ExamSoft
General Information
Examplify from ExamSoft is the exam administration software
used by the University of Washington School of Law. The software acts as an "armored word processor" for
students to write exam answers in, with security settings customized based on instructor preference (see
information on "Security Settings" below). In addition to locking down computers during exam taking, the
software also allows students to submit exam answers electronically at the conclusion of the exam.
Downloading and Installing
Each Autumn quarter, all students should download the updated version of the exam
software.
Follow these simple steps to install and register:
- Go to www.examsoft.com/uwlaw.
- Log in under 'Exam Takers' using your UWNetID and password.
- Download the exam software and complete the installation process.
- Launch the exam software and register using your UWNetID password. Our "Institution ID" is
uwlaw.
- Download and take one or more practice exams to familiarize yourself with the program.
Each quarter, you will download the templates for your specific exams before the exam period;
additional time will not be given for downloading during exam administration.
Be sure to disable any antivirus programs you might have running on your computer before you take
an exam.
Security Settings
Each exam template will have a password assigned, which you will be given at the time of the exam
administration. Before that time, you will only be able to download the template; until you have
the password for your particular template, you will not be able to open it.
Each exam template will also have security settings, determined by the course instructor(s).
These are set for each particular exam template, and are not able to be modified by users.
There are three possible exam security configurations:
SECURE
Only the exam software will run during your exam. All other programs and files will be blocked, including
internet access, until you "end" your exam.
NON-SECURE BLOCKED INTERNET
The software will run, but will not cut off access to other programs and files on your computer. You
cannot cut/copy and paste into the software. Internet access is blocked.
NON-SECURE
This is the same as NON-SECURE BLOCKED INTERNET, except that internet access remains open.
Practice Exams
Everyone is strongly urged to do at least one "Practice Exam" after installing a new version in
order to become comfortable with using the software.
There are three practice exam templates available:
- Practice_Test__SECURE (Password: practice1)
- Practice_Test_NON_SECURE-BLOCKEDINTERNET (Password: practice1)
- Practice_Test_NON_SECURE (Password: practice1)
Our "Institution ID" is uwlaw.
Exam Settings
The settings for every template are available once it is downloaded and before the exam is started. This
includes the security setting, allocated time, internet availability, navigation, spell check, and copy
& paste.
Exam Controls and Options
- On the left-hand side of the screen, you will see the numbers that correspond to each question. You
can use these numbers to navigate between questions.
- Along the top of the screen, you will see
- TIME REMAINING counter (if exam time has been set for the exam).
- EXAM CONTROLS menu. Within this menu, you will see four possible options;
Exam Attachments, Exam Notices, Hide Exam,
and Submit Exam. Hide Exam will hide the entire exam, but
leave the Examplify application running. The Submit Exam option will prompt the
exam taker to confirm this action.
- TOOL KIT menu, which shows Highlighter tool controls (if
enabled by your instructor for this exam), Timers and Alarms,
the Adjust Text Size feature for question text, Calculators
(if enabled by your instructor for this exam), and the Notes feature, which
makes a question-specific notepad available for your use.
- Along the bottom row, you will see the current question number displayed out of the total number of
questions on the exam. The Previous and Next buttons allow you to
among questions.
Using Word Count
Examplify provides a word count for essay questions just above the answer area.
It includes:
- Number of words in the current answer
- The character limit for the answer
To see more information, you can click on the paper symbol next to the character count. This window
provides the total number of words, characters, and characters without spaces for the essay response. If
text is selected in the current question, Examplify provides the same information for the text that is
selected.
Using Cut, Copy, Paste
This feature is only available on the exam when permitted by the professor. The icons that allow for
cutting, copying, and pasting text are located on the toolbar above the essay response section. Simply
highlight the relevant text and select the icon you would like to use.
Images: 1. The Examplify toolbar highlighting cut, copy and paste. 2–4: The cut, copy and
paste tools indivudally highlighted.
When enabled (for a non-secure template), you can copy and paste text from Microsoft Word or other word
processing programs into the Examplify window, but we do not recommend that you do so. Formatting may
get lost upon transfer, and Examplify saves continually. Copy and paste desired text from Microsoft Word
or other word processing programs into Notepad (or TextEdit for a Mac), and then copy from that program
into Examplify. This will avoid unnecessary problems with exam submission.
Submitting your Exam Answer
At the conclusion of your session, you will select "Submit Exam" from the Exam Controls menu, and then
follow the on-screen instructions to submit your answer. You will receive visual confirmation upon
successful submission, as well as a confirmation email.
Image: Confirmation of successful completion.
Technical Questions and Concerns
If you require technical assistance, please email support@examsoft.com or call (866) 429-8889.