Complete the Mandatory Orientation (& Remind.com sign-up) by Sept 22.
All tests in this course will be administered online using Blackboard. This means that all texts can be taken at home. Some of these tests require proctoring software. Others can be taken without being proctored as explained below. For more information about online testing at ACC, visit the Online Testing Resource Page.
All exams, including the final exam, are objective, multiple-choice question exams.
Exams are based on the learning objectives you are expected to master. For more information on learning objectives, please see the section on "Learning Objectives" in this syllabus. Furthermore, the exam questions will be drawn exclusively from the textbook, Economics Today: The Macro View.
The exams over each Unit assigned will include ten questions over each chapter assigned for each Unit -- forty questions in all. The questions will appear on the exams in the order in which the chapters were assigned for the Unit. For example, on the first exam the first ten questions will cover Chapter 1, the next ten will cover Chapter 2, the third ten will cover Chapter 3, and the last ten will cover Chapter 4. Indeed the questions will be numbered in exactly the same way as the learning objectives the questions are associated with are numbered.
The UNIT exams will be administered over the Internet through the course's Blackboard site. You can find them on Blackboard in the "Course Content" tab in each respective UNIT section, or in a folder under the tab for "Exams". (In other words, these exams are "take home" exams.)
There will be ten learning objectives listed for each chapter. Each learning objective will have 10 or more questions connected to it by the testing program used in this course. That program will randomly choose one question from each group of ten for the exam. For example, if an exam is 40 questions long like the exams for this course, then there will be 10 ways to select the first question, ten ways to select the second question, and so on to the fortieth question. The number of different exams this program can generate for one midterm/unit exam is 1040. One billion is 1 followed by 9 zeros. 1040 is 1 followed by 40 zeros.
Each online UNIT exam will also be timed. You will have 60 minutes to answer 40 questions. If you run over time, please keep going, but contact me immediately after you completed the exam.
All UNIT exams will be given on the Blackboard Internet course platform used by ACC, so you will need to sign on to Blackboard in order to take the exams.
You will have the opportunity to re-test each exam twice. You do not have to re-test at all. If you are satisfied with your score after the initial attempt, stop there. If a second or third try is made, the last attempt will completely overwrite (erase) previous efforts.
Since you can do worse in a retest, there is some risk in re-taking an exam, This risk is intentional. I put it there hoping that it would give you some incentive to re-study the material if you decide to re-take an exam. Of course, you can do much better on the re-test. If you do I will use that result to calculate your end of the semester grade.
TIP: Be careful, you can do worse on these re-tests. If you re-test, you will receive the grade you made on your last attempt. Always seriously study before you retest.
You are allowed three attempts on each online, midterm exam--the initial attempt and two re-tests. Blackboard allows these exams to be re-set without the permission of or action by your instructor. If you want to take a re-test, just go to the folder that contains the exam you want to re-test. Click on the link for that exam, and a message window will pop up asking you if you really want to re-test. If you indicate that you do want to re-test, then the old grade will be removed and you will be allowed to re-test. Your score on the re-test will completely replace your old score on the exam. (To be clear, your old grade will be replaced by the new re-test grade. But you can still review the previous attempts by clicking on the most recent grade in "My Grades." A list of your attempts on the exam will be shown on screen. Click on the one you want to review.)
AIM TO TAKE THE EXAMS NO LATER THAN THE LISTED DATE.
For all deadlines click here.
However, all exams will be available on Blackboard for re-testing purposes through the day BB & MEL close. See the current closing date in the table below
The Final Exam is also available in BlackBoard and closes down on the same date (not to be confused with its due date for extra credit and the chance to retest). There is one re-test allowed on the final only IF you make the first final exam attempt on its due date or earlier. A Practice Final Exam is available.
Find an official testing facility such as a community college or university testing center, a public library, or a professional tutoring center and contact them to arrange for proctored testing.
A map of Distance Testing proctors is available to help you find a testing facility. You are not required to use a proctor from the map; it is intended as a resource only. If you do select a site from the map, you must still contact the proctor to make testing arrangements before submitting the form. Please note that information on the map may be out of date.
For military personnel and their spouses, check with your base's education center for proctoring services. For personnel stationed at bases without an education center, contact an officer and request their assistance as a proctor.
You may utilize ProctorU for remote online testing. Visit ACC's ProctorU Portal for more information.
Homeschool or private tutors are not acceptable proctors. Family members or friends are also not permitted. Proctors must have a professional-only relationship with the student.
The proctor may be required to provide a confirmation of testing services on official letterhead stationery or email from the institution's domain if requested by Distance Learning.
Submit a Distance Testing Request Form, preferably at least one week before the course start date. If you need Distance Testing for multiple classes, you must submit a separate form for each course.
You are responsible for keeping up with exam deadlines established in the course syllabus or by the instructor. Failure to meet deadlines because your Distance Testing Request Form was not submitted in a timely manner is not the responsibility of ACC, Distance Learning, or the instructor.
You are responsible for paying any fees that may be required by the proctor, as well as for paying postage to return the completed exams to the instructor by the deadline, if necessary.
Failure to adhere to any of the Student Responsibilities may be grounds for denial of Distance Testing services.