Testing and Exams

Testing Procedures

  • Students are required to be present on exam days. The course instructor will excuse absences from class for valid reasons, such as illness, family emergency, religious observances. Students are responsible for providing a written notice for an excused absence in advance of the date requested. In case of illness, a note from the health care provider is required. Students with course instructor accepted excuses may be given the opportunity to make up the exams, which may entail an alternative examination.
  • Any student who will miss an exam due to emergency or illness must notify the professor at least one hour before the start of the exam. Failure to do so will result in a grade of 0 for the exam.
  • Late arrival to exams is distracting and may not be permitted.
  • Students may be asked to show or hand in their Columbia ID at the start of an exam.
  • No personal belongings will be allowed on the desk during the exam except for a pencil or pen. Cell phones and all other electronic personal devices must be stowed in bookbag or coat during exams. All bookbags must be zipped and placed under the desk or at the front of the room. Coats will be placed at the front of the room. Students will be notified prior to the exam if a calculator will be allowed.
  • Traffic during exams is distracting. Students will have the opportunity to use the restroom before the exam.

Examination Integrity

  • Students will not disclose or discuss information about the items or answers seen on exam/test/quiz unless it is during a formal test review with the course faculty. This includes posting or discussing questions on the internet and social media websites.
  • Students may not copy or reconstruct exam items during or following the exam for any reason.
  • Students may not seek help from any other party in answering items (in person, by phone, text, or by email) during the exam/test/quiz (including breaks).
  • Students may not remove exam/test/quiz items and/or responses (in any format) or notes about the exam/test/quiz from the testing room
  • Students will comply with any investigation related to exam integrity that needs to be conducted.
  • Students may not take the exam/test/quiz for somebody else.
  • Students may not tamper with the computer or use it for any function other than taking the exam/test/quiz.

Note: If a student witnesses any of the above behavior, or any irregular behavior that is in violation of the exam/test/quiz rules, the student is required to report it to a Columbia Nursing faculty member or the Columbia Nursing Dean, and comply with any follow up investigation.

Grounds for Dismissal or Cancellation of Results

A student who violates these procedures, or engages in irregular behavior, misconduct, and/or does not follow the faculty member’s warning to discontinue inappropriate behavior will be followed up with after the exam. The results of the exam/test/quiz may be withheld or canceled, and the student may be dismissed from the program. Behaviors that are considered to constitute irregular behavior or misconduct include but are not limited to:

  • Giving or receiving exam/test/quiz assistance of any kind.
  • Using, accessing, or attempting to access any prohibited aids. Prohibited aids are any devices or materials that will be helpful in taking the exam/test/quiz. Examples of aids that are prohibited are electronic devices (e.g. cell/mobile/smart phones, tablets, smart watches, etc.), conversion tables, dictionaries, etc.
  • Attempting to take the exam/test/quiz for someone else.
  • Bringing any study aids (textbooks, notebooks, classroom notes, etc.) to the classroom or accessing or attempting to access such study materials at any time after the start of the exam/test/quiz, including emergency breaks.
  • Failing to follow procedures or the instructions of the faculty member.
  • Creating a disturbance of any kind.
  • Tampering with the operation of the computer or attempting to use it for any function other than taking the exam/test/quiz.

The policies and guidelines may be modified by the course instructors as they see fit.

Adapted from (2016). Procedure for taking tests, exams and quizzes. Averett University School of Nursing