The Drill

Place
In the Department of Sociology, mid-term examinations generally take place in the classrooms where lectures are held. They also generally take place during lecture time. This examination will occur in our regular lecture room during regular lecture time.

Format
Your examination in this class consists of 55 questions in multiple choice and true-false format. The questions are based upon lectures/slide show notes, and chapters in the texts. Although lecture information, at times, deviates in content and order from the text, there is tremendous overlap among the two. Questions only and directly from the text may constitute as much as 20% of the examination. Thus, you cannot receive an A range grade if you have not read the text chapters. There are questions designed to test whether you have completed the readings.

Scantrons and Questions

Examination Versions
There are several versions of the examination questions. Each version contains the same questions, but they are posed in a different order. You MUST ensure that you identify which version you have written, or the scanners will give you a very low grade. A wrong key may be used to mark it. In order to fix any problems that may occur, I must often sort through over 400 scantron sheets and over 400 exam booklets.

Scantrons
Indicate version where it says Instructor. I need your student ID in print. I need your full last name in print here.

I read print, computers read bubbles. I need you to fill in the bubbles too.

Questions
Here is where I indicate which exam version you have written. It is deliberately in small font. Include your student ID number and your name here.

Questions and Answers

Q: Do I really need to fill in the bubbles if I have printed my name and student number (ID) on the scantron? A: Yes, because the scanning equipment will not read print. The software will give an you a zero for the exam. Q: Do I really need to put my name on the set of examination questions? A: Yes, because this is proof that you have written the examination. If you receive a zero for some reason and your name is not on the exam, you and I have no way of showing that you actually wrote the examination.

Missed Examinations
If you are ill or experience a serious emergency and cannot write the examination, you need to obtain proper documentation to schedule a re-write. Once an examination is written, the grade cannot be altered after the fact. It is your responsibility to communicate with the professor of any such circumstances.

Conclusion
In order to correct a grade because a student failed to indicate which version they wrote, or failed to provide their name and student ID number, professors must sort through every scantron and every set of examination questions. In classes of 400 or more, this is a time consuming and frustrating task that takes time away from helping students prepare for future examinations. Such problems are easily avoided by taking a few minutes to ensure that you have filled in all relevant information.