Proctor information
Exam proctoring guidelines and expectations
Some instructors require proctored exams. This page clarifies what is meant by “proctored.” It also provides guidelines and expectations for approved proctors.
Definition of a proctored exam
A proctored exam is a supervised test. An instructor or an approved proctor monitors the student during the test. The proctor to ensures that the rules and requirements of the exam are followed.
Definition of an approved proctor
An approved proctor is a person approved by the course instructor and the College who agrees to abide by the proctoring expectations required by the instructor. An approved proctor cannot have a personal relationship with the student. Approved proctors may often be found at college testing centers, corporate testing centers, military testing centers, and educational services at correctional institutions.
A test proctor must be a neutral third party professional employed with an educational institution, testing center, or other qualified location. There should be no conflict of interest between the proctor’s personal or professional relationship to the student and their role as proctor. The proctor will need to provide a secure testing environment, any technology required for the exam experience, and agree to monitor the student during the exam. Tests must be administered in a professional testing location or public institution, and may not be taken in a private residence or business. Proctors must have an official email address that has been assigned to them such as @lanecc.edu, @pcc.edu, or @us.army.mil. Personal email addresses cannot be used.
Expectations of a proctor
Prior to the exam
- Find a quiet location in a public building for the student to take the exam where you can consistently monitor the student
- Confirm the student’s identity by checking their photo identification.
- Ask the student to store any prohibited belongings (cell phones and other electronic devices, keys that may have flash drives attached, notes, books, purses, backpacks, etc.) somewhere safe and inaccessible during the exam. It is recommended that you do not take responsibility for the student’s belongings.
- Review the exam instructions with the student, including the time allotted for the exam and what resources and tools will be available for use during the exam. Permitted materials, if any, will be listed on the exam instructions provided by the instructor.
During the exam
While a student is taking an exam, it is your responsibility to ensure to the best of your ability that cheating does not occur. Although you are not expected to watch the student constantly during the entire exam, it is important that the student is consistently monitored in a way that ensures the following do not occur:
- Using prohibited documents
- Viewing of another student’s work
- Using prohibited electronic devices
- Accessing additional browser windows or applications on the computer
- Recording (in any fashion) of the exam questions and/or answers
After the student has completed their exam, collect all scrap paper that was used and either dispose of it or return it with the exam (if requested by the instructor).
After the exam
- Return the exam and all scratch paper (if requested by the instructor) using the methods outlined in the exam instructions.
- If the instructor has not requested that the hard copy of the exam be returned, destroy all exam materials once the instructor has confirmed receipt of the completed exam.
- Share with the instructor any suspicious or unusual circumstances incidents that may have occurred during the exam session.