Examinations
Dates of Written Preliminary Examination
The department administers written preliminary examinations in October and March. The exact deadlines are posted each semester on the ISWD website. You may also contact the graduate coordinator.
Requirements to Take the Examination
- Completed examination application. The office associate distributes the application.
- Approved Program of Study
- Committee Request Form
- 3.00 GPA on all courses attempted for graduate credit after admission to the degree program (i.e., program and non-program courses)
- Course Requirements
- The student must be within six hours of completing the coursework and must have completed all statistics and research courses.
- The minor examination must be completed prior to taking the written preliminary examination.
Components of the Written Preliminary Examination
The written preliminary examination is comprised of three examination periods:
| Thursday Afternoon | Friday Morning | Friday Afternoon |
|---|---|---|
| 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. | 8 a.m. - Noon | 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. |
| Exam Part | Subject Area Tested |
|---|---|
| Part One: | Research and statistics. (4 hours). The examination covers the 20 hours of research and statistics required in the degree. This examination is administered on Thursday, 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. |
| Part Two: | Foundations AND postsecondary knowledge and approved technology major area. (4 hours). The portion of the examination includes one question in the foundations AND postsecondary requirements of the degree as well as one question on the approved technology major area of the degree. This examination is administered on Friday morning, 8 a.m. to noon. |
| Part Three: | Technology major area. (4 hours). This portion of the examination includes two questions from the approved technology area of the degree. This examination is administered on Friday afternoon, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. |
The examination is administered online through Canvas. For the examination period, students need to log into Canvas: ISWD Comprehensive Exams, download the questions, write the answers, then upload back to Canvas before time is up. This is a taken-home exam, and students are allowed to use notes and resources during the examination. To prevent plagiarizing, exam answers will be checked through the plagiarism program.
Preparation for the Written Preliminary Examination
Acquire Study Guides
The student will request a study guide from each of his/her committee members. The study guide (not exam questions) will guide the student in specific areas of study.
Tips for Preparing for the Examination
- Prepare for the Examination Early. Begin studying for the preliminary examination when you enter the Ph.D. degree. Throughout your course work, save all course lectures and notes to use later for study materials while preparing for the preliminary examination. Build a notebook (paper or digital) that combines information and research articles that can be used as study materials.
- Set Aside Time to Study. As the time approaches to take the exam, devote time each week for preparing for the examination.
- Research Study Guide Topics. Spend time on the research needed to complete the examination questions. Refer to course notes and scholarly research articles and books related to the study guide topics. Prepare an annotated bibliography listing references to research articles along with your own summary of each article.
- Practice Answering a Question. Ask your major advisor to provide a practice question. Write your response in a timed setting. Review and rewrite your response. Ask your major advisor to critique using the examination rubric.
- Form Study Groups. Find fellow Ph.D. students and form a study group to discuss ways to prepare for the examination.
Tips When Taking the Examination
- Use the Rubric to Guide Quality of Response. Review the rubric and be sure you are addressing all components of the rubric in the answer. The components are Completeness, Knowledge, Organization, and Quality of Writing.
- Practice Time Management During the Examination. Do not spend an excessive amount of time on one question and attempt to rush the others. Attempting to answer all questions will be essential in reaching the passing score and excelling on the examination.
- Evaluate the Length of Answer. Over the years many students have asked about the number of pages expected. Although it seems a perplexing question, the answer is quite simple. Write enough pages to fully answer the question and show the committee mastery of the subject. Again, refer to the rubric as it describes the criterion for completeness, knowledge, organization, and quality of writing.
- Document Response with Sources. Knowledge of examination questions is best evidenced by use of sources/citations to support the knowledge presented in the question. Although in most scenarios you will not be expected to memorize the entirety of an APA reference, you will be expected to show concrete evidence and knowledge of your sources which may include the author(s), journal, and article where information or quote was taken.
- Avoid Plagiarism. Always cite research articles, books, chapters and other materials that you refer to in the exam following the APA in-text citation format. Summarize or paraphrase these materials and include an in-text citation. Avoid using direct quotes from these materials unless you include these in quotation marks that make it clear which words are yours and which are the original authors', along with an in-text citation.
- Quality of Writing. Always remember that this is also a writing exam and students will be expected to use proper grammar, spelling, and sentence structure. Writing should be done in an academic form with in-text citations referring to research literature to back up statements. Writing should not be done in informal or conversational style. See the organization element on the grading rubric that clearly expects an introduction, body, and summary.
Rubric for Evaluating Written Preliminary Examination
See the link below.
Written Preliminary Examination Rubric
Oral Preliminary Examination
The oral preliminary examination will be give three to four weeks after the student passes the written preliminary examination. The student will work with his/her major professor to setup an oral preliminary examination only after passing the written examination. During the oral preliminary examination, graduate committee members will pose questions regarding your answers to the written preliminary examination. You may be asked to clarify, expand, or justify your answers.
Rubric
See the link below for the oral preliminary examination rubric.