Take-homes make exams easier for some

In the coming days, many students will be anxiously getting their thoughts and notes together in the hopes of correctly solving problems and filling their blue books with soundly written essays during a two-hour time period. But some students will not share those anxieties because their professors have assigned them take-home exams. Many students prefer these exams because they can be completed at their leisure and, as a result, tend to be less stressful. "I prefer take-home exams because they allow the student to schedule their exams over a period of time that prevents meaningless exam overkill," said College senior Byron Stier. Many students said they think take-home exams are appropriate for certain courses, but not necessarily for all. "I think they are appropriate for some courses," said College junior Corey Rossman. "[For example,] a history course where the knowledge used on a test must be accumulated over the semester, and not in [a period of] a few hours prior to the test." But, Rossman added, he is not a fan of take-home exams. "Due to my exceptional ability for procrastination, the exam would weigh on my mind for a longer period of time, so I find them more stressful than in-class exams," he said. While other students agree that take-home exams are easier, they believe that such exams should not be given because they provide no basis for comparison with their classmates. "I think they are easier," Wharton senior Mike Hasson said. "But that's exactly why I don't like them. In most of my classes I'm being graded not only on my ability, but on my ability compared to other students. "On a take-home exam, a student who has no ability could do as well as me," he added. Many professors, however, give the exams with the idea giving their students an equal opportunity for success. "I think that take-home exams are the fairest way for students to show what they know," History Professor Robert Engs said. "In-class exams, for example, disadvantage students who don't think fast on their feet. [Take-home exams] make it an even playing field." Engs added that he likes take-home exams because they encourage interaction among students and noted that he has had no problems with cheating in the past. Sociology Professor Diana Crane said she does not give take-home exams but does give her students the questions before the test so they will be able to produce high-quality work on their tests. "Two hours isn't a long time to formulate an answer to a complex question," Crane said. "I think that if the questions are given in advance, the answers on the exam will be more thoughtfully written." Crane added that despite this students have not always done well on her exams. "Even though they had the questions, some students didn't prepare and didn't do all that well," she said. "They knew what they had to do, and some students didn't do it."