EXAM FAQ'S

1. Q: "Oh dear, I've had a terrible year - illness, divorce, death in the family, assignments lost in the post, tutor struck by lightning - will the Exam Board take this into account?"
A: You can tell the Exam Board about problems during the year using a PT39 form which you can request from the Regional Centre, but don't expect too much; the Board will only take serious circumstances into account.

2. Q: "My exam was a fiasco. I'd arrived late after an accident, I felt ill, my partner asked for a divorce over breakfast, and the invigilator was sick over my Exam Booklet."
A: Use the E39 form in your Exam Booklet (clean it first). This form can also be used to cover problems in the revision period.

3. Q: "I am too ill to sit the exam."
A: You may qualify to take a special exam in November. Contact your Regional Centre Exams Section within seven days with evidence.

4. Q: "I was so ill that I couldn't take the special exam either."
A: You may qualify for a "deferred exam" (effectively a resit) in October the following year. Contact the Exams Section in your Regional Centre within seven days - again, with evidence.

5. Q: "I've got a resit this year - can I defer that for a year?"
A: No.

6. Q: "Can I do the exam early?"
A: No.

7. Q: "The exam is some way off still, but I just know my boss is going to send me to Omsk and Tomsk for the day."
A: Exams can be arranged overseas with sufficient notice - usually ask by mid-August. Use the OSE1 form in the exams booklet. If you have been given insufficient notice by your employer you may qualify for a special exam - see Q3 above.

8. Q: "I can't get time off work!"
A: If your employer can't release you on a particular day, contact the Regional Centre Exams Section. If the Section can get confirmation from your employer you may qualify for a November exam.

9. Q: "My dream lover wants me to go on holiday, walking in the Urals/relaxing on a beach in Honolulu, and the only fortnight s/he can manage is the second half of October. Do I qualify for a Special Exam?
A: Don't even think about it. Specials aren't granted for holidays. (We could, however, find somebody to take your place.)

10. Q: "I'm disabled - permanently (or temporarily). Is there any help in the exam?"
A: Yes - we try very hard to help. We can organise:- extra writing time rest breaks home exams amanuensis taped papers enlarged or Braille papers enlarged diagrams use of word processors and other ways. Please ask, but give the Exams Section as much notice as possible. If it's too late for us to help, you should use the E39 form as in Q2 above.

11. Q: "I get totally stressed out by exams and I just don't ever do as well as I might."
A: Your region may have an "Exam Counselling Service". Contact Study Support at your Regional Centre.

12. Q: "I could really do with some help about revision and exam technique."
A: Your tutor may be able to help. Ask him or her to request a "Special Session" for you. Learning skills workshops may sometimes be arranged by your Region. Contact Study Support.

13. Q: "Frankly, I've blown this year totally. I've only done four assignments out of the eight and I did rather poorly on one of them. I don't think it's worth my sitting the exam."
A: Hold on. If your course has a substitution rule then the way that works still makes it worthwhile to have a go. For instance, on a course with a simple two TMA substitution policy, if you've got grades 60, 70, 60, 40 out of eight, you can still pass the course by only getting more than 50 in the exam. So have a go! Even if your course doesn't have substitution it is probably still worthwhile trying. You might also look at the 'Marx' website - see below.

14. Q: Can I appeal against the exam result?
A: Yes - see the 'StudyAid' leaflet 'Failed your Exam?' Information can also be found in your student handbook, Section 11.

15. Q: What do I have to do to qualify for a resit?
A: You must actually sit the exam. Then if you've passed continuous assessment and get at least 15% in the exam you will be offered a resit - ie you'll be allowed to take the exam the following year without having to repeat the whole course.

16. Q: I've done well in continuous assessment this year but for all sorts of reasons I know I'm not going to well in the exam. I really want a grade 2 pass at least- can I qualify for a resit this year in the hope that I'll do well enough in the exam next year to get for that?
A: Yes you can - your continuous assessment score will be carried forward. You'll need to get 15% as above. But beware - if you inadvertently [!] pass the exam then you'll be stuck with whatever pass grade you get - it's not possible to retake a passed course in order to improve your grade.

17 Q: How is the grade for my course worked out?
A: The answer is a bit complicated courses vary from the norm. You should check with your course guide and assignment calendar. But basically your average assignment score is calculated taking account of substitution rules, thresholds, weighted assignments and so on. This gives your Overall Continuous Assessment Score (OCAS). This is plotted against your Overall Exam Score (OES) on a matrix divided into bands as follows: 85 100 pass grade 1 70 85 pass grade 2 55 70 pass grade 3 40 55 pass grade 4 <40 Fail. To get a particular grade you must get into the band for both OCAS and OES: i.e. to get a pass grade 1 you will need to get more than 85% on both your OCAS and OES. If any of this raises further questions in your mind you should contact your Regional Centre.

IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS NOT COVERED IN THESE FAQ'S OR NEED FURTHER CLARIFICATION THEN CONTACT YOUR REGIONAL CENTRE.