Online Exams Advice
Top tips for students:
- Use Chrome or Firefox, where possible
- Save and close submissions before uploading
- Ensure files have been uploaded successfully
- For Turnitin: Upload all submissions through Blackboard, NOT the Turnitin.com website
- Submission issues: contact your module instructors in the first instance
A note regarding grades in Blackboard: SITS (my.tcd.ie) is the system of record for all student results. Any results provided in Blackboard are provisional only.
Be aware of what’s required for online assessments.
Familiarise yourself with how the online assessment will work; read through any instructions and guidelines carefully and well in advance. Also, ensure you can access any relevant online services or websites without any password issues on the day.
If there’s anything you don’t understand, then get in touch with your lecturer to clarify things in good time.
Preparing yourself, your computer/device and internet connection
- Pick a comfortable and quiet spot where you can use WiFi without any issues and have access to an electrical plug (in the event you’ll need to plug in your laptop)
- Set up well before the start of the online exam; if you are using a laptop, then ensure it is plugged into electrical power
- Limit distractions on your device by turning off notifications or anything else that may disrupt your concentration during your exam
- Make sure you can access the relevant online service or website and log in. Be aware of the Blackboard browser support advice, or similar advice for the service you will be using.
- If you are sharing WiFi in your house, it would be worthwhile to ask others to limit their use of online services that require a high amount of WiFi during your exam.
Submitting your assessments and assignments online
You will need to upload your assessments and assignments in the correct formats:
- For online exams that require typing long essay-style answers, use MS Word to type your responses into the provided Answer Booklet. Do not type long essay answers directly into Blackboard. You will upload the MS Word Answer Booklet to Blackboard at the end of your online exam.
- For online exams that require handwriting answers, such as writing formulas and equations or drawing diagrams, you will need to take photographs of your answers. You will copy the photographs into an MS Word Answer Booklet provided for the exam. The Answer Booklet should clearly indicate where to paste your uploaded photograph answer for each question. You will upload the MS Word Answer Booklet to Blackboard at the end of your online exam. Ensure that all your photographs are in focus, taken in good lighting, and fully capture your work.
- For online exams where you are writing and submitting computer code, you will need to zip the files before you upload them to Blackboard at the end of your online exam. You can find the list of supported file types by clicking on this link.
- As it may take additional time to upload your online exam answers as Blackboard Assignments or via Turnitin in Blackboard, allowances have been made, and you have extra time to submit your answers.
- For online exams, such as Blackboard Quizzes, please use a single recommended browser for the Multiple Choice Assessment.
- Don't refresh the page, close the window, or use the browser's back button while you take a test. If you encounter any issues during a test, please contact your instructor immediately.
Important - What to do if you have issues on the day
Document everything. If you encounter technical issues on the day of the exam or during the exam, then it is important to document the problems in detail. Take screenshots of errors, note the times of any incidents and record what actions you took.
If you encounter any issues with your Blackboard Module, such as submitting or accessing an assignment or test, please contact your module instructors, as they are the only ones who manage the assessment settings.
Your WiFi Connectivity isn’t working?
Look for the simple fixes first:
- Check that all cables and wires are connected and that your broadband is properly plugged in.
- Reset your internet by turning it off and then turning it back on again. Unplug the electrical plug, wait for a minute, and then plug it back in. It may take another minute for service to be restored.
What if we have a power outage?
If your home experiences a power outage and you need to access the Internet, you can try connecting your laptop to the WiFi hotspot on your phone.
Using your smartphone as a hotspot: what to know beforehand & instructions
You can use the data on your smartphone by turning your device into a ‘hotspot’.
Things to Know about Using Your Phone as a Hotspot
- Tethering uses the data bundle of your mobile phone plan
- Protect your hotspot with a password so that others cannot use your data
- Hotspots use a lot of power, so your phone’s battery can run down quickly; keep your phone plugged in while using it as a hotspot
- Turn the hotspot off when you are done using it
- If you are in an area without a mobile phone signal, your phone's hotspot will not be able to connect a device to the Internet.
- Test your hotspot before you need to use it. Ensure that both your phone and service provider allow hotspot connections.
- You may be able to connect multiple devices to your hotspot, but please note that the more devices connected, the faster your data allowance will be used.