Computerized Exams

Find out more about ExamSoft and Examplify below.

Computerized take-home exams using ExamSoft

Fast troubleshooting

If you run into issues with uploading an exam in the ExamSoft portal, here are several steps to take toward resolving the issue, such as:

• Clearing cache and cookies from your web browser
• Connecting to a different network
• Restarting your modem or disabling and re-enabling internet connection on the device
• Using a different web browser (such as Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, or Safari)

If none of these steps resolve the issues, email your exam to exams.law [at] mcgill.ca.

General Information

Take-home examinations are administered through the ExamSoft website: www.examsoft.com/mcgill

Take-home exam guides

Take Home Exam Instructions

Types of take-home exams

There are two types of take-home examinations:

1. Fixed date take-home exam: take-home exam questionnaire is available for download starting at a specific date/ time; the exam answer file must be uploaded by a specific date/time as determined by the examiner and indicated on the examination cover page.
2. Flexible date take-home exam: unless otherwise specified, the take-home exam questionnaire is available for download from the first day to the last day of an examination period. The student decides when s/he will download the exam questionnaire within the examination period. Each examination has a designated duration (e.g. 6 hours, 8 hours, 24 hours etc.) as set by the examiner. Timing (“count down” clock) begins as soon as the examination questionnaire is downloaded. Students must upload their examination answer file within the exam’s designated duration as specified on the examination cover page. 

Comment identifier son fichier d'examen

Utilisez la page de présentation que vous fournit le Secrétariat des études pour votre examen maison (voir "Cover Page")

Vous devez vous identifier uniquement au moyen de votre code d'examen de cette session (dans le nom du fichier et sur la page titre). Ne fournissez aucune information nominative, par exemple votre nom ou votre numéro d'étudiant. Lorsque vous sauvez votre document, prenez soin d'inclure votre code d'examen et le nom du cours dans le titre du fichier (exemple: "ABCD_nom du cours_automne2022.docx").

Important instructions

1. Take-home exams must be completed within the term's examination period.
2. The take-home examination period ends at 17:00 EST on the last scheduled exam day. Take-home examinations submitted late (outside of the exam designated duration or examination period) will be subject to late penalties. Exam durations and deadlines are rigorously enforced; instructors are notified of unapproved late submissions and grade penalties are applied.
3. Take-home examinations must be completed once the exam questionnaire has been downloaded.
4. Students must complete the take-home exam as per the exam’s designated duration (e.g. 6 hours, 8 hours, 24 hours etc) or designated due date and time, as indicated on the examination cover page. Be sure to check your exam's duration. If you are unsure, ask your professor or lecture to clarify this in class. Students are encouraged to read McGill's policy on Plagiarism and Cheating.
5. Students may submit at any time of the day or night, any day of the week, including weekends, as long as is within the designated duration of the examination as specified on the examination cover page. Support is available at the SAO during regular business hours only.
6. Students are required to complete the mock take home exam at least 48 hours prior to the actual examination in order to familiarize themselves with the take home download and upload procedure, and allow time to address any unforeseen issues. It is strongly suggested students complete the mock during SAO office hours in case you need technical support.
7. Take-home examinations are to be individual exercises. The confidentiality of questions and answers must be maintained unless specific instructions are provided on the exam regarding student collaboration. Consultez le guide de McGill sur le plagiat.
8. Students should exams.law [at] mcgill.ca (contact the SAO), not instructors, if experiencing issues with ExamSoft, or have questions regarding the exam questionnaire. Students will bear any consequences with failing to follow the above instructions.
9. Students found in violation of the above may be subject to disciplinary measures.

How to download a take-home exam questionnaire

1. Go to www.examsoft.com/mcgill
2. At the Exam Takers log-in section, enter your 9-digit McGill ID and your assigned password (example: lawABAB)
3. Click Login
4. Click the Courses tab
5. Click on the specific course name under the COURSE column
6. Click the ACTION button for ‘Download Instructions/Assignment”
7. Click the DOWNLOAD button. Timing (“count down”) will now begin.
8. Save the exam questionnaire file on your computer at a location where it can be easily accessed.
9. Make sure to log out of ExamSoft: the session will time out and you may encounter problems uploading your exam later.
10. Use a word processing application (like MS Word) to write your exam answers. Save the file often. See Comment identifier votre fichier d'examen above on how to name your file without nominal information.
11. Make sure to differentiate your exam answer's file name from the exam questionnaire's file name.

How to upload a take-home exam answer file

1. Go to www.examsoft.com/mcgill
2. At the Exam Takers log-in section, enter your 9-digit McGill ID and your assigned password (example: lawABAB)
3. Click Login
4. Click the Courses tab
5. Click on the specific course name under the COURSE column
6. Click the ACTION button for “Upload Assignment”
7. Click the BROWSE button to locate the completed exam response file; select it (be sure to select the correct file as you can only upload ONCE)
8. Click the UPLOAD button. A window will open indicating you have successfully uploaded (includes the file name and course name).

Things to remember

The date and time the exam response is due can be found under the UPLOAD DUE DATE column. Students must upload their examination answer file within the exam’s designated duration as specified on the examination cover page and within the examination period. The examination period ends at 5pm on the last scheduled exam day.

The ExamSoft email function is disabled for McGill. Students can view submission history, download and upload dates as well as upload file name, by clicking the courses tab and the specific assessment.

Examplify sit-down exams

Exam schedules are found on the SAO's Current Courses page.

General information

Use of Examplify

Examplify for Law Students Instructions

Examplify for Law Students Instructions Remote Examplify

Examplify exam guide

1. Any attempt to circumvent Examplify security features or to use unauthorized software constitutes cheating and may result in disciplinary action.
2. Any attempt to access any form of network connectivity during an Examplify examination constitutes cheating and may result in disciplinary action.
3. Students are prohibited from attempting to download or cut/copy and paste materials from any external source, including a word processing file, into an in-class examination paper. Students are also prohibited from attempting to download or cut/copy and paste materials from an in-class examination paper to any external source, including a word processing file. In other words, during an in-class examination, students are only permitted to cut/copy and paste within an examination paper, using the examination software.
4. If a student has elected to use Examplify in an examination, only computer files submitted through the examination software will be accepted.
5. Spot checks will be made to ensure the integrity of the examination process.

Installing and testing Examplify

Before a final exams period begins, install Examplify on your laptop. You will need to connect to the McGill Law ExamSoft site.

To log in, you will need your 9-digit McGill ID Number, your assigned password and, if prompted, the Institution ID. The password is your current term-specific Exam Code, prefaced by the word law in lowercase, e.g. if your exam code is GR-AAAA, then your password is lawGRAAAA. The Institution ID is mcgill.

DO NOT USE THE "FORGOT USER ID/PASSWORD MENU" ** ExamSoft does not have McGill Law student email addresses; the email functionality is not enabled for our law school. If you have forgotten your password, contact the SAO.

At least one week before your exam, on the laptop you intend to use, you MUST download and complete the mock exam. You must test the software under “live” conditions in NCDH. This enables you to familiarize yourself with the Examplify exam environment and confirm whether the software functions on your laptop. After successfully completing the Mock Exam, you can download your remaining exams, but you cannot take an exam prior to its specified date.

Any difficulties experienced during the Mock Exam must be reported to the exams.law [at] mcgill.ca (SAO) as soon as possible.

The Examination Agreement is available on ExamSoft; it involves questions designed to confirm that students agree to the terms of the laptop policy. It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with your equipment and the Examplify software and instructions provided by ExamSoft on its website prior to the start of your exam. Please allow yourself sufficient time to become familiar with your laptop and the application. Commencement of the exam will not be delayed due to a hardware problem with your laptop.

Some notes

• While Examplify is in use, you will be blocked from accessing any files or applications on the computer, and your Internet connection will be disabled during the exam.
• If you wish to change your language settings, do it before launching Examplify to prevent problems.
• To prevent loss of work, Examplify automatically saves, backs up and encrypts your work every 60 seconds.