For those NUR courses that utilize an objective examination format, students must achieve an average grade of 77% or higher on all exams before any additional coursework is factored into the final grade. A final grade of C+ is required for all NUR courses to progress. The criteria below elaborate on this policy.
All SON courses that give exams will follow this policy, and every section of the same course will either give exams or not, for consistency.
Objective examinations utilize multiple choice questions, ordering, matching, fill-in-the-blank, NGN style questions, and are taken in a classroom or proctored online. The time frame expected for these exams is 1 to 1.5 minutes per question.
The department does not allow the use of “Cheat sheets” or resources during an exam.
No examinations are administered the week before finals week in accordance with University policy.
Within these courses, there are a minimum of 3 summative objective exams used to meet the 77% requirement. Weekly knowledge checks, such as ATI quizzes, are not factored into the average criteria.
The weighting of exams must be consistent across all sections of the same course. For example, if Exam 1 is weighted at 20% and the Final Exam at 30% in Section 01 of Fundamentals, the same weights must apply to Section 02.
The 77% average reflects the weighted exam value and must be clearly outlined in the syllabus.
The final course grade must reflect that objective exams comprise a minimum of 50% of the total grade. The remaining percentage may include formative quizzes, course assignments, or projects.
These standards will be followed in all NUR courses where objective exams are administered on campus in person.
Tests will begin and end on time.
Students are informed in advance when tests are scheduled and are expected to make arrangements/contingency plans to ensure they can take the test at the scheduled time; students who experience an emergency must communicate with the faculty before the test or as soon as possible to arrange for a make-up test—note that students who do not take the exam with the class will not be able to take advantage of grouped exams and post-exam review when they are part of the course testing processes.
Students who arrive late will not be allowed additional time beyond the testing schedule.
Seating in the testing room will be at the direction of the faculty.
Instructions regarding seating and materials allowed at the testing station will be conveyed to students before the exam.
Students will be asked to leave all personal items, including cellular phones, in a designated place for the duration of the exam.
Non-electronic earplugs may be used.
The department does not allow the use of “Cheat sheets” or resources during an exam.
Faculty and staff proctors will actively proctor the entire exam room during testing. Distractions, including movement in and out of the room, should be minimized. Faculty should include in their testing procedures a clear process/expectations if it is necessary for the student to leave the test.
Faculty wishing to administer online exams must meet the following proctoring standards:
All online exams must be given using proctoring software (Respondus LockDown Browser and webcam)
Online exams may not be proctored on Zoom
Exams must be administered during scheduled class time.
University support for students needing computer access or a quiet space must be available, and therefore, exams must be scheduled with sufficient time during university hours.
Any unpermitted materials (including smart devices, such as cell phones, AI/smart glasses, and smart watches) must be stored away from the testing area. All electronic devices must also be turned off.
Instructions regarding materials allowed during the exam will be conveyed to students prior to the exam.
Only a proctored review of exam questions while in computer lockdown is permitted (to maintain exam integrity).
Knowing that at the conclusion of their nursing education, students will take the NCLEX licensing exam, the construction of objective tests that best prepare students for the licensing exam is important. Test questions and answers should be constructed according to best testing practice:
Questions will be clear, precise, and positively stated.
Test construction should correspond with standard models which allocate a total test time allowing for 1 to 1.5 minutes per question, depending on question level (knowledge-based on application/synthesis).
Questions and answers will be in parallel grammatical form and consistently formatted. Responses will begin with an uppercase letter, end with a period and be consistent in length.
It is recommended that multiple choice questions, with a stem and 4 response options, will comprise at least 80% of the exam.
It is recommended that fewer than 20% of the exam items will be NGN style, numeral ranking, matching, fill-in-the-blank, and multiple-answer questions.
To assure accuracy of test analysis, bonus and extra credit questions are not recommended.
The use of gender-neutral and bias-free terms such as “the nurse” and “the patient” is recommended in place of constructed names or initials.
Collaborative exams are per the discretion of the instructor, but it should be consistent with all sections of the same course.
Faculty should wait until all students have finished their individual exams, then instruct students to get into their groups (including students with accommodations). Each group will submit one copy of the exam.
The collaborative exam should be the same exam that was just completed by individual students.
Faculty may consider a paper copy of the exam for the group retake to help facilitate the group work (instead of online).
The collaborative exam should remain assistance-free, with no phones, computers, notes, or textbook.
After completion of the collaborative exam, encourage the students to reflect on their efforts. This will help them learn from their experiences within their teams.
The collaborative is worth up to 2 points added to their individual exam score.
If the group achieves 95% on the exam, they get 2 points.
If the group achieves 90%-94.5% on the exam, they get 1 point.
If the group achieves less than 90%, they get 0 points.
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