Tips for Proctoring Exams

  • Confront suspicious conduct promptly.

  • Monitor from the back of room instead of from the front.

  • Watch for crib notes up sleeves, in laps, on top of backpacks, on the floor or written on hands, desks, chairs, clipboards or binders.

  • If using blue books, distribute from fresh stock, and number them if necessary.

  • For large classes, number exams (on front and on each page); use sign-in sheets for each row, by exam numbers, to record where students sit.

  • Ask students to turn off their cellphones.

  • Disallow any electronic devices including music players (other than allowable calculators).

  • Ask all students to take off baseball caps, dark glasses and other headgear.

  • Limit bathroom breaks: Usually not more than one per student during entire exam, except for extreme extenuating circumstances (in which case note student’s name). Also, not more than one student, irrespective of gender, should leave the exam room at the same time.