The exam exclusively concerns the materials included in the PowerPoint documents. The questions will be in German, but English versions will be available on request (they have to be requested at least 2 days in advance).
The exam consists of 2 parts, separated by a 15 min break.
- 20 minutes theoretical questions: short multiple choice questions aiming at testing your understanding of the theory; there is no need to memorize or be able to derive equations. You are not allowed to use any lecture or personal notes, formularies, calculators, electronic devices, etc.!
- 120 minutes practical calculation exercises: Electronic devices are not allowed, except a non-programmable pocket calculator (for example TI-30-Models, Casio fx-82/991 WITHOUT Plus). The only extra documentation allowed is the formulary, which includes all relevant information required to solve the exercises.
The theoretical part will count for 1/3rd of the total note, and the exercises will count for 2/3rd. Only the total note will determine whether or not you pass the exam. There is no oral exam.
ONLINE-exams (TUWEL and ZOOM, until at least 31.01.2021)
The online exam will be organized exclusively through TUWEL and ZOOM. It concerns a combination of “written online exam as “Quiz” on TUWEL” („Schriftliche Online-Prüfung als „Test“ in TUWEL“) and “written online test on paper” („Schriftliche Online-Prüfung auf Papier“) as indicated in the TU Wien online exam guidelines.
The students are responsible to fulfill the technical and spatial requirements for an online exam. These include:
- a PC/Notebook/Tablet with a camera, microphone and speakers (or a Headset)
- a stable internet connection
- an examination room in which the participant is alone
- no disruptions during the duration of the exam
- a PRINTOUT of the latest version of the formulary, printed in advance
- 6 pages of unlined, blank, white paper, writing utensils and other allowed tools (a transparent glass of water or a transparent drinking bottle without a label are, of course, allowed)
- the means to digitalize/scan written on pages for the submission (a scanner or smartphone scanner app)
Webcam position: during the exams, the students should place their webcam so that they are being pictured from the side towards the top of the screen, while also picturing the table they are working at. The camera-student distance should be around 1 – 1.5 m. If the webcam is integrated in the working device (for example a laptop), the student should still be able to operate the device (for multiple choice input and communication through chat) and read the exam questions and answers appearing through TUWEL. Usage of an external mouse and keyboard and enlarging the on-screen text might help achieving this. The camera (and the table) should be positioned in such a way, that the largest possible area of the room and the door are visible. The set-up should be tried and tested by the students in advance of the exam date. In case a student does not own a webcam (separate or built-in), a smartphone camera can also be used (possibly in combination with apps like DroidCam). The webcam should be turned on during the full duration of the exam.
The complete Zoom web meeting will be RECORDED during the full duration of the exam. You will therefore be asked for your consent through TUWEL days before the exam.
If you do not want to consent to the recording or if you have other problems with the online exam requirements, please contact the responsible assistant in good time (at least 2 days in advance) and a solution will be worked out (extended exam requirements with additional camera or taking the online exam at the institute).
At the starting time of the exam, the students that are registered for one of that day’s exam sessions, get access to all the relevant documentation and a Zoom web meeting link on the current TUWEL course page.
At least 10 minutes before the start of the exam, the student should enter the relevant Zoom web meeting, so there is enough time for the practical set-up. Upon entry into the Zoom web meeting, the student should introduce themselves using their first and last names.
At the start of the exam, the identity of each student will be checked by means of a video identification process (moving both head and ID in front of the camera). Then the student will be asked to turn the camera around and picture the whole room, in order to confirm that no unauthorized tools or other people are present in the room. After that the exam will be started.
During the exam every participants’ audio input (microphone) will be muted. Questions can only be asked to the supervisor through the chat function.
During the full duration of the exam the audio output (speakers/headphones) has to be activated, so that the supervisor’s announcements can be heard and directives can be adhered to. When there is an indication of exam fraud, the supervisor will give the student in question instructions (turning the camera around again or sharing the screen) which must be followed. In case the student does not comply or the suspected fraud is proven, the exam will be terminated for that student and will be counted as one of the total amount of allowed attempts.
In the case of technical malfunctions, the supervisor will decide (depending on duration and scope of the issue) whether the exam has to be terminated or can be carried on for the student in question.
20 minutes theoretical questions:
A TUWEL quiz will be made available, which has to be filled out and handed in within 20 minutes after starting the quiz. The quiz will be an automatically composed multiple choice test with mixed questions, which can be answered until the deadline. During the online quiz, a continuous Zoom web meeting connection (eye contact) has to be running and no external tools (lectures notes, etc.) are allowed.
15 minutes break:
During the break, the student is allowed to leave the room (to use the restroom, get a drink or snack,…). During the theoretical and practical exam parts, the student is not allowed to leave their examination room!
120 minutes practical calculation exercises:
Before the start of the practical part, the examination room and the allowed tools (self-printed formulary, non-programmable calculator) will be checked again through the student’s camera. After the disclosure of further information, a TUWEL quiz and the submission page on TUWEL will be unlocked and the working time starts running. The answers of the practical calculations have to be answered through a TUWEL quiz and on manually written pages. As previously described, during the whole duration of the practical exam, the camera has to be positioned so that eye contact is possible and the table is within view.
The upper right corner of the first page (size of a student ID) should not be written on.
To submit the practical part, the TUWEL quiz has to be finished before the time limit and all of the written pages have to be scanned (or photographed) completely and uploaded through TUWEL within 5 minutes after the end of the exam. The student ID has to be placed on the first page in the upper right corner (on the for this purpose reserved open space) and scanned with the rest of the page. It is not allowed to upload separate images. All scanned pages have to be combined into one PDF document (use apps like Adobe Scan, Office Lens, etc., test them and learn to operate them before the exam!). During the scanning (or photographing) and uploading, the Zoom web meeting has to keep running. This means that the scanning device already has to be placed within reach before the start of the exam. If a smartphone is used as a webcam, then it can NOT be used to scan (or photograph) the exam.
After a check of the exam submission, the Zoom web meeting will be ended BY THE SUPERVISOR. In the case a student wants to leave the exam before the time limit has been reached, they have to notify the supervisor through the Zoom chat. THE SUPERVISOR will then end the connection for that student. Should a student independently terminate the ZOOM web meeting connection during the exam, this will be considered an exam termination.
PRESENCE exams (suspended until at least January 31, 2021)
As before, the following applies to face-to-face examinations:
20 minutes theoretical questions:
A multiple-choice test is used for this, which is then evaluated automatically. To prepare for the exam, it is essential to visit the tutorial in the TUWEL course. Extra tools, including lecture notes, formularies, pocket calculators, electronic devices, etc., are not permitted!
120 minutes practical calculation exercises:
PLEASE NOTE: Electronic devices are not permitted, with the exception of non-programmable pocket calculators. A formulary is issued during the examination (available for practice purposes on TUWEL).
Further information on the presence exam:
- The available seats in the classroom are those with paper on the desk.
- Make sure to write your name and matriculation number on every page used.
- Student ID must be on the table.
- In addition to the student ID, a pen and set square may be on the table for the theoretical questions. For the practical calculation exercises (2nd part) a non-programmable pocket calculator and the formulary may also be used.
- Questions can only be answered on official paper, i.e. on the paper you find on the desk. Further paper can be obtained on request.
- The answers to the theoretical questions must be clearly crossed on the answer sheet that is handed out, not on the questionnaire (see tutorial in the TUWEL course).
- For the practical calculation exercises, the questions must be answered on the answer sheet and on additional pages in the appendix.
- All paper is collected at the end, including drafts or ancillary calculations.
