Oral exams

Only oral communication assessed

An oral exam may take place either with or without preparation time:

In connection with oral exams with preparation time, the students draw a question/topic within the framework of the course, and they are given a limited amount of time to prepare.
In connection with oral exams without preparation time, the students prepare an oral presentation at home within the framework of the course.

The oral element can also form part of combined oral and written exams, where the students prepare a synopsis that forms the basis for and is part of the assessment at the oral exam.

Oral exams

Didactic considerations:

Makes it possible to assess the students’ skills in relation to oral communication. In addition to testing certain academic objectives, oral exams test the ability of students to take part in academic discussions, including organising, structuring and communicating academic content orally with no or relatively little preparation time.
Due to the synchronous nature of the exam and assessment, this form of examination makes it possible to give the students formative feedback immediately after the exam has been conducted.
Owing to the random nature of the questions drawn, oral exams are often perceived as some kind of Russian roulette – particularly if there is no preparation time and/or exam aids. For the same reason, oral exams often generate a nervous atmosphere that may have a negative impact on the students’ performance. On the other hand, oral exams allow students to elaborate on, rephrase and redefine what they say in a way which is not possible in written exams.
One unintentional effect on the students’ study strategy may be that they concentrate on one part of the syllabus in which they gain a high level of knowledge (a strategic and calculated gamble). Exams with preparation and aids may have a positive backwash on the teaching: more active participation and regular processing of the course content. It may be a good idea to work didactically on a collection of speech manuscripts and oral presentations so that regular, active participation can be clearly linked to the testing.
Choice of re-examination:The 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 an oral exam may be repeated in full as a re-examination (including any prerequisite(s) for taking the exam, except for class participation), 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: High before the exam. May also vary from serious class participation throughout the semester to intensive, strategic study efforts just before the exam.
For teaching staff: Resource-intensive in relation to both preparation and completion, but on the other hand formative feedback is integrated in the exam. Risk of poor utilisation of resources if students do not turn up.
● For the administration: Resource-intensive at the planning stage. The level of complexity increases when a lot of students are involved and several examiners and/or co-examiners are required. On the major degree programmes with exams conducted over several days, it may be difficult to draw up an exam schedule for students taking other exams in the same period.

Administrative and legal considerations:

The number of pages, the duration and the scope of the exam as well as information on how questions/topics will be handed out must be indicated.
The duration of the exam may not exceed seven days.
Can be assessed as passed/not passed or according to the 7-point grading scale.
Internal or external co-examination.

Revised 29.09.2020

Pernille Risør Elving