Exam4 FAQs

General Topics

What is Exam4?
Exam4 is software that is optimized for high stakes exams such as law school exams and bar exams. See more details at the Exam4 website. You must download an updated version of Exam4 each semester.

Who do I contact for Exam4 technical support?
Law ITS can be reached by phone at 225-578-4898 or via email at lawits@lsu.edu. Office hours are from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday. If you choose to take your take home exam during non-business hours, please note that you are assuming the risk that technical support may not be available if you encounter any problems. Please do not contact the LSU ITS Service Desk on the main campus for Exam4 support. If you do, they will refer you to Law ITS. In some cases, you may be referred to the Exam4 Support Team.

What if I experience a problem with my laptop during an exam?
If the exam is an in-class exam, follow the instructions that the exam proctor has given you which may include coming to Law ITS in Room 317 for technical assistance. For take home exams, please contact Law ITS at 225-578-4898 or via email at lawits@lsu.edu.

How do I get extra time for a technical problem experienced during the exam?
You will need to contact the Registrar’s office at 225-578-8646 or via email at lawregistrar@lsu.edu. Any extra time given for a technical problem experienced during an exam is at the discretion of the Registrar’s office and/or Law Center administration.

What is my exam number and where do I get it?
Your exam number is the 4 digit anonymous number that you use to start an exam. This number will be sent by email from the Law Registrar before each exam period begins. Please note that you will receive a separate anonymous number for any mid-term exam given.

Am I required to use Exam4 for my exams?
Yes, the Exam4 software must be used for all exams.

How do I take a practice exam?
Look over this practice exam tutorial. Do not type anything in your practice exam that you want to view later because they cannot be retrieved.

What if there is something wrong with the content of the exam questions?
You will need to contact the Registrar’s office at 225-578-8646 or via email at lawregistrar@lsu.edu.

How often do I need to download and install Exam4?
You must download an updated version of Exam4 each semester. All prior versions of the software from past semesters are expired and will not function. You will receive an email before exams begin each semester notifying you that Exam4 is available to download. Be sure to take a practice test!

What if I don’t see my course listed in Exam4?
Courses are generally listed in alphabetical order. If you still don’t see your course listed after reviewing the list again, please contact the Registrar’s office at 225-578-8646 or via email at lawregistrar@lsu.edu to let them know about the missing course.

Can I take my exam on a Law Center computer?
Law students intending to take their final exams using the Exam4 software are expected to provide their own laptop computer. For more details, please see the policy at https://law.lsu.edu/academics/electronic-classroom-final-exams/

Does my laptop power cord need to be plugged in during the exam?
Yes, your laptop power cord must be plugged in during an exam. Failure to do so may result in the battery running out and the system shutting off in the middle of an exam.

How do I resolve the error “You are not enrolled in this course” when attempting to start an exam?
This means the 4 digit anonymous exam number you entered is not registered for the exam you are attempting to start. Be sure you are using the correct number that was issued to you for the current semester. If you are trying to take a practice exam, be sure to select “Practice Exam” for the course in Exam4.

How do I resolve the error “Course is not active (but may become available in the future)” when attempting to start an exam?
This means the exam you are trying to start is not available yet. Please wait until the official exam start time and then attempt to start the exam again.

How do I resolve the error “The request timed out” when attempting to start an exam?
This error occasionally happens on the Exam4 Mac client. The resolution is to close and reopen the Exam4 software and then start a new exam. This may require you to do a Force Quit by hitting the Option, Command and Escape keys simultaneously and choosing to close Exam4 there.

How do I resolve the error “You must authenticate in order to disable the network to take this exam” when attempting to start an exam?
This error occasionally happens on the Exam4 Mac client. There are several possible resolutions listed on the Exam4 website. The first option is the easiest so please attempt it before moving on to the other possible resolutions. Law ITS has also found that dragging Exam4 from the Applications folder to the Trash, emptying the trash, rebooting the computer, and re-downloading a fresh copy of the installer from the Exam4 website and reinstalling is effective.

What if __________ happens during my exam?
For any non-technical problem during an exam, please contact the Registrar’s office at 225-578-8646 or via email at lawregistrar@lsu.edu to let them know about the issue.

Take Home Exams

Where and when do I get the take home exam questions?
The exam questions for take home exams are obtained directly within the Exam4 software. When starting your take home exam, it is critical that you have Internet access, that you enter the correct exam number, and that you choose the correct course to successfully gain access to the exam questions. The questions will not be available prior to the scheduled exam start time. Please see the take home exam tutorial for detailed information.

When does my take home exam time start?
For take home exams, your exam time starts when you begin your exam in the Exam4 software. Again, exam questions will not be available prior to the scheduled exam start time.

How long do I have to finish my take home exam?
The faculty member specifies the length of each exam. That amount of time is programmed into the system that receives the electronic submissions of each exam. Any exams received after the specified exam end time will be marked as late.

How do I take a break from my take home exam and continue later?
In TAKEHOME mode only, you can “suspend” the exam and exit Exam4 if you need to take a break. To do so, click the “End Exam” menu at the top left and choose the “End Exam Now” option. A dialog box will ask you to confirm this by checking the “Confirm” box and clicking the “OK” button. In the “Suspend or Submit” dialog box that is shown next, you will need to click the “Suspend Exam” button. Once you have done so, you can then exit Exam4 by clicking the “Exit Exam4” menu at the top left.

To resume the exam when you are ready, reopen Exam4 and choose “Select existing exam” and click the exam in your list that you want to resume. Next, click the “Begin” button to pick up where you left off. If you need to reopen the exam questions, you can do so by clicking the “Exam Info” menu at the top and choosing “Remote Exam Info” option. This will reopen the “Exam Information” screen and the exam questions are in the “Resources” tab. Please note that suspending the exam in Exam4 will not pause the duration of the time allowed to complete the exam.

Can I type my take home exam in Word or another word processor and paste it into Exam4?
Do NOT use Microsoft Word or any other word processor to type your exam and paste it into Exam4. You must type your answers in the Exam4 software in “TAKEHOME” mode. This is to keep word counts accurate, avoid formatting problems, and most importantly to preserve exam backups. Exam4 makes backups of your exam every two minutes which can be used to recover your exam in the event of a malfunction.

Can I reopen and edit my take home exam after I have submitted it?
Once you have ended AND submitted a take home exam, you may not reopen it to make changes and submit it again. Doing so will create a duplicate exam file and will cause problems with exam processing. Before submitting your exam, please ensure that you are completely finished entering responses and that the exam is a complete and final version.

Can I use an external monitor with Exam4 during my take home exam?
External monitors are not supported in Exam4.

What if I am taking my take home exam in a different time zone?
If you will be doing a take home exam in a different time zone, you should plan in advance to take the exam at the designated start time in the Central Time Zone. For example, if you have a 4-hour exam that starts at 8:30 AM Central Time and you are taking the exam in the Eastern Time Zone, you should plan to start your exam at 9:30 AM Eastern Time and submit by 1:30 PM Eastern Time. If you are in the Pacific Time Zone and your 4-hour exam starts at 8:30 AM Central Time, you would start your exam at 6:30 AM Pacific Time and submit by 10:30 AM Pacific Time.

Features and Compatibility

What operating systems is Exam4 compatible with?
Exam4 is compatible with current versions of the Windows and macOS operating systems. Since this frequently changes based on operating system updates, please see the Exam4 support page for the very latest updates.

What if my laptop is not compatible with Exam4?
If your laptop is not compatible with Exam4, you might consider consider borrowing one from a friend, family member, or even another student providing they do not have overlapping exams. If that is not possible, you can also consider purchasing an updated system that meets Exam4’s system requirements.

If you have a Mac that is running an operating system that Exam4 does not support, you can try to upgrade to the latest macOS that is supported by Exam4. If your Mac hardware is not compatible with the latest macOS that is supported by Exam4, you might be able to upgrade to another older macOS that is supported by Exam4. See https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211683 for details on how to get old versions of macOS.

What if I have pending operating system updates?
Please be sure your computer is current on all operating system updates before beginning an exam. If you notice any pending updates, install them and complete any reboots necessary before beginning an exam. In the case of new, major operating system versions, check the Exam4 support page to make sure Exam4 is compatible with the the new operating system version before installing it.

What are the different exam modes in Exam4?
Exam4 has several exam modes. For in-class exams, CLOSED mode is normally used unless the exam proctor or faculty member indicates that a different mode should be used. For take home exams, you will always use TAKEHOME mode. Some exams may have their exam mode preset in the software. In those cases, you would not have to enter the mode when starting your exam. The different modes are:

CLOSED – blocks access to files and programs as well as the Internet. In this mode only, Exam4 will perform a security check before displaying the screen where you enter your exam responses. You can use this time to begin reading the exam questions. If your computer fails the security check, try rebooting and then launch Exam4 again. If this doesn’t work, please notify an exam proctor. CLOSED mode exams cannot be reopened once they have been ended and are normally used with in-class exams.

OPEN LAPTOP – allows access to files and programs but blocks access to the Internet. These exams cannot be reopened once they have been ended.

OPEN LAPTOP + NETWORK – allows access to files and programs as well as the Internet. These exams cannot be reopened once they have been ended.

TAKEHOME – allows access to all files, programs, and the Internet. TAKEHOME mode exams can be suspended and reopened. This is the only exam mode that allows exams to be reopened.

How often does Exam4 save while I am typing my exam?
Exam4 saves the exam you are working in every ten seconds with an additional backup every two minutes.

What if the Exam4 security check found a problem on my laptop?
Exam4 does a security check for files that may interfere with Exam4 in CLOSED mode exams only. If this happens during an in-class, CLOSED mode exam, bring your laptop to Room 317 to have it examined. We encourage everyone to take a practice test well before exams begin to resolve any technical issues before you take a real exam.

Does Exam4 block access to files, other programs, and the Internet?
In certain exam modes, Exam4 does block access to files, other programs, and the Internet. See details on exam modes for what is blocked and what is not blocked in each mode.

Can an exam be reopened once it has been ended?
Only exams in TAKEHOME mode can be reopened once the exam has been suspended/ended. All other exams cannot be reopened once the exam has been ended.

What if I accidently ended my in-class, CLOSED mode exam before I am finished?
You will need to notify the exam proctor and then start a new exam and choose the same course. The faculty assistant will be notified to expect two separate exam files with your exam number.

Can I copy and paste into Exam4 from another program?
Copying and pasting sections of text such as statutes from another program into Exam4 can be done in all exam modes except CLOSED mode. Do not use Microsoft Word or any other word processor to type your exam and attempt to copy and paste the entire exam into Exam4. This is to preserve backups properly and avoid formatting problems.

What does the timer do in Exam4?
The timer and optional reminders are purely for self-pacing during an exam. Exam4 will not cut you off when this timer runs out. For take home exams, your exam time starts when you begin your exam in the Exam4 software. For in-class exams, the time starts then the exam proctor indicates the exam has started.

What is an answer separator?
This is something that can be inserted into the body of your exam to give a word count of an individual response. Do NOT edit the answer separators. Doing so will result in an incorrect word count.

Is there a Spell Check feature in Exam4?
Exam4 has a spell check feature. However, this option is disabled in the LSU Law version of the software.

Does Exam4 have a word count feature?
Yes, Exam4 has the ability give a word count of the entire exam as well as a word count of each response using answer separators.

Does Exam4 have a page count feature?
Exam4 does not have a reliable way to calculate exact page counts. It can only give an exact word count.

Does Exam4 have a multiple choice feature?
Yes, and the multiple choice feature must be used for all multiple choice responses. The multiple choice menu can be found at top of the software. You can switch back and forth between multiple choice and essay responses if needed. Please note that the Exam4 multiple choice feature only has 300 entries for multiple choice responses. Faculty members should be aware of this limit when preparing any exam that has multiple choice questions. See more details on our multiple choice tutorial page.

Do I need Internet access to take my exam?
Yes, Internet access is needed for the duration of each exam for Exam4 to function properly.

How do I know my exam submitted successfully?
After submitting each exam, you will see a green submission success screen. If you wish to verify your submission for a prior exam, you can open Exam4, choose “Select existing exam” and then click the “View Exam Submittal Receipt” for the exam in question.

Can I access my exam after I have ended and/or submitted it?
You cannot access CLOSED, OPEN LAPTOP, or OPEN LAPTOP + NETWORK mode exams after you have ended them. For exams in TAKEHOME mode, you are able to reopen the exam after it has been submitted but any additional submissions can cause technical issues with exam processing.

What happens if I submit my exam multiple times?
You should only submit your exam once after ending it. Submitting exams multiple times will create duplicate exam files which can cause technical issues with exam processing. Also, your exam submittal receipt will only show the time of the last submission.

What if I can’t submit my exam electronically?
Don’t worry, your exam is saved! If you are unable to submit electronically, check your Internet connection to make sure it is working properly. For in-class exams, sometimes you must exit the Exam4 software and reestablish Internet connectivity. Once you have Internet connectivity, reopen Exam4 and choose “Select existing exam” and then click the “Submit Electronically” button. Occasionally, a reboot is required to reestablish Internet connectivity. Don’t worry, your exam is saved! It saves every ten seconds and then one final save when you end it. Submitting electronically is just a way of transmitting the exam to us so it can be processed.

Why does my exam submittal receipt say a later time than when I submitted the first time?
As mentioned above, if you submit your exam multiple times, your exam submittal receipt will only show the time of the last submission.

What if I accidently selected the wrong course when starting Exam4?
If you selected the wrong course when starting your exam, notify the exam proctor or the Registrar’s office at 225-578-8646 or via email at lawregistrar@lsu.edu.