Arabic Placement Exam Instructions and Sample
Before you start working on your placement exam, you will be granted access to the sample exam three days prior the exam date. Taking the sample exam is essential to detect any IT problems that could face you in the exam day. In case any technical problem takes place in the sample exam, contact IT support by opening a ticket at itsupport.aucegypt.edu.
The sample exam is meant to give you hands on practice in using the respondus lockdown browser, and to familiarize you with the type of questions on the actual placement exam. Thus, feel free to answer, and review as much as you can of the sample exam. Kindly be informed that you have to download the lockdown browser in order to take the sample exam or the actual placement exam via Blackboard. Download the lockdown browser using the below links:
- Download Respondus Lockdown browser (Windows Version)
- Download Respondus Lockdown browser (Mac Version)
- Checklist for Respondus Issues (If you face any problem first check this check list to help you to fix it)
Click on the below link to see this brief video that explains the basic features of Lockdown Browser and why it’s used by Department of Arabic Language Instruction.
Respondus LockDown Browser for Students
Steps to take the sample exam:
- Download the Respondus Lockdown browser
- Close all programs unless used to connect you to the internet
- Open the LockDown Browser, and if prompted, either close a blocked program (e.g. screen capture, instant messaging) by choosing yes or close LockDown Browser and close the blocked program before restarting
- Choose Blackboard when prompted from the dropdown list, and login to Blackboard using your username and password as usual
- Navigate to the Arabic placement course. Inside course content, you will find the following:
- Sample Exam (**Webcam**) - Requires Respondus LockDown Browser
- Sample Exam Submission
Click Sample Exam (**Webcam**) - Requires Respondus LockDown Browser and click begin. The test will then start. Note, once a test has been started with Respondus LockDown Browser, you cannot exit until the submit button is clicked.
You will be asked to do some checks and follow some guidelines to make sure the proctoring process is working fine. Follow those steps.
When the actual exam opens, this part is for multiple-choice questions (Vocabulary and Structure - Reading Comprehension – Listening - Writing)
Important Notes:
When you reach the writing part, Do Not type your essay in the box below the writing topics instead:
- Choose a topic from the list of topics
- Write the heading of the topic, your name and AUC ID in a blank paper
- Handwrite the topic under the title making sure that your posture allows the camera to monitor you as you write
- Show to the camera your writing upon completion of your writing exam
- Submit the exam immediately after showing it to the camera following the steps below:
- Scan your essay or taking a clear good quality photo of it using your mobile
- Open an internet browser (chrome or Firefox, not Safari) and login into your Blackboard account again
- Click on Arabic Placement and choose and click on sample exam submission attach your scanned essay.
- Make sure to click submit.
- Upon submission you will be given a confirmation number at the top of the page, save it.
On the scheduled exam day, you will follow the same sample-exam following procedure:
Steps to take the Arabic placement exam:
- Open your Blackboard account using Lockdown browser
- Click on Arabic Placement and you will find the following:
- Version # (**Webcam**) - Requires Respondus LockDown Browser
- Version # Submission
Click Version # (**Webcam**) - Requires Respondus LockDown Browser: This part is for multiple-choice questions (Vocabulary and Structure - Reading Comprehension – Listening - Writing)
When you reach the writing part, do not type your essay in the box below the writing topics instead:
- Choose a topic from the list of topics
- Write the heading of the topic, your name and AUC ID in a blank paper
- Handwrite the topic under the title making sure that your posture allows the camera to monitor you as you write
- Show to the camera your writing upon completion of your writing exam
- Submit the exam immediately after showing it to the camera following the steps below:
- Scan your essay or taking a clear good quality photo of it using your mobile
- Open an internet browser (chrome or Firefox, not Safari) and login into your Blackboard account again
- Click on Arabic Placement and choose and click on Version # Submission Attach your scanned essay
- Make sure to click submit
- Upon submission you will be given a confirmation number at the top of the page, save it.
In case of any problems, contact 012.290.05544 or email: blackboard@aucegypt.edu.