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Exam Regulations

Approved by Senate Oct. 27, 2003.

Final examinations take place at the end of every term. Candidates are expected to fulfill this obligation in an honest manner. As an academic institution, the university's credibility depends upon the integrity of the examination process. With this in mind, the following are a set of rules to guide candidates:

Attendance and Identification

  • Candidates writing examinations are responsible for arriving at the right time and place. They must have their Laurier student identification cards in their possession. Forgetfulness or inadvertently arriving at the wrong time or place cannot be considered acceptable excuses.

Examination Process

  • The doors of the examination room will be opened approximately 10 minutes before the start of the examination. Candidates will be permitted to enter the examination room quietly up to one half hour after the scheduled start of the exam. Candidates arriving late will not be allowed any extra time.
  • Candidates must not begin the examination or attempt to read the examination questions until instructed to do so.
  • Candidates once having entered, may not leave the exam room before completing and submitting the exam unless accompanied by a proctor. Candidates are not permitted to submit their examination and leave the examination room until one hour after the examination has begun, and in no case before their attendance has been taken. In no case may a candidate leave the room temporarily, for any reason, until 30 minutes after the start of the examination. In order that remaining candidates are not disrupted, candidates must remain seated and may not leave the examination room during the last 15 minutes of the examination session.
  • At the close of the examination period, candidates must stop writing immediately. The presiding officer may seize the papers of candidates who fail to observe this requirement, and a penalty may be imposed at the discretion of the instructor. Candidates must submit all their work, according to the instructions of the presiding officer, including all materials and a copy of the examination paper with their name and student ID number written on it. Unused examination booklets may not be taken from the examination room.
  • A candidate who leaves before the examination is over must hand in all completed and attempted work, notes made during the exam, and a copy of the examination paper with their name and student ID number on it.
  • Talk or any form of communication between candidates is absolutely forbidden. No information of any kind is to be written on the question paper or on scrap paper for the purpose of assisting other candidates. Responses to questions must not be done in an exaggerated way or in a manner that will involve transmission of information to others.
  • Candidates must remain seated during the examination period. A candidate needing to speak to the proctor (e.g. to ask for additional supplies or to request permission to leave the examination room for any reason) should so indicate by raising his or her hand.
  • Questions concerning possible errors, ambiguities or omissions in the examination paper must be directed to the proctor who will investigate them through the proper channels. The proctor is not permitted to answer questions other than those concerning the examination paper.

Materials and Aids

  • Candidates must not use or attempt to use any improper source of information. No candidates for an examination may bring into the examination room any books, notes or other material containing information pertaining to the examination unless the examiner has given instructions that such material will be allowed and this instruction is specified on the examination paper. Any item brought into the examination room is subject to inspection.
  • No briefcases, backpacks or other bags and carriers may be brought to the desk site where the candidate is writing the examination. These bags should be left outside the examination room. If books, notes, etc. cannot be left outside the examination room, they must be put at the front of the examination room in a place designated by the proctor before a candidate takes a seat. Candidates are advised not to bring valuables to the examination room. (The university is not responsible for valuables brought into any of the locations where examinations are written.)
  • No electronic or communication devices will be allowed in the examination room, including cell phones, blackberries, pagers, etc. Calculators are not allowed unless specified by the instructor and indicated on the examination paper. Only non-programmable calculators, without lids, authorized by the instructor will be allowed. It is the candidate's responsibility to ascertain whether the use of calculators is permitted, and, if it is, whether any restrictions are imposed on the types of calculators that may be brought to the examination. (Please note if cell phones are found, they will be confiscated and an Irregularity Form will be written up and documented by the examination office.)
  • No pencil cases are allowed on the desks.
  • Translation dictionaries (e.g. English-French), or other dictionaries (thesaurus, definitions, technical), are not allowed unless specified by the instructor and indicated on the examination paper. Electronic dictionaries are never allowed.
  • Except for bottled water (with the label removed), no food or drink is allowed in the examination room. Candidates with health problems that warrant relaxation of this regulation should provide medical documentation to the presiding officer prior to the beginning of the examination. Such students should restrict themselves to those items and packaging that will least distract other examinees.

Expected Conduct and Sanctions

  • Candidates are expected to write their examinations in an honest and straightforward manner. Where there are reasonable grounds for believing a violation of exam protocol has occurred, the candidate will be subject to the disciplinary procedures and sanctions according to the academic calendar.
  • Only currently registered students will be permitted to write the final exam.
  • Examinations conducted at Wilfrid Laurier University will be bound by Laurier regulations, regardless of where the candidate is registered.