Examsoft Information Packet

The School of Law will make ExamSoft available to all law students for each semester. The following information will provide background on what ExamSoft is, what it does, how you can acquire it, and how you can use it to take your exams.

PLEASE NOTE: this information is applicable to you even if you previously downloaded and registered a copy of SofTest.

What is ExamSoft?

ExamSoft is a software application that “secures” your personal laptop, enabling you to use it to take exams. ExamSoft locks down all of your Windows applications during an exam except for a program called “SofTest.” SofTest is a simplified word processor (similar to Microsoft Word or WordPerfect.) It allows you to type your exam responses and to edit them (including cut/copy/paste features, font size and style adjustment, and a limited “undo” command).

Will SofTest work on my computer?

SofTest may be used only on a PC. It is not compatible with any Macintosh operating system, nor can it be used with PC emulation software. The minimum recommended system requirements are:

 

• CPU = 200 MHz
• RAM = 64 MB
• Drives = 50 MB free space and one floppy disk drive. Please NOTE: you must have a 3.5” floppy drive, whether internal or external, to use SofTest. We cannot yet support CD-R, but hope to be able to do so in the near future.
• Operating System = Windows 98, 2000, ME, XP, and Windows Vista
• Software = Internet Explorer 5.0 or higher
• Internet Connection = an Internet connection is required to register SofTest (AOL users must have AOL 6.0 or higher), but it is not required to use the software during an exam.

 

How reliable is SofTest?

SofTest has a considerable number of safety features to ensure that answers typed into SofTest cannot be lost.

 

• An automatic save of your exam file every sixty (60) seconds;
• An automatic save of two, additional, encrypted backup copies of the exam answer;
• A reboot feature – if you experience a computer “freeze,” you can restart your computer and re-enter the exam in the amount of time it normally takes to reboot Windows. You will be returned to within 59 seconds of where you left off.
• A fail-safe system -- even if you are unable to reenter an exam to complete it on your computer, the exam answer completed before the freeze will almost certainly be recoverable for grading purposes. You may complete your exam by hand.

 

Is there a fee for using SoftTest?

Yes. The cost to each student who chooses to use SofTest for each term is $25.00 per student.

What is the Registration and Approval Process?

Registration and Approval is a simple, seven-step process.

Step 1

Go to www.examsoft.com/uwlalaw

Step 2

Password Request (1 minute)
Request that a password be e-mailed to you.

Step 3

Sign Up (2 minutes)
Enter your first and last name, e-mail address, your student five digit student identification number (which serves as your anonymous grading identification number) and the password e-mailed to you. Your Student Identification Number is shown on your Student Identification Card.

Step 4

Download (depends upon speed of computer and Internet
connection) Downloading SofTest takes minutes on high-speed Internet connections and generally takes less than an hour on dial-up connections.

Step 5

Qualification Exam (5-10 minutes)
You must take a Qualification exam to ensure that SofTest
properly operates on your computer.

Step 6

Register SofTest (1 minute)
Once registered, you will be notified that you have
completed the process, and you will receive a confirmation
e-mail.

Step 7

Download the ExamSoft Use Acknowledgment Form. Read, complete and sign the form and return it to the School of Law Office before the ExamSoft Registration Deadline. NOTE: You must complete a new ExamSoft Use Acknowledgment Form each semester.

How do I know SofTest has been properly installed and registered?

After registering SofTest, you will receive a registration confirmation e-mail from support@examsoft.com, and your registration number and registration date will be recorded. Additionally, when SofTest is launched, the Start Window will indicate that your “Registration Status” is “Complete.” Verification of your registration will also be sent to the School of Law to confirm your eligibility to use SofTest for exams.

What if I don’t take the Qualification Exam?

If you do not take the Qualification Exam, your computer will not allow you to take any exams, you will not receive a registration confirming e-mail, and your name will not appear on the completed registration list. If your name is not on the completed registration list, you will not be permitted to take exams on your personal laptop computer.

What if I don’t return the signed ExamSoft Acknowledgment Form?

If you do not return a signed ExamSoft Acknowledgment Form you will not be permitted to use your personal laptop computer to take your exams.

When Can I Register SofTest?

The sign-up period is open Wednesday, July 11, 2007 until Monday, July 23, 2007. You must register and qualify your copy of SofTest before Wednesday, July 25, 2007 to use SofTest for exams. To access the registration site, go to www.examsoft.com/uwlalaw, select the “Exam Taker” section, and complete the Registration Process. If you do not complete the Registration Process by July 25, 2007, you will not be permitted to use your personal computer to take your exams. If you have questions or problems with registration, contact ExamSoft technical support at support@examsoft.com or call ExamSoft, toll free, at (866) 429-8889.

Please do not contact the School of Law Office or any other University of West Los Angeles department for technical assistance with SofTest.

How can I make sure I have successfully registered the software?

Visit www.examsoft.com/uwlalaw, select “Exam Takers,” then select “Confirm Registration.”

What if I already downloaded and registered SofTest?

If you remember your SofTest ID and password, you may log in at UWLA’s custom home page, then download and register SofTest. If not, simply follow the sign-up procedures outlined above.

Can I practice using SofTest before the exam(s)?

YES, and you are strongly encouraged to do so. After registering SofTest, launch the program by double-clicking the SofTest icon on your Windows Desktop. Enter your Anonymous Grading Identification number in the “ID Number” field and other information as prompted, then select the “Practice” button. This will launch a Practice Exam session, which will enable you to familiarize yourself with the SofTest exam environment. You may use the Practice Exam as many times as you wish. Note that the Practice Exam cannot be printed or saved, and it cannot be used until SofTest is registered.

What should I do before exam day?

 

• Ensure that your PC meets the specifications listed above, that there is plenty of free hard drive space, that your PC is virus free, and that your PC is free of disk errors.
• Register SofTest and return your signed ExamSoft Use Acknowledgment Form no later than Monday, July 23, 2007.
• Once you have installed and registered SofTest, familiarize yourself with the software by utilizing the Practice Exam feature.
• SofTest’s opening screen asks for an identification number. Please use your five-digit Student Identification Number. If you are unsure of your anonymous grading identification number, please consult your Student Identification Card. If you do not have a Student Identification Card, please go to the School of Law office (at either campus) to have one made.
• Locate your A/C - battery power indicator light on your laptop to determine which light indicates you are running on A/C power (i.e., power from a wall outlet).
• Ensure that your battery has at least twenty minutes of charge in it before the exam.
• If you encounter technical issues during your use of SofTest, visit www.examsoft.com/faq or contact ExamSoft directly by e-mailing technical support at support@examsoft.com or calling, toll free, (866) 429-8889.

 

What must I do on exam day?

 

• Bring your power cord, battery (in the event of power loss), a floppy drive, and an extension cord. If you normally use an external keyboard and mouse, be sure to bring those as well. If you wish to use earplugs, please be sure to bring your own. DO NOT BRING FLOPPY DISKS – a disk or disks will be provided to you by the exam proctor.
• Arrive at the exam room at least fifteen (15) minutes early, plug your computer into a power outlet, turn on the computer, but DO NOT launch SofTest until instructed by the proctor to do so.
• Do not uninstall SofTest until you receive your exam scores.
• Immediately before SofTest launches the exam, you will be provided a warning screen with RED STOP SIGNS indicating that you should not begin the exam until instructed to do so. Heed this warning.
• Exams will not be delayed because of computer hardware problems.
• During the exam, use extreme care when highlighting and deleting, as well as using other functions that may significantly change a document. SofTest’s “Undo” function allows the exam taker to undo only the last action.
• If you do not take the time to become familiar with your laptop computer or with word processing functions before exams, you should consider handwriting your exams. No administrative relief will be granted in the event that an exam file is deleted or altered or for any other mechanical or software failure.
• You are responsible for restarting your laptop in the event of a “Windows Freeze”. Be prepared to handwrite if you cannot resolve the problem.
• Any attempt to disable or otherwise tamper with ExamSoft’s security features is a violation of the Code of Student Conduct.

 

IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBLITY TO FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF WITH YOUR EQUIPMENT AND THE SofTEST SOFTWARE AND INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE YOUR EXAM. PLEASE ALLOW YOURSELF SUFFICIENT TIME TO BECOME FAMILIAR WITH YOUR LAPTOP AND THE SOFTWARE. COMMENCEMENT OF THE EXAM WILL NOT BE DELAYED BECAUSE OF HARDWARE OR SOFTWARE PROBLEMS.

We encourage all of you to check out ExamSoft and SofTest. Should you have any non-technical questions about ExamSoft or SofTest, please do not hesitate to contact Director of Student Services Pat Myers at (310) 342-5251, or Director of Operations Pat Galasso at (818) 775-4500. Technical questions should be referred to ExamSoft via the contact information provided above.