The use of scribes in examinations
A scribe is someone who can write on your behalf. In an examination, you can use a scribe to either write or word-process your answers to questions.
To use this support effectively, you should, wherever possible, have adequate practice in the use of a scribe.
Responsibilities of a scribe
The scribe:
-
must write or word-process answers exactly as they are dictated
- may read back what has been recorded to you and make any corrections as directed
- must accompany you if you need to leave the exam room temporarily
- must not give you factual help, offer any suggestions or advise you regarding what questions to answer or how to manage your exam time (i.e. suggest when to move on to the next question or the order in which the questions are answered)
- will not normally be expected to write or type for the full duration of the examination, since you will be expected to carry out some form of planning and rough work
Who can act as a scribe?
The use of a scribe should neither give you an unfair advantage, nor should it disadvantage you:
- Your scribe should ideally know enough about the subject, terminology and vocabulary but shall, if possible, not be an expert. For example, they should not normally be one of your tutors.
- If you have a note-taker in class, this person may be considered suitable to act as your scribe, provided they are not a relative or friend.
Additional support arrangements
- During the examination, you will also be permitted to use the answer books to create essay plans, draw diagrams/charts, etc. that will be given to the examiners with the complete script.
- In certain circumstances, additional time may be permitted for the use of a scribe.
