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Exams are an essential part of education and professional certification, with new technologies, methods, and regulations shaping the way assessments are conducted. Keeping up with the latest terminology is crucial for educators, exam administrators, and students to navigate this dynamic landscape effectively.
This glossary serves as a comprehensive guide to essential exam-related terms, covering different types of assessments, key processes, and technological advancements that influence modern testing environments.
A
Academic Integrity
The ethical code that ensures honesty and fairness in exams, preventing cheating, plagiarism, and other dishonest behaviours.
Access Arrangements Adjustments made to exams to accommodate candidates with specific needs, such as extra time, modified question formats, or assistive technology.
Adaptive Testing
A type of assessment that adjusts the difficulty of questions based on a candidate’s performance in real time.
Anti-Cheat Features Technological and procedural measures used to prevent dishonest behaviour during exams, such as AI monitoring, browser lockdowns, and plagiarism detection.
Assessment
The process of evaluating a student's knowledge, skills, or competencies through various means, such as exams, quizzes, and coursework.
B
Blind Marking
A grading method where the examiner does not know the identity of the candidate, ensuring unbiased assessment.
C
Candidate Verification
The process of confirming the identity of a test-taker before an exam to ensure security and prevent impersonation.
Certificates Official documents issued to candidates upon successful completion of an exam or qualification.
Cloze Questions A type of assessment question where candidates must fill in missing words within a passage, using either drag and drop, dropdown menu or Cloze text (fill in the blank).
Computer-Based Testing (CBT)
Exams that are administered via computers rather than on paper, allowing for automated marking and adaptive testing.
Continuous Assessment
A method of evaluation that occurs throughout a course rather than relying solely on a final exam.
D
Double Marking
A grading process where two or more independent examiners assess the same response to ensure fairness and consistency.
Dynamic Exams Assessments where admins can pull questions from a large question bank, ensuring variation for different candidates and reducing predictability. Alternatively, students can generate their own attempts using question bank categories.
E
e-Assessment
The use of digital tools to conduct assessments, often including automated marking and real-time feedback.
Extended Matching Questions (EMQ) A type of question with a common theme and a series of related questions added to the theme, commonly used in medical and professional exams.
Exam Integrity
Measures taken to ensure that exams are conducted fairly and securely, preventing misconduct such as cheating or question leaks.
Exam Proctoring
The supervision of exams to ensure rules are followed, which can be done in-person or remotely via online proctoring tools.
F
Formative Assessment
Ongoing assessments used to provide feedback and guide learning, such as quizzes or in-class activities.
Fraud Prevention
Strategies implemented to prevent cheating, identity fraud, and content breaches in exams.
H
Hybrid Learning
A flexible learning approach that combines online and in-person instruction, allowing students to engage in both environments.
I
Instructions Guidelines provided to candidates before and during the exam to ensure clarity on rules, time limits, and answer submission.
Invigilation
Another term for proctoring, referring to the supervision of exams to ensure compliance with regulations.
IP (Intellectual Property)
Refers to the ownership and protection of exam content, including questions, answer keys, and marking criteria.
Item Analysis
A statistical process used to evaluate the effectiveness of exam questions by measuring difficulty, discrimination, and reliability.
Item Banking
The process of maintaining a database of exam questions that can be randomly selected for assessments.
L
Lockdown Browser
A specialised browser used during online exams to restrict access to other applications, websites, or system functions, ensuring a secure testing enviroment.
O
Objective Assessment
An exam format where answers have clear right or wrong responses, such as multiple-choice or true/false questions.
Online Proctoring
A method of remotely monitoring exam candidates using AI and human invigilators to prevent misconduct.
Open-Book Exam
An exam format where students can refer to notes, textbooks, or online resources while answering questions.
P
Psychometric Analysis
The study of assessment data to ensure exam fairness, reliability, and validity.
Proctored Exam
An exam that is supervised by an invigilator, either in-person or remotely, to maintain exam integrity.
Plagiarism Detection
Software and processes used to identify and prevent the use of unoriginal content in exams and assignments.
Q
Question Bank
A collection of exam questions stored digitally, which can be used to create dynamic exams by selecting different questions for each candidate.
R
Remote Proctoring
The use of technology to monitor online exams, often using AI for identity verification, screen monitoring, and behavioural tracking.
Reporting Dashboard An interface that displays exam performance data, helping educators and administrators review and interpret results effectively.
Resit
A second attempt at an exam for candidates who did not pass on their first attempt.
Results Analytics The analysis of exam performance data to identify trends, measure effectiveness, and improve future assessments.
Retakes
Additional opportunities to sit an exam, often following failure or as part of a rescheduling process.
Rubric
A scoring guide used to assess open-ended responses, ensuring consistency in grading.
S
Scalability
The ability to efficiently administer exams to a large number of candidates without compromising quality or security.
Secure Browser
A locked-down browser that prevents candidates from accessing unauthorised resources during an online exam.
Summative Assessment
A high-stakes evaluation conducted at the end of a learning period to measure overall performance.
T
Test-Taker Authentication
Methods used to confirm the identity of candidates before and during an exam, such as biometric verification or ID scanning.
Time-Limited Exam
An assessment that must be completed within a fixed timeframe to prevent unfair advantages.
Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
An added security layer requiring candidates to verify their identity through multiple steps before accessing an online exam.
W
Weighted Scoring
A grading method where different exam sections or questions carry different levels of importance, affecting the final score accordingly.
Why understanding exam terminology is important
The language surrounding assessments continues to evolve alongside new technologies and regulations. For educators and administrators, staying familiar with key exam terms is essential for maintaining fairness, security, and efficiency in the testing process. Likewise, for candidates, understanding exam-related terminology can help them better prepare, follow procedures, and approach assessments with confidence.
How Synap enhances exam management and delivery
Synap is a powerful online exam platform designed to streamline assessment processes.
Whether you're an exam administrator, educator, or student, Synap provides the tools needed to create, manage, and deliver assessments with confidence.
This glossary will continue to evolve as assessment methods advance. Bookmark this page to stay up to date with the latest exam terminology, or reach out to Synap to learn more.
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