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Combined oral and written exams

Combined oral and written exams

Assessment of written and oral presentations

The academic regulations at the Faculty of Arts only allow combined written and oral exams in the form of synopsis exams. However, there are special rules for product theses and executive Master’s projects which may involve an oral defence. All other forms of combined written and oral exams are not allowed at the Faculty of Arts due to the provisions on resource-efficient exams as part of the review of degree programmes.

Combined written exams are particularly relevant as group exams. You can read more about the formal rules for group exams here.

Synopsis with oral exam

This form of examination involves preparing and submitting a synopsis which constitutes the basis for the oral exam. Both the synopsis and the oral exam are included in the assessment. Synopses may involve a product.

Didactic considerations:

  • There are many different interpretations of – and therefore uncertainties concerning – what a synopsis is and how it should be included in an oral exam. So it is vital to achieve clarity about:
    • The content and form of the synopsis.
    • The oral exam, including the role of the synopsis and whether the synopsis delimits the theme of the oral exam, or whether other parts of the syllabus can be tested.
  • The synopsis exam combines the opportunities of written exams for in-depth discussion and repetition in the form of independent processing of the course content and the inclusion of new themes and issues, with the opportunities of oral exams for in-depth oral analysis and dialogue/communication of academic content.
    • Through short written presentations, the students learn to briefly summarise the results of more wide-ranging learning processes.
    • The oral part provides the opportunity to add detail to the written presentation and to assess the student’s ability to take part in academic discussions, including planning, structuring and communicating academic content orally.
  • Opportunities for formative feedback based on the performance.
  • The length of a synopsis varies from one degree programme to another and depends on the size of the course concerned; but a synopsis is typically 3 pages long. The oral presentation often lasts 20-30 minutes.
  • Note: If students are allowed an entirely free rein in their synopsis, there is a risk that they will only consider a limited portion of the overall syllabus. A clear demand for perspectives in relation to the syllabus (for instance in the oral part) or the use of set questions/issues may counteract this risk.
  • Choice of re-examinationThe practice at the Faculty of Arts is one course, one form of examination. This is a result of the requirements for alignment set out in the ministerial order, the consideration for the students’ completion rate and the provisions of the degree programme review on the use of resources in the administration. For this reason, and since a synopsis exam can be repeated in full as a re-examination, the re-examination will be identical to the ordinary exam.
  • Alignment between the ordinary exam and the re-examination when the prerequisite for taking the exam is class participation. You can read more under formal requirements.

Considerations regarding resources:

  • For students: Demanding. The teaching can support the sub-elements by integrating (for instance) short summaries of analytical concepts or relevant skills in the teaching.

  • For teaching staff: Demanding. In relation to both preparation and assessment (reading + oral exam). Combined exams are in fact two exams. The workload is actually heavier, because the two exams also have to be coordinated.

  • For the administration: Demanding. Combined exams are in fact two exams. The workload is actually heavier, because the two exams also have to be coordinated. It is an advantage that the planning of the oral exam can concentrate on the students who have already submitted the synopsis.

Administrative and legal considerations:

  • The number of pages of the synopsis and the duration of the oral exam must be indicated. The synopsis must be submitted in the Digital Exams system before the oral exam begins.
  • Both the synopsis (product, if relevant) and the oral presentation are part of the overall assessment.
  • Can be assessed as passed/not passed or according to the 7-point grading scale.
  • Internal or external co-examination.
Revised 29.09.2020
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Pernille Risør Elving