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Exam4 – Take Home Exams

For take home exams, you will start Exam4 the same way as an in-class exam except for the exam mode where you will type “TAKEHOME” instead of “CLOSED.” The exam questions are obtained directly within the Exam4 software as shown in the instructions below. The key differences between a take home exam and an in-class exam are:

  • The software will allow access to the Internet and files on your computer such as class notes in “TAKEHOME” mode.
  • You have the ability to start an exam and reopen it later if you prefer. To do so, choose “Select existing exam” when you open the software. Your exam is still automatically saved every ten seconds with additional backups being done every two minutes.

Do not use Microsoft Word or any other word processor to type your exam. You must type your answers in the Exam4 software in “TAKEHOME” mode.

Here are some screenshots of the process that you will need to do to begin a take home exam:

  1. Open the Exam4 software and leave “Prepare to start new exam” marked and click the “Next” button.To restart an existing exam that is in progress, submit an exam that has already been taken, or view an exam submittal receipt, mark the “Select existing exam option” and click the “Next” button.
  2. The “Exam # and Course” screen is displayed next. Enter the Exam number issued to you by the Registrar’s office and click the drop down menus and choose the exam you are taking. To successfully begin an exam in Exam4, you must enter the correct exam number and choose the correct course. You are required to enter the Exam number and select the course twice to verify the exam is started with the correct information.
  3. Verify the Exam ID and Course are correct, check the box labeled “Check box to re-confirm” and then click the “OK” button.
  4. The “Takehome Preparations” screen is displayed next. This is where any necessary preparations that need to be done before beginning the exam will be listed. Click the “Continue” button.
  5. The “Exam time and Font Size” screen is displayed next. Set the optional countdown timer, any optional alerts that notify you when the corresponding amount of time remains on the exam, your preferred font size, and the number of answer separators you would like automatically entered. Entering answer separators will allow you to get word counts on each answer in addition to a total word count. Please note the optional countdown timer is informational only. It will not cause the exam to automatically end. Click the “Next” button.
  6. The “Notice of Instructions” screen is displayed next. Take note of the instructions shown and click the “Got it?” checkbox and then click the “Next” button.
  7. The “Exam Mode” screen is displayed next. Type “TAKEHOME” for a take-home exam. Click the checkbox to confirm the exam mode. Click the “Next” button.
  8. Verify the Exam Mode is TAKEHOME, check the box labeled “Check box to re-confirm” and then click the “OK” button.
  9. The “Almost ready to begin exam…” screen is displayed next. Verify that all of your settings are correct and click the “Begin Exam” button when you are ready to proceed.
  10. The software will then begin the exam and display the “Exam Information” screen. The exam due date and time are displayed at the bottom of this screen. Two tabs labeled “Instructions” and “Resources” which contain important information are also displayed here. The “Instructions” tab will display any exam instructions that the faculty member has provided. The “Resources” tab will contain a PDF with the exam questions and any other resource files that faculty member has included. After you have clicked the “Hide” button to start typing your exam answers, you can return to this “Exam Information” screen anytime by clicking the “Exam Info” menu at the top and then clicking “Remote Exam Info” from the choices there.
  11. When you are completely done typing your exam and are ready to submit it, click “End Exam” and then click “End exam now” in the menu bar. Check the box labeled “Confirm” and then select “OK, end exam.” In the dialogue box that shows up, select “Submit Electronically” which will save the exam file on the Law Center server. You will receive a confirmation box indicating your exam has been saved. A copy is also kept on your hard drive. Click “File and Save Options” and then “Exit.” Select the “I’m sure” box and then click “Exit Exam4.” 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.

If you have any questions or problems with using Exam4, please contact Law ITS at lawits@lsu.edu.