WORKSHOP ON EXAMINATION

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

Mr Sakhawat Ali Shah

University of South Asia

47-Tufail Road, Lahore Cantt
Tel: +92-42-36673312, 36673701
1

OUTLINE
PURPOSE.
MEDIUM OF EXAMINATION.
SEMESTER SYSTEM.
ACADEMIC CALENDAR.
ENROLLMENT/REGISTRATION IN COURSES.
PAPER SETTING.
EXAMPLES OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF QUESTIONS.
ABSOLUTE GRADING METHOD --- BASED ON CONTENT.
GRADING PLAN.
COMPUTING GPA AND CGPA.
WEIGHTAGE FOR DIFFERENT ELEMENTS OF ASSESSMENT.
GUIDELINES FOR INVIGILATION.
VIEWING OF EXAM PAPERS BY STUDENTS.
HANDLING UNFAIR MEANS CASES.
RECOMMENDATIONS

FOR

ADDITIONAL

SUPPORT

FOR

CONDUCTING

PURPOSE
Examinations are very important
component of a students academic
life.
It is important that we take this role
very seriously.
As a teacher, our credibility lies in
being able to effectively test our
students knowledge.
Examination must be a fair process,
transparent to all.
3

1. MEDIUM OF EXAMINATION

The medium of examination is English.

Students have the option to attempt the paper in Urdu in

the subjects of Pakistan Studies and Islamiyat.

Duration of Exams:
Mid-term

1.5 Hours (Accredited courses only)

Final-term

3 Hours

2. SEMESTER SYSTEM
The programs of study follow the semester system.
FALL AND SPRING SEMESTER:

In an academic year, there are two regular semesters --Fall and Spring.

Each of the two semesters will be of 16-18 weeks,

including 1-2 weeks for exams.

SUMMER SEMESTER:

A student who has failed or has been barred from taking

the exams due to shortage of attendance and/or wishes to
improve his/her grade is allowed to register in the
Summer Semester.

In the Summer Semester, a student

register in a

maximum of 2 courses (a total of 6 credit hours).

In the Summer Semester, the contact hours will be double

5

to ensure completion of the course content.

3. ACADEMIC CALENDAR

USA will announce the schedule for the whole academic

year (including Fall, Spring, and Summer Semesters). The
Academic Calendar will include:

Semester starting date.

Holidays during the semester.

Semester termination date.

Mid-term exam week.

Final exam week.

Result notification deadline.

In case the University is closed on account of unavoidable

circumstances, special make-up classes will be arranged
to cover the time lost.

4. ENROLLMENT/REGISTRATION IN
COURSES

The

University

will

publish

schedule

for

student

enrollment. The students may add/drop courses within the

first two weeks of the start of the semester.

Students will not be allowed to add/drop a course after

the second week of the start or the semester.

Students may withdraw from a course latest by the 6 th

week of the start of the semester. In case of

course

withdrawal, Grade W will be given. A W grade will show

in the transcript but it will not impact a students GPA.

A student withdrawing from a course after the 6 th week

shall be awarded an F (fail) grade which shall be counted
in the students GPA.
7

5. PAPER SETTING

THREE VERSIONS OF THE MID-TERM AND FINAL EXAMS

WITH A MAXIMUM OF 25% OVERLAP.

THE THREE VERSIONS OF THE EXAM PAPER TO BE FIELDED

IN THE EXAMINATION HALL.

SUBJECTIVE TYPE QUESTIONS (MINIMUM 70%); OBJECTIVE

(ABOUT 30%).

BLEND OF QUESTIONS --- EASY, MODERATE, AND HIGH

LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY.

A BLEND OF DESCRIPTIVE, ANALYTICAL, AND

APPLICATIONS-ORIENTED QUESTIONS. [SEE NEXT SLIDE
FOR EXAMPLES]

5. PAPER SETTING

PRACTICAL-/PROJECT-BASED
EXAMS
TO
BE
EVALUATED BY A PANEL OF EXAMINERS (INCLUDING
INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL EXAMINERS). MOREOVER,
THE GRADES AWARDED BY EACH EXAMINER SHOULD
BE REFLECTED SEPARATELY.

NO CHOICE OF QUESTIONS.

A MAXIMUM OF THREE GRACE MARKS FOR FAILING

STUDENTS ONLY. NOTE: THE FAIL F GRADE = less
than 50%.

ALL EXAM PAPERS SHOULD BE VETTED BY THE

DEANS/HODs.

THE EXAM PAPERS SHOULD BE SUBMITTED TO THE

EXAMINATION DEPARTMENT AT LEAST 7 DAYS
BEFORE THE START OF EXAMS.
9

5. PAPER SETTING
Creating Exams
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO ASSESS?
This should be related to your learning outcomes for the course.
KNOWLEDGE OR HOW IT IS USED. You can either directly test
knowledge or you can gear exam questions to test students
application of material taught in class.
PROCESS OR PRODUCT. You can test students reasoning skills
and evaluate the process by focusing the marks and other
feedback on the process they follow to arrive at a solution.
Alternatively, you can evaluate the end product.
THE COMMUNICATION OF IDEAS. You can evaluate students
communication skills their ability to express themselves whether this is by writing a cogent argument, or creating an
elegant mathematical proof.
10

5. PAPER SETTING
Creating Exams
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO ASSESS?
Convergent thinking or divergent thinking.
Absolute or relative standards.
How do you decide what to test and how to test it?
The overall exam should be consistent with your learning outcomes
for the course. There are a number of ways to review and prioritize
the skills and concepts taught in a course.
You could:

Use the topics list provided in your course outline

Skim through your lecture notes to find key concepts and

methods

Review chapter headings and subheadings in the assigned

readings.
11

HOW TO DESIGN FAIR, YET CHALLENGING, EXAMS

THAT ACCURATELY GAUGE STUDENT LEARNING?
Write
instructions
that
are
clear,
explicit,
and
unambiguous.
Think about how long it will take students to complete
the exam.
CONSIDER THE POINT VALUE OF DIFFERENT QUESTION TYPES.
DEALING WITH STUDENTS
Explain how and why you test as you do. Provide past exams or a non-graded
practice exam, if possible. Thinking specifically about your own objectives for
exams can help you design ones that are worth grading.
For major papers, providing exemplars or helping students workshop drafts can
guide students in thinking productively about their own work.
Provide periodic assignments to help students assess their own progressshort
quizzes, short papers, problem sets.
Construct a list of grading criteria (a grading rubric) and share it with students.
These criteria can make grading more consistent and efficient and help minimize
confrontations over grades.
12

6. EXAMPLES OF DIFFERENT
TYPES OF QUESTIONS

DESCRIPTIVE:
Briefly describe the notion of employee turnover.
Briefly explain the benefits of artificial intelligence
technology.
List the standard operating procedures (SOPs) of first
aid for a person injured in a road accident.
ANALYTICAL:
A person makes a round trip by car from Lahore to
Islamabad via the motorway. Calculate the average speed
for the journey if his average speed from Lahore to
Islamabad was 100 KM/Hour and the average speed from
Islamabad to Lahore was 80 KM/Hour. Assume the
outbound and inbound distance to be the same (230 KM).
APPLICATIONS ORIENTED:
Using SWOT analysis, compare the economies of Pakistan
and India.
Explain the concept of customer care in the
context of a
13
University.

7. ABSOLUTE GRADING METHOD

--- BASED ON CONTENT

Use the absolute grading method for evaluation of

students.

The absolute grading method is based on Content Based

Grading of an Assignment/Exam.

The Content Based Grading Method has the following

salient features:
Grades directly correlated with students achievement.
Lower competition among students.
Assign weightages to different student assessment elements in line
with their importance in achieving course objectives.

14

Grading Practices
Prepare a marking scheme or rubric
Make a marking scheme usable by non- experts.
Review the marking scheme after the exam.
When marking, make notes on exams.
Reflect on the gathered information

15

8. GRADING PLAN
Percentage
Marks

Equivalent Letter
Grade

Equivalent GPA

90-100

A+

4.00

80-89

4.00

75-79

B+

3.50

70-74

3.00

65-69

C+

2.50

60-64

2.00

55-59

D+

1.50

50-54

1.00

Below 50

F (FAIL)

0.00

16

9. COMPUTING GPA AND CGPA

GPA = TOTAL GRADE POINTS/TOTAL CREDIT HOURS
TOTAL GRADE POINTS = GPA EQUIV. OF LETTER GRADE * CR
HRS
EXAMPLE:
A STUDENT ACHIEVES GRADE A IN A 3 CR HR COURSE 1
AND GRADE B+ IN A 3 CR HR COURSE 2.
TOTAL GRADE POINTS = 4(3)+3.5(3) = 12+10.5 = 22.5
TOTAL CREDIT HOURS (2*3) = 6
GPA = 22.5/6 = 3.75
CGPA = SUM OF GPAs IN 2 OR MORE SEMESTERS/TOTAL
NUMBER OF SEMESTERS
17

10. WEIGHTAGE FOR DIFFERENT

ELEMENTS OF ASSESSMENT
TYPE OF ASSESSMENT
QUIZZES

WEIGHTAGE

10%

ASSIGNMENT/PROJECT

10%

MID-TERM

30%

FINAL-TERM

50%

18

11. VIEWING OF EXAM PAPERS

Paper viewing by students is mandatory before the final
submission of results to the Controller Examinations.
The Controller Examinations, with prior approval of the ViceChancellor will fix paper viewing day(s) shortly after the end of
the exams. The time, date, and venue will be notified to the
students well in time.
The faculty will show the papers of the Mid-term as well as the
Final-term to the students and resolve all student issues after
duly listening to them.
A Departmental Committee headed by the Dean/HOD with two
senior faculty members will randomly check a sample of
papers of Mid- and Final-term to determine the quality and
consistency of grading and the coverage of the course
contents.
19

11. VIEWING OF EXAM

PAPERS

The stated Committee will also address the grievances of

students about any course instructor with regard to marking of
papers and awarding of grades or any other relevant issues.

A student who is not satisfied with marking of papers and

awarding of grade may approach the Vice-Chancellor within 3
working days of the receipt of the grade.

A Committee headed by the Vice-Chancellor and comprising

the Dean of the concerned faculty and the Controller
Examinations will decide the matter after duly hearing both
sides (the student and the teacher) within 3 days or before the
start of registration for the new semester whichever is earlier.
The decision of the Committee shall be final.

20

11. VIEWING OF EXAM

PAPERS

Providing Feedback
Be as specific as possible with your feedback, pointing
out how aspects of the work fulfill, or fall short of, your
grading criteria.
Give feedback on the work, not on the student. For
instance, write, this argument needs the support of
evidence about or how does this explanation fit with
what the text says aboutrather than, you didnt
support your argument, or your explanation doesnt
make sense. Treating the students effort as serious
disciplinary work and less as just an assignment can
help the student focus more on the work and less on the
grade.
21

12. HANDLING UNFAIR MEANS

CASES
Invigilators to prepare UMC report.
Obtain the candidates signature on the report.
Securely attach any material suspected to be used in the
case.
Invigilator sends duly completed report to the Secretary
UMC Committee immediately upon the completion of the
exam.
The Secretary shall call a meeting of the Unfair Means
Committee.
The candidate can appeal against the 22decision of the

13. GUIDELINES FOR

INVIGILATION
No permission of leave during the period of exams.
Report for duty half an hour before the start of the exam.
Mark attendance and collect exam materials from the
Examination Department.
Return used and unused materials immediately after the
examination under proper receipt.
Sign and affix date on all Answer Books.
Additional Sheets shall also be signed.
Students shall not be allowed to enter the examination
hall without University ID Card/N.I.C.
Students will sit according to the seating plan.
There will be no change of seats during the exam.
A student not enrolled will not sit in the exam without
permission of the Dean/HOD or Controller Examinations.
23

13. GUIDELINES FOR INVIGILATION

(Contd)
Ensure that attendance of each candidate is marked.
Ensure that candidates of same subject shall not sit
together for any reason.
The Answer Books and Question Papers shall be
distributed on time.
No student permitted enter the Examination Hall
after 15 minutes of the commencement of the exam.
Students shall not be allowed to enter the
Examination Hall with bags, books, and any helping
material or equipment including electronic devices
whether relevant to the exam paper or not.
Scientific calculators may be allowed for the relevant
exam.
Students shall not be allowed to exchange their
seats, answer books, and question papers during
24
the examination.

13. GUIDELINES FOR

INVIGILATION (Contd.)

Report use of unfair means by any candidate on the prescribed sheet

provided to him/her together with any supporting material.
Collect Answer Books, pack them subject-wise in envelopes and
shall carefully write his/her name and other particulars of the exam
conducted on the front of the stated envelope(s).
Submit the envelopes to the Examination Department immediately
after the conclusion of the exam.
Remind students to write on both sides of the answer books.
Students should use blue or black ink for writing.
No student is allowed to leave the Examination Hall before the lapse
of half time.
All calculations and rough work shall be done on the answer books.
The student should make sure to mark his/her attendance on the
attendance sheet.

25

14. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR
CONDUCTING EXAMS

ENROLLMENT OF STUDENTS :

ENVIRONMENT FOR CONDUCT OF EXAMINATIONS:

FACILITATION FOR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS FOR CONDUCT

OF EXAMINATIONS:

26