Duquesne Center for Legal Information

Introduction

Students must carefully read the web pages in this section to understand fully the laptop exam policies and procedures.

For several years, the Law School has allowed students the option to take exams on their own laptops. The results have been very positive for both students and faculty. Students are accustomed to using laptops in their everyday lives so it is only natural to expand the tool to exams as well. Faculty members are pleased to grade legible, well-organized exam answers.

Laptop exams are optional. However, students must follow several mandatory steps if they wish to use a laptop for exams. It is the student's personal decision to utilize the laptop exam option. The school is not liable for any problems that may occur to the student’s laptop as a result of the installation and use of the software. Students not using laptop exams will use the traditional Blue Book method.

The laptop exam option requires each student's laptop to be locked down with access only to a word-processing program to write the exam. No other files on the hard drive or any other storage media can be accessed during the exam. The laptops also will not have access to network resources or to the Internet during the exam.

There are several different programs available in the marketplace which provide the necessary requirements for laptop exams. The Law School uses a program called Securexam Student from Software Secure, Inc. There are versions of the software for Windows and Mac users.

Mandatory Student Requirements to Take Exams on Laptop

Carefully read and understand all of the laptop exam procedures contained in this section.
Carefully read and understand the School of Law's General Policies and Procedures for Examinations (PDF)
Utilize a laptop that meets the minimum hardware and software requirements for the Securexam software and the DuqNet Wireless Network.
Attend mandatory tune-up session (Nov. 16-Nov. 20, 2009) (PDF)
Access and become familiar with PlanetSSI, the web-based management system, where the exam sof
tware and information about exams will be downloaded from and where finished exams will be saved.
Download and install the Securexam Student software (Nov. 20-Nov. 30, 2009).
Run Securexam Student software for Windows or Get Exams and Licenses for Mac to download the mandatory practice exam (5:00 p.m. Friday, Nov. 20- 7:00 a.m. Monday, Nov. 30, 2009). Take the practice exam during this same period (Mac users will have to run Securexam Student for Mac in order to do that).
Run Securexam Student for Windows or Get Exams and Licenses for Mac to download actual exams (between 7:00 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2009 and before your first exam time).
Comply with any additional requirements of the Law School Faculty, Registrar, and/or Administration.

All necessary laptop exam information should be contained in these pages. If a student or faculty member requires any additional information or assistance, please contact Milan Komljenovic, Manager of Information Technology (412.396.5533, komljeno@duq.edu, Room 128) or Manson Seto, Application & Information Technology Specialist (412.396.1059, setom@duq.edu, Room 114C) in the Center for Legal Information, and they will be happy to provide assistance.