 |
Academic Support CenterProctored Exams |
<< Back to Academic Support Center
Some of your DDP courses may require you to take proctored exams, which are exams taken under the supervision of an acceptable proctor. Your instructor will indicate if the course has proctored exams. Check your course syllabus in Blackboard for more information. If you are not located near an exam proctoring location in Washington state, refer to “Who Can Proctor Exams” to select a local proctor.
Who Can Proctor Exams
Exam Proctoring Locations in Washington state
How to Nominate a Proctor and Request a Proctored Exam
Can I see my exam after it’s graded?
Student’s Responsibilities
Proctor’s Responsibilities
Local proctors must be acting in an official capacity at their place of business in one of the following positions:
- Staff member of a WSU Learning Center (see " Exam Proctoring at WSU Learning Centers") or WSU Extension Office
- Dean, department chairperson, or registrar of a college or university
- Certified librarian (city, county, school, etc.)
- Professional staff member of the adult or continuing education office, counseling center, or testing center at a college or university
- Public or private school superintendent, principal, or counselor
- Civil Service examiner
- Judge of a court of law
- United States Armed Forces Educational Services Officer
- Human resources director or employee development coordinator
Proctors must be willing to fulfill all Proctors’ Duties
* Please Note:
Teachers and professors may NOT serve as proctors unless they are acting in one of the capacities listed above. Relatives may NOT serve as proctors, no matter what their position.
Exam Proctoring Locations in Washington State
If you are not located near an exam proctoring location in Washington state, refer to “Who Can Proctor Exams” to select a local proctor.
How to Nominate a Proctor and Request a Proctored Exam
If a proctor agrees to proctor all your exams during a semester and will hold them during the semester, you can request all your exams at the beginning of the semester.
All assignments preceding an exam should be submitted before taking the exam. (The instructor has the option to refuse to grade the exam if the preceding assignments have not been completed.)
To take a test using a local proctor, you must complete the following steps:
- Ask an acceptable proctor if he or she will be willing and able to proctor an exam for you.
- Request your exams at least two weeks prior to each proposed exam date.
- To request your exams; and to nominate a proctor or request a proctor
you have used previously:
- Log in to myDDP;
- select the "My Courses" tab;
- select "Current DDP Courses" and “View” under the Proctored Exams column;
- select the exam you wish to request under the Request Exam column;
- complete the Nominate/Request a Proctor form.
- The exam request will be processed within two business days of receipt and the
exam (or the online exam password) mailed directly to your proctor
at his or her place of business. Allow at least two weeks for processing and delivery.
The date sent will be recorded in
myDDP (go to “My Courses”
and select “Proctored Exams”).
- Exams to addresses within the United States will be mailed first class; exams to addresses outside the United States will be sent via air mail.
- Exams will be faxed at the student’s request (a fee of $15 will be posted to the student’s account).
- You may request to have your exams sent to the proctor by FedEx. The FedEx charges for shipping to your proctor will be added to your student account. This charge covers ONLY shipping exams to a proctor by FedEx; it does NOT cover returning them to DDP by FedEx.
- Contact your proctor to arrange a mutually-convenient exam time at the proctor's official place of business. Be sure to understand your responsibilities (Student’s Responsibilities) before taking the exam.
- After you take the exam, the proctor will send the exam directly back to DDP
in a postage-paid envelope. You will be expected to pay proctors' postage
costs when proctors must return exams by foreign or any type of express mail.
- Delivery to DDP may take up to two weeks; if you need to ensure
delivery within a shorter time frame, you should arrange with your
proctor shipping via an express delivery service (i.e. FedEx, UPS,
USPS). If you choose to utilize express delivery, be sure to use the
following address:
Washington State University
Distance Degree Programs
Van Doren Hall 104
PO Box 645220
Pullman, WA 99164-5220
If you are asked to provide a DDP phone number, please use 509-335-3557. - Students may not handle the actual return mailing of their exams.
- Delivery to DDP may take up to two weeks; if you need to ensure
delivery within a shorter time frame, you should arrange with your
proctor shipping via an express delivery service (i.e. FedEx, UPS,
USPS). If you choose to utilize express delivery, be sure to use the
following address:
Can I see my exam after it’s graded?
Most DDP proctored exams are not returned to students; only the cover sheet with comments is returned. There are two ways in which you can review your exam:
- On the WSU Pullman campus, review the exam in the DDP office (104 Van Doren Hall).
- At a distance, you can ask DDP to return your graded exam to your proctor for you to review under proctor supervision. To request that an exam be returned to the proctor for you to review, contact DDP (e-mail: distance@wsu.edu; phone: 800-222-4978) with the following information: your name, your WSU ID number, the exam you wish to review, and your proctor information. DDP will send the exam to your proctor, and after you finish reviewing it the proctor will return the exam to DDP.
Students taking proctored exams are responsible for the following:
- keeping print and/or file copies of all your assignments/take-home exams until you receive a grade in a course in case originals are lost in transit;
- paying the postage/phone/fax charges to mail/e-mail/fax course-related assignments to DDP;
- paying the $15/per exam charge to have exams faxed to proctor, if you choose that option;
- paying the charges to have exams sent via FedEx, if you choose that option;
- arranging for a proctor for each proctored exam;
- providing personal identification to the proctor before taking an exam;
- arranging for child care and taking care of bathroom and other personal matters prior to the exam outside the testing area (students may not take children, including babies, into the testing area during an exam);
- leaving purses, backpacks, hats, cell phones and other electronic devices, and notebooks outside the testing area;
- taking blank paper and writing tools to the exam in case they are needed (proctors are not expected to provide paper or pens/pencils);
- remaining in the testing area until the exam is completed; the exam will be considered complete if you leave the room;
- taking the exam without assistance from computers, persons, references, books, or notes unless otherwise specified on the exam;
- paying the proctor for exam proctoring charges, if any;
- paying any extra charges for expedited return of the exam;
- following the guidelines provided in the course guide or syllabus or in directions for other special requirements (such as Writing Portfolio); and
- submitting all assignments preceding an exam before taking the exam, unless otherwise indicated in the course guide or online course information.
To supervise an exam as a proctor, the individual must be willing to execute the following duties:
- be available during the whole exam appointment;
- secure the exam packet until the exam appointment;
- provide a quiet area and table top for taking the exam—and a computer with Internet access, in the case of an online proctored exam;
- identify the student by photo ID if not known personally;
- be aware of what outside materials the test allows (laptop/computer, calculator, notes, text, disability accommodation);
- before beginning an exam, check to be sure that the exam given is the correct one;
- make sure purses, backpacks, hats, cell phones, and notebooks (unless approved) are not taken into the test room; no children are allowed in the testing area (students are responsible for arranging for child care and personal matters prior to the exam);
- once the exam begins, not allow the student to leave the test room for any reason until it is completed; the exam will be considered complete once the student leaves the room;
- collect the completed exam material from the student;
- note the begin and end time; date and sign the included form;
- handle the return mailing (if an exam must be returned by any type of express mail, students pay the postage/charges but the proctor must handle the actual "mailing" of the exam).
In addition, the proctor should note the following:
- No assistance from computers, electronic devices, persons, references, books or notes are allowed unless otherwise specified.
- The exam is not to be passed on to another proctor without permission from DDP.
- Exam questions are not to be retained by the student.
- Special arrangements with DDP must be made before the exam can be duplicated or returned by fax.
- A postage paid return envelope is provided in the exam packet. Students requesting special handling must provide postage but the proctor must handle the actual return mailing.
- An untaken exam may be held by the proctor for up to 120 days.
Any deviation may invalidate the exam.
<< Back to Academic Support Center
