Regulations for the Conduct of University Examinations: Part 10 Dictation of Papers, Use of Word-Processors, Calculators, Computers & other Materials

Dictation and the use of word-processors

• 10.1. Unless permitted by the Proctors under Parts 12 or 13 of these regulations or under any other regulation, the use of word-processing and the dictation of papers in any University Examination is prohibited.

• 10.2.

  • (1) If the Proctors permit the use of a word-processor, whether for the candidate's own use or for use by an amanuensis during the dictation of papers, the Proctors shall specify in each case such detailed arrangements as they deem appropriate for the preparation and use of any equipment and computer software during the examination and for the conduct of the examination.

  • (2) The Proctors shall also specify the detailed arrangements to be made for the printing, handing in and recording of the candidate's script, and the number of copies to be made.

  • (3) The Proctors shall send the details of these arrangements promptly to the chair of the examiners of the relevant examination, with copies to the Senior Tutor, and to the Registrar.

  • (4) The arrangements for the collection of the examination paper by the invigilator and for the invigilation of the candidate shall take place in accordance with regulation 15.5 and 15.6 below.

• 10.3. The costs of arrangements made under regulation 10.2 above shall not fall on the candidate.

Use of calculators

• 10.4. Unless any regulation provides otherwise the following conditions shall apply in any University Examination in which candidates are permitted to use hand-held pocket calculators.

  • (1) The candidate shall ensure that the power supply of the calculator is adequately charged.

  • (2) No calculator for which a mains supply is essential will be allowed.

  • (3) Any calculator deemed by the Proctors or examiners to cause a disturbance will be prohibited.

  • (4) Output by the calculator shall be by visible display only.

  • (5) Candidates shall clear any user-entered data or programmes from the memories of their calculators immediately before starting each examination.

  • (6) No storage media external to the calculator are permitted.

  • (7) Input to the calculator during the examination shall be by its own keys or switches only.

  • (8) The examiners, invigilators, Proctors and the Registrar may inspect any calculator during the course of the examination.

Use of computers

• 10.5. Unless any regulation provides otherwise, in any University Examination which requires use of computers the following conditions apply:

  • (1) No material such as cassettes, discs, or any other device on which machine readable files can be stored may be taken into the examination room.

  • (2) No password or username other than any specified on the examination paper shall be used.

  • (3) The examination paper shall contain a list of files, if any, which it is permitted to access. None of these files shall be deleted, written to, or tampered with in any way. No other file shall be accessed (except any files created by candidates during the course of the examination).

  • (4) Any files which candidates are permitted to access during the examination shall be previously submitted for approval to all examiners conducting that examination.

  • (5) If it is permitted to access remotely held files which are held in a file store containing other files, the permitted files shall be accessed by user names and passwords which are used solely for the purposes of the examination, and they shall not be revealed to the candidates until the start of the examination and shall be specified on the examination paper.

  • (6) In the event of any computer failure not involving the loss of any files in use in the examination and lasting less than one half hour, or not more than two separate failures, together lasting less than one half hour, the examination shall be extended by the amount of time lost.

  • (7) In the event of any computer failure not covered by (6), the examination in question shall cease forthwith. An entirely new paper shall be set at a time and place which shall have been previously announced in the timetable for the examination: but it shall be open to any candidate who shall have submitted work during or at the end of the sitting of the original paper to elect to be assessed upon that work and not to sit the new paper.

  • (8) If any examination is aborted on a second occasion the examiners shall determine the outcome of that examination by an alternative method after consultation with the Proctors.

Use of pencils

• 10.6. Except for the drawing of diagrams, no candidate may use pencil for the writing of an examination unless prior permission has been obtained from the Proctors.

Use of dictionaries

• 10.7.

  • (1) Unless any regulation provides otherwise, the use of dictionaries of any kind shall not be permitted in any University Examination.

  • (2) This regulation shall not apply to candidates whose course of study commenced prior to Michaelmas Term 2009. Such a candidate whose native language is not English and who wishes to take into any examination a bilingual dictionary (covering English and the candidate’s native language) must at the time of entering for the examination obtain permission from the Proctors through the Senior Tutor. Permission shall not be given where regulations or examiners’ instructions have previously forbidden the use of dictionaries.