Unproctored Exams and Quizzes

Introduction

Although proctoring is available for exams and quizzes, it isn’t always necessary and can sometimes introduce technical challenges. Whether an assessment is proctored or unproctored, the goal is the same: maintain academic integrity while giving students a meaningful way to demonstrate their learning. The key to designing exams and quizzes is to think carefully about what you’re assessing, how you’re assessing it, and how questions are written to make guessing, searching online, or using AI-generated answers less effective.

A Closer Look

Strategies for Higher-Stakes Unproctored Exams

Higher-stakes online exams—those that significantly impact students’ grades—can pose challenges for maintaining academic integrity when they are unproctored. Here are some thoughtful design strategies that help ensure students demonstrate their own learning while reducing opportunities for cheating:

  • Include an academic integrity statement: Start the exam with a confirmation of honest work:
    • “I confirm this is my own work and I will not share or consult with anyone about this exam. I understand that violating this policy is academic dishonesty.”
  • Focus on higher-order thinking: Ask students to analyze, evaluate, or apply concepts rather than only recalling facts. Scenario-based and problem-solving questions are particularly effective.
  • Limit reliance on easily searchable content: Write questions that require students to apply, analyze, or interpret course-specific materials rather than simply recalling facts. Incorporate scenarios, data, diagrams, or course-specific readings so answers aren’t readily available online or from AI tools.
  • Break large exams into smaller ones: Instead of one lengthy exam, create several shorter exams that cover specific topics. This reduces stress, limits the opportunity (and pressure) to cheat, and helps students concentrate on one set of concepts at a time.
  • Randomize questions and answers: Use a question pool and randomize answer choices so each student receives a unique version of the exam.

Strategies for Lower-Stakes Unproctored Quizzes

Lower-stakes quizzes are typically formative and provide feedback without heavily affecting the final grade. Even though these quizzes are unproctored, you can still design them to promote academic integrity while supporting learning.

  • Include an academic integrity reminder: Briefly remind students to complete the quiz independently and honestly.
  • Incorporate variety and engagement: Include short scenarios, diagrams, or multimedia elements to make questions meaningful and less easily searchable.
  • Use quizzes as practice or formative assessments: Encourage learning and self-checks by making quizzes optional or lightly graded.
  • Limit grading weight: If graded, make these quizzes a small percentage of the overall grade. Students shouldn’t be able to pass the course solely with these assessments.
  • Provide immediate feedback: Show correct answers and explanations so that quizzes reinforce learning.
  • Keep quizzes short and focused: Targeted quizzes on a few concepts are more effective than long, cumulative ones.

How to Write AI-Proof Exam Questions

Design questions and tasks that are meaningful, original, and harder to answer using a simple search engine or AI:

  • Scenario-based questions: Place students in realistic situations relevant to the course, then design your questions around that specific scenario.
  • Limit answers to course-specific materials: Write original questions focused only on the materials from the course.
  • Include visuals, charts, or graphs: Provide diagrams that students must interpret to select the correct answer.
  • Test your questions: Try using a search engine or AI to answer the question yourself, or ask someone unfamiliar with the material to take the exam.
  • Focus on higher-order thinking: Encourage analysis, evaluation, synthesis, and problem-solving rather than simple recall.

Examples of AI-Proof, Well-Structured Questions

Example 1 – True/False:

  • Original: “Bacteria reproduce by binary fission.”
  • Revised: “Examine the diagram of this bacterial culture. Explain how the population doubles over time and identify any factors that could slow reproduction.”

Example 2 – Compare and Contrast Short-Answer:

  • Original: Compare and contrast Lincoln and Jefferson Davis.
  • Updated: “Using the primary sources provided in the course only, compare one specific leadership decision made by Lincoln with a decision made by Davis. Your answer should be no more than 150 words.”

Example 3 – Multiple Choice:

  • Original: “Which leadership style is most effective in crisis management?”
  • Updated: “You are leading a team during a sudden project failure. Based on the management principles discussed in Module 4, which approach would most effectively address the problem while maintaining team morale?”

Additional Resources