Final Examinations

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Examination Policies

A final examination is any examination that takes place in the final examination period. Students must be available for any examination scheduled during the examination period. No special arrangements will be made in the event of personal time conflicts.

For special circumstances, the examination coordinator may allow a final examination to be scheduled outside the final examination period (e.g. students who are on a stage during the final examination period).

All examinations taking place during the examination period must be scheduled by the College scheduler.

Any class tests or examinations that do not take place in the final examination period must take place during regularly scheduled class or lab time.

The final examination period is the period defined in the academic calendar for evaluation of studies in each of the two regular sessions.

The final examination period is set in conformity with the College Education Regulations.

The dates of the examination period shall be published in the academic calendar. A minimum of one day shall separate the last day of classes from the commencement of final examinations.

The examination schedule must contain the following information:

• the course number, section number and title
• the date of the final exam
• the time of the final exam
• the place of the final exam.

The final version of the examination schedule is sent to the departments holding exams and posted by the registrar’s office by the midpoint of the session.

Students have the obligation to inform themselves of the posted examination schedule.

The examination schedule must be structured to maximize the number of students writing only one paper per day. No student can be required to write more than two papers per day.

Final exams must be scheduled Monday to Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. for courses taught during these times.

Courses taught after 5:30 p.m. would have examinations scheduled after 6:00 p.m. Monday to Friday. The scheduler should attempt to schedule final examinations the same evening the course was given. Those courses that are regularly given on Saturday may have the final examination scheduled on Saturday.

All final examinations are to be either two or three hours in duration. The duration of the exam must be specified to the scheduler by the department.

Roles and Responsibilities

The College scheduler is responsible for the preparation of the examination schedule.

Teachers serve as invigilators for the final examination of their courses.

Teachers identify their students, answer questions about the examination paper and report all acts of alleged cheating to the exam coordinator or representative.

All invigilators must know and carry out the final examination regulations, policies and procedures under the authority of the examination coordinator.

Faculty must not alter the seating plan without the express consent from the exam coordinator or the designate.

The Academic Dean has overall responsibility for final examinations. These duties may be delegated to a senior manager.

The responsibility for the application of regulations, policies and procedures governing final examinations including the cheating policy is delegated to the examination coordinator.

The examination coordinator:

• selects all examination facilities. These must provide adequate space, good lighting and noise control.
• details and communicates the administrative procedures required for the proper functioning of final examinations.
• has supervisory responsibility over the invigilators.
• ensures the security of final examination papers.
• ensures the security of final examination booklets.
• minimizes the possibility of cheating during examinations.
• ensures that all facilities and services required during the final exam period be provided.
• submits a written report to the Academic Dean at the end of each final examination period concerning the final examination process.

Students are expected to abide by the rules outlined by the examination coordinator or his/her delegate.

Students will be allowed into the examination area after it has been established that they hold a current, Dawson ID card. Students without a Dawson ID will be referred to the examination coordinator or his/her representative and may only enter the examination area with his/her permission.

Students will be required to deposit personal belongings in a designated area. Only those materials specified by the examination coordinator may be on the student’s desk while the examination is in progress.

Students may not open the examination booklets, or read examination questions prior to the commencement of the exam. The examination coordinator or his/her representative will announce the beginning and the end of each examination.

All changes or corrections to examination questions will be given to students prior to the commencement of the examination. These changes will be posted in a clearly visible location for the duration of the examination. If during the course of the examination any additional corrections are required, the examination coordinator or his/her representative will determine if the time required to complete the examination should be lengthened.

A student may not enter an examination after one hour of that exam has elapsed. A student arriving late must complete the examination in the time remaining unless the examination coordinator rules otherwise based on the circumstances causing the lateness.

A student may not leave an examination until one hour of the examination has elapsed. A student may not leave during the last fifteen (15) minutes of an examination unless instructed to do so by the examination coordinator or his/her representative.

Students may not speak during a final examination unless it is to an invigilator, teacher, the examination coordinator or his/her representative.

Students may not leave their seats during an examination except with the permission of an invigilator or the examination coordinator or his/her representative. The student who leaves the examination area and returns to complete the examination may add lost time to the end of the examination period only with the agreement of the examination coordinator or his/her representative.

The Exam Coordinator has the authority to disqualify students who break the rules, but it is still up to the individual teacher to establish the consequences for students who do.

If during an examination a student is to be charged with cheating, the examination coordinator or his/her representative, after consulting the invigilator, shall:

• so inform the student.
• confiscate any evidence relating to the charge.
• depending on the nature and seriousness of the incident, annotate the student’s exam or test and either:
• allow the student to complete it, or
• take the student’s exam booklet or test and require the student to leave the examination area.

The examination coordinator will deliver to the Academic Dean, or the Dean’s designate, as soon as is reasonable, all evidence relating to the charge of cheating accompanied by a written report giving full details of the incident. This report shall state explicitly the charge so as to inform the Dean and the student precisely what allegations are being made.

The Academic Dean or the Dean’s designate shall follow up incidents of cheating according to college procedures.

In the instance where it is suspected that an individual is writing an exam for another person, the examination coordinator shall ask the student to leave the examination area to:

• check the student’s identification (including identification other than a Dawson ID card).
• contact the Registrar’s office for pertinent details in his/her file that only the student could verify.

For suspected cases of cheating, the College has established specific procedures for handling such cases.  At the beginning of each final examination, students will be informed that they must remove any material which could be construed as tools for cheating. In addition, we post information in the exam rooms so that students will be clearly informed about the possible consequences of cheating in advance.

A final examination is any examination that takes place in the final examination period. All final examinations held during the final examination period must be scheduled by the College scheduler.

The final examination period is defined in the academic calendar for each of the two regular sessions (fall, winter). A minimum of one day must separate the last day of classes from the beginning of final examinations.

The final examination schedule shall be posted by the midpoint of the semester.

Students must be available for any examination scheduled during the examination period. No special arrangements will be made in the event of personal time conflicts.

Teachers will invigilate final examinations for their own courses.

Students must present valid Dawson ID cards in order to be admitted to the examination.

Students will be not permitted to enter an examination after one hour of the examination has elapsed.

Students must remain a minimum of one hour. They may not leave during the last 15 minutes of an examination period.

Students are expected to abide by the rules outlined by the examination proctor or his/her delegate and be aware of College policy regarding cheating and plagiarism.

For more information, please contact the Coordinator of Final Examinations.

NEW: Final Exam Procedures

Dawson College is implementing a number of new final exam procedures to ensure the security of exam materials and will be reinforcing exam rules already in place.

Students writing final exams must participate in the following procedures:

The College will be using scanner equipment to capture the location of the students, their exam papers and the desks they are using for a specific exam.  To make this process easier, we ask that students leave their Dawson ID card face up on their desk.

• Students must remain in the same seat recorded by the scanner.
• Once scanned, students may not change seats without permission or they will be disqualified.
• Students are required to read and sign a Declaration of Academic Integrity.

Exam Rules

Students must be familiar with the regulations governing final exams. Please take special notice of the NEW rules that will result in disqualification.

Click here to view the Final Examination Cover Sheet.