early and wish to leave, you may finish the exam as noted in paragraph 8 above and return the exam cover sheet and exam questions to the proctor or in the box provided. Please be considerate of your fellow students completing their exams if you leave the room before time is called.

rev. April 1, 2008 KJH