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Exam Administration
The College of Law has established examination policies and procedures to ensure a consistent exam administration process. Students should review this information carefully before each examination period.
The College of Law requires a written final examination in each course for which academic credit is awarded, with certain exceptions. These may include clinical courses and courses that require substantial written or performance-based work, such as student competitions, Legal Research & Writing I & II, seminars, workshops, and supervised research and writing projects.
Final examinations may be administered during the scheduled examination period or as take-home examinations. Faculty members determine the assessment method for their courses, while the College of Law coordinates the administration of examinations in accordance with established policies and procedures.
Students should review their course syllabus and consult their professor for information regarding the specific assessments required for each course.
Exam Policies and Protocols
Information about rescheduling, exam emergencies, technical issues, accommodations, honor code, and more.
Examinations or quizzes worth more than 25% of a student’s final grade are graded anonymously. The Shepard Broad College of Law uses Examplify to administer examinations that follow the anonymous grading process.
Anonymous grading means that faculty members do not know the identity of the student whose examination or assignment they are grading. Students should not include their name or any other identifying information on an examination, quiz, or assignment designated for anonymous grading.
Students are assigned an anonymous exam number to use for each anonymously graded assessment. If a course includes more than one anonymously graded examination or quiz, students will receive a different anonymous exam number for each assessment.
Rescheduling due to Schedule Conflict
Students are required to take examinations at the regularly scheduled date and time specified under the Final Exam Schedule tab, unless there are "extraordinary and compelling circumstances" or if section 2.3 of the Code of Academic Regulations specifically provides for rescheduling.
Students may request the rescheduling of an exam by submitting a Request for Exam Accommodations form to Student Services. The deadline to petition to reschedule an exam pursuant to Code 2.3.1 is at least one week before exams start. After this deadline, Student Services can only accept requests to reschedule exams based on emergencies or circumstances not known before the deadline (see Code 2.4.3 and 2.4.4).
Student Services has the discretion to reschedule a final examination only based on an emergency or a student’s disability. Upon request, Student Services will reschedule a final examination for a student if the student has two or more final examinations scheduled to start within 24 hours of each other.
Please be mindful of students who are taking exams throughout the day. During the examination period, avoid talking or gathering in hallways near exam rooms, as noise can be disruptive to exam-takers.
Sound from the Atrium may also carry into nearby exam rooms. Whenever possible, please socialize outside of the Law building during the examination period to help maintain a quiet testing environment.
Check Your Device Compliance
Chromebooks, iPads, iPad Pros, Surface Pro devices running Windows S, virtual systems, and Linux operating systems are NOT compliant and NOT permitted to take exams. No exceptions. An additional, external monitor (i.e., dual monitor) connected to a laptop or desktop is NOT permitted -- including docking station setups. Check your system compliance and register on NSU Law School's ExamSoft login page.
NSU administers exams in accordance with the ABA Accreditation standards and imposes the same restrictions and technology requirements detailed on the Florida Board of Bar Examiners Official FAQ Page and further outlined on ExamSoft's Bar Applicants page.
The following exam conditions and/or equipment are NOT permitted:
- Chromebooks,
- iPad Pros,
- Surface Pros (older Surfaces that only run Windows in "S" mode),
- Android systems,
- Linux operating systems,
- Docking stations,
- Additional, external monitor (i.e., dual monitors),
- Virtual Camera or Virtual Camera Software (learn more),
- This software cannot be used on virtual operating systems such as Microsoft's Virtual Machine, Parallels, VMware, VMware Fusion, or any other virtual environments.
- Examplify does not support touchscreen input devices on Mac or Windows laptops.
Students may not communicate directly with their professor regarding an exam while the anonymous grading process is in effect. All exam-related questions or concerns should be directed to the appropriate College of Law office.
Additional time will not be provided for preventable technical issues, such as failing to install or update Examplify before an exam. Students should complete the Mock Exam using the latest version of Examplify before the examination period to confirm that the software is installed correctly and address potential technical issues in advance.
Students are strongly encouraged to complete take-home examinations during normal business hours whenever possible. College of Law staff and NSU Technical Support may have limited or no availability outside of regular business hours.
Computer Issues:
If your computer freezes during an exam, you should be able to reboot and resume your exam. Just force-shutdown your laptop, then turn it back on. Upon reboot, open the Examplify software, and your exam should automatically resume.
In the event that any problem persists after a reboot during an exam, on-site students may contact the room proctor, NSU's IT Help Desk, the Office of Student Services, or the Dean of Students. Remote and on-site students can contact technical support by:
NSU Shark IT Student Support:
- Phone: (954) 262-4357
- Email: nsu@service-now.com or oiithelp@nova.edu.
ExamSoft's Examplify Technical Support:
- Within the software: If already installed, open the Examplify software and click Help from the top-right Home menu on the Dashboard.
- Support Website: Examplify’s support site with live chat and other support resources.
- Phone: 866-429-8889
- Email: support@examsoft.com
Additional concerns?
If you have additional concerns about an exam-related issue or its resolution, please contact the Office of Student Services for assistance.
Do not contact your professor regarding an anonymously graded exam or assignment before grades are posted. Doing so may compromise the anonymous grading process and may result in disciplinary action.
This policy also applies to anonymously graded assignments, including 1L memos and briefs for Legal Research and Writing, as well as any other assignment designated by the professor as anonymously graded.
To ensure the optimal testing experience and to confirm that your device is ready for exam day, it is critical that you update your Examplify software and take the mock exam.
- Open Examplify
- Log in with your NSU SharkLink login information
- On the Dashboard, select the Mock Exam and click on "Download Exam”.
- In the Exam Password textbox, enter the case-sensitive exam password: Test123
- Type a few words on the screen for your Mock exam, click through multiple-choice answers, and familiarize yourself with the software.
- When you are finished, click on the drop-down arrow that says "Exam Controls" and choose "Submit exam".
- You should see a large green screen that says 'Upload Complete'. This means that your exam has been successfully uploaded.
- Click on Return to Dashboard.
Exam Backup - Examplify saves your work automatically every few minutes. Examplify maintains several encrypted copies of your exam on your hard drive. If your computer crashes during an exam, you can restart it and Examplify will automatically select the most current version of your exam from your hard drive.
Minimum System Requirements for Mac OS X
Students and exam-takers downloading the test-taking software, Examplify, should review these Minimum System Requirements (MSRs) to ensure their devices are supported.
- Operating System: macOS Sonoma, Sequoia, or Tahoe.
- Only genuine versions of Mac operating systems are supported.
- For a better experience, we recommend that you take your exam on the same Operating System version that you have recently completed a successful mock exam.
- CPU: Intel or M series processor.
- RAM: 4GB or higher.
- Hard Drive: 4GB or higher available space.
- For on-site support, and in order to back-up the answer files to a USB drive, a working USB port is required (Newer devices may require an adapter).
- For technical troubleshooting, account passwords including device passwords may be required.
- Server version of Mac OS X is not supported.
- Using Examplify in a virtual environment is a violation of the End-User License Agreement (EULA). As such, Examplify cannot be run within virtualized environments or environments that require persistent network connections (local or otherwise) during secure exams. This includes, but is not limited to, VMWare, Parallels, Citrix workspace, virtual disks, streamed images, etc..
- Internet connection is required for download, registration, exam download and upload.
- Administrator-level account permissions.
- Screen resolution should be at least 1280 x 768. Scaling should be set to 100%.
Minimum System Requirements for Windows
Students and exam-takers downloading the test-taking software, Examplify, should review these Minimum System Requirements (MSRs) to ensure their devices are supported.
Examplify will not run on Chromebooks, Android, or Linux operating systems. Examplify does not support touchscreen input on Mac or Windows laptops.
- Operating System: 64-bit versions of Windows 11.
- Alternate versions of Windows 11, such as Windows RT and 11 S, are NOT supported.
- If you are using a Microsoft Surface device, please read this article for important instructions on Windows 11 “S mode” versus the standard operating system. S mode is not compatible with Examplify.
- Only genuine versions of Windows Operating Systems are supported.
- The versions of Windows certified for use are Windows 11 23H2, Windows 11 24H2, and Windows 11 25H2.
- For a better experience, we recommend that you take your exam on the same Operating System version that you have recently completed a successful mock exam.
- The English (United States) Language Pack must be installed.
- ExamSoft does not support tablet devices other than Surface Pro as detailed above.
- CPU Processor: Intel or ARM based processor supported by your operating system.
- ARM Processors are only supported on Windows 11 24H2 and higher using Examplify version 3.10.0.
- US Bar Exams MAY NOT use ARM processors or version 3.10.0. Please refer to the MSRs below for Windows requirements for US Bar exams.
- RAM: 4GB of usable RAM or higher
- Hard drive: 4GB or higher of available space.
- For on-site support, and in order to back up the answer files to a USB drive, a working USB port is required. (Newer devices may require an adaptor.)
- For technical troubleshooting, account passwords including BitLocker keys, may be required.
- Internet connection for download, registration, exam download, upload, and some exam features.
- Using Examplify in a virtual environment is a violation of the End-User License Agreement (EULA). As such, Examplify cannot be run within virtualized environments or environments that require persistent network connections (local or otherwise) during secure exams. This includes, but is not limited to, VMWare, Parallels, Citrix workspace, virtual disks, streamed images, etc..
- Screen resolution should be at least 1280 x 768. Scaling should be set to 100%.
- Administrator-level account permissions.
This guide will help you install and register Examplify on the Windows or Mac device you plan to use to take your exams. To ensure the optimal testing experience and confirm that your device is ready for exam day, it is critical that you update your device and take the mock exam.
- Log in to examsoft.com/nsulaw
- In the top left corner, click login.
- You should be redirected to NSU's Single Sign-On page that looks similar to your email
login page. Use your NSU credentials, complete with the @mynsu.nova.edu ending.
- After you review the minimum system requirements and confirm your device meets ALL
of the requirements, click "download"
- Run the installer file. Once the installation is finished, you will be able to launch the application from your desktop or app tray.
- Launch the application. *You must be connected to the internet to register Examplify and download exams, if applicable.
- Enter your institution ID or institution Name, which is nsulaw. Make sure it is nsulaw and NOT any other variation.
- The login process should force your default browser to open a popup window that will look similar to your NSU email login page. Use your full NSU email with the @mynsu.nova.edu ending.
- The verification may or may not automatically switch you back to Examplify. If it does not, then go ahead and close your browser window and navigate back to Examplify. This will take you to the Examplify home screen.
When exams are posted and available, you can download them from the dashboard on the left-hand side of the home screen. Review the following article for further information about preparing for exam day, including the installation process: https://help.examsoft.com/s/article/Examplify-Take-an-Exam
To ensure the optimal testing experience and to confirm that your device is ready for exam day, it is critical that you update and take the mock exam. To ensure the best results, temporarily disable your anti-virus software before starting the exam. See: Disable Anti-Virus Software
Device Checks
Examplify performs certain checks when you start Examplify and when you attempt to download an exam. If you see messages about Minimum System Requirements, review the on-screen information. Depending on the issues, you might be able to Continue with the exam, or you might see only the Return to Dashboard option.
Even if the Continue button appears, we recommend that you update your device according to the on-screen information. If you see only the Return to Dashboard option, you cannot use this device without updating it to meet the requirements. For more information, see: Examplify: Update Your Device to Meet Minimum System Requirements.
Exam Details
After the exam downloads, look through the Exam Settings and Exam Details. Note the time limit, the available features, and any security restrictions.
Download the exam file.
- If you do not see the exam that you are scheduled to take, select Refresh Exam List (a) near the bottom left corner of the screen.
- On the left side of the screen, select the exam that you want to download (b).
- In the main area of the screen, select Download Exam (c).
Once the exam or exams have been downloaded to your machine, the next step will be to select the exam you will be taking. To ensure the best results, temporarily disable your anti-virus software before starting the exam. See: Disable Anti-Virus Software.
What does Examplify look like inside an exam?
Entering the Password and Beginning
Click on Start Exam.
After the exam prompts and instruction pages you will see a screen that says "Please type the answer to Question 1 below." This area can be hidden by clicking on the down arrow next to 'Question 1'. If questions are attached as a PDF (for take-out exams only), click on EXAM CONTROLS to view the questions. You can print or save the PDF by clicking on 'Print'.
Essay only exams: When typing your answers for an essay only exam, there will be only one screen to type in. Type all of your answers under "Question 1" for an essay only exam.
Multiple Choice exams: If the exam is multiple choice you will advance through a numbered sequence on the screen and choose answers by clicking on choices of up to five answers. You have the ability to answer questions in order or skip around to a specific question.
Multiply Choice and Essay exams: If the exam is both, follow the instructions above for Multiple Choice, and the essay will be the last question in the sequence.
- Open Examplify and click on the correct exam you need to complete.
- Review the details and settings enabled by your professor.
- Enter the exam password. For midterms, the password will be posted in your respective Canvas course at the start of the 48-hour exam window. For finals, the password will be given to you by the proctor or a Student Services representative in the exam room. (Note, this password is case-sensitive, and will need to be entered exactly as shown). Click Start Exam.
- If the exam is secure, and any software is open, you will be asked to close out of
those programs before starting the exam. We recommend saving any work, then manually
closing out.
- AFTER logging in with the Exam Password, read the uniform exam instructions and all pre-entry
prompts. Stop at the stop sign. Please be aware that all activity will be logged after
you pass the stop sign.
- In an on-site exam, follow the instructions from the on-site proctor.
- In a remote exam, follow any instructions that you received from your instructor or exam administration team about when to begin the exam.
- Once you are ready to begin your exam, or if on-site have been instructed, click the green Start Exam button. Or, click Cancel to return to the list of exams if you've chosen the incorrect exam.
Exam Controls and Software Options
Take the mock exam prior to exam day! To ensure the optimal testing experience and to confirm that your device is ready for exam day, it is critical that you update and take the mock exam. To ensure the best results, temporarily disable your anti-virus software before starting the exam. See: Disable Anti-Virus Software
- On the left-hand side of the screen, you will see the numbers that correspond to each question, as well as a small radial circle next to each number.
- Above this list, you will see the Exam Controls option. Within this menu, you will see two possible options; Hide Exam and Submit Exam. Hide exam will hide the entire exam, but leave the Examplify application running. The Submit Exam option will prompt the exam taker to confirm this action.
- Along the top row, you will have the ability to display exam level attachments, pre-assessment notices, set an alarm, exam time remaining, utilize the zoom feature for question text, as well as a highlighting tool. The Expand option will allow you to view any attachments for that question or, if enabled, clicking the Calculator icon will display the calculator, and the Notepad icon will display the option for Notes and Feedback.
- You will see a Time Remaining alarm with a time countdown and a 5 Minute Warning alarm with a time countdown.
- Along the bottom row, you will see the Exam Taker Support phone number, as well as the Examplify version number. You will also see the current question number displayed out of the total number of questions on the exam. The Next button will take you to the next question.
Once you’ve completed all the questions, you can now exit the exam. To submit your exam:
- If you reach the final question and the Next button changes to the Submit button: Select the Submit button.
- If you decide to submit the exam before you complete the final question: Near the top right corner of the screen, select Exam Controls, and then select Submit Exam.
After you submit your exam:
- Follow the on-screen instructions. You'll be prompted to confirm the exam upload.
- Progress messages will appear. Wait for the green confirmation screen, which confirms that your exam has been uploaded successfully.
If you experience any issues with your upload or if you have any other concerns about the software, please email Student Services. Do NOT email your professor. If our on-site technicians or ExamSoft/Examplify cannot resolve the technical issue, immediately report it to Student Services. We will work with them to discover the problem and determine the best solution.
After your grade has been posted for a course, you may reach out to your professor directly (or follow any alternative instructions you received from your professor) to review your exam answers and receive feedback.