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Inspera - the essentials

Guidance on how to access Inspera, prepare for and take an Inspera exam.

This guide was last updated on 13 May 2023 to include information about reserved quiet spaces on campus available for you to take your remote exam in Inspera.

Overview

Some University exams are set online using Inspera, the University’s online exam platform. If your exam is to be taken in Inspera, this will be stated on the Exam Schedule.

Unless you are told otherwise by your department and the Exam Schedule, you normally attempt an Inspera exam remotely in a location of your choosing (i.e., not in an assigned exam room on campus). Remote Inspera exams are open book. In-person Inspera exams are closed book and invigilated.

If you hold a Student (or Tier 4) visa to study in the UK, you are currently required to undertake all of your study (including all exams delivered online) in the UK. For further information please contact the Student Immigration Service at studentimmigrationservice@bath.ac.uk.

You should also read the guide to In-person Inspera exams if you are sitting an exam of this type.

Inspera exams are designed to allow time for the possibility of distractions or minor problems, such as a poor internet connection. The total time you are given to attempt your exam is sufficient for you to access or download the exam paper, consult any reference material (if allowed), answer the questions and check your responses, and prepare and upload your files (if you are asked to).

The Exam Schedule shows how much time you are expected to spend working on your exam questions, (the exam work time).

If you upload files as part of your exam, you may be allocated a short amount of file preparation and upload time on top of your exam work time. This time is not for carrying on working on your exam, but for you to check your work, collate your answers, and create and upload any files.

You should you use the exam work time as a guide to plan sufficient time to finalise and submit your work.

Logging into Inspera

Inspera is our online exams platform. You'll need your University of Bath username and password. Inspera has three sections:

  • My Tests. Each of your exams will be listed here 72 hours before your exam starts.
  • Archive. If you have sat an Inspera exam before, you'll see a list of all your previous attempts.
  • Demo tests. You can practice answering each type of Inspera exam question before your exam.

Preparing to take an Inspera exam

Even if you have taken an Inspera exam before, you should prepare for each exam:

Check your device is ready for Inspera

Inspera can be used with a regular web browser. The two most recent, stable versions of the following web browsers are always supported:

  • Microsoft Edge
  • Mozilla Firefox
  • Google Chrome
  • Apple Safari (for macOS X)

Other browser versions and vendors that follow modern web standards could also be used. You must confirm that they work before your exam.

Finally, check your device is working, that you have a working power adaptor, your internet connection is stable, and deal with any pending updates (either delay them until after the exam or run them well beforehand).

Types of Inspera questions

There are several types of question you might be asked to attempt during an exam. Your department will confirm the format(s) that applies to your exam.

Directly answered in Inspera

You will write directly in Inspera and not need to upload a separate file. These questions could be:

  • Multiple choice. Choose one answer from several
  • Multiple response. Choose more than one answer from several
  • Text entry. Typing a word or a short sentence
  • Numeric entry. Typing a numeric value
  • Inline choice. The question is answered by selecting an option from a drop-down list
  • True/False. Answered by selecting either true or false
  • Matching/Pairing. Answered by matching values in rows and columns
  • Programming . Answered by typing a snippet of code
  • Math working. Answered by typing one or several lines with numbers and mathematical expressions
  • Essay - longer text with the opportunity to use formatting such as tables, LaTex, special symbols and mathematical symbols 

Answered by uploading a file

  • Upload assignment - the question is answered by uploading a file. For example, you hand-write an answer on paper, take a photo of it and upload the final answer as a PDF file to the question. 

Revise and practice using Inspera

Whilst some Inspera exams are open book and you can refer to other information, you will still need to revise. The Skills Centre has a wide range of information and support to help you with preparing for exams, including an online course for getting ready for exams

There are demo tests in Inspera to help you try out answering each question type. Make sure you practice these tests to get comfortable with answering in the platform and/or uploading files.

Video guides

Inspera video guides cover:

Uploading files to Inspera

For some Inspera exams you will create and upload some or all of your answers as a file, or several files. This could be a drawing or your workings out. Your exam will confirm what you need to do.

You will need to learn in advance how to do this using the University’s recommended app, Genius Scan, and should practice uploading these using the demo test in Inspera. We have received reports that using Apple Scan or other default software can create very large files that take a long time to upload. Genius Scan has been tested to ensure quick and efficient upload of your files to Inspera. We recommend you only use Genius Scan and not any other app.

Download Genius Scan to your phone/tablet for free from:

Practice scanning, creating and uploading files

The guides in Prepare your documents for submission in Inspera show you how to:

  • create a PDF for your assignment submission
  • use your mobile as a scanner to create a PDF
  • combine image files into one PDF
  • compress an image

You can also follow the video guide to taking an upload file exam.

Check the exam schedule, and plan a suitable location

Check the Exam Schedule

The Exam Schedule will tell you what type of Inspera exam you are sitting and your exam instructions will be visible 72 hours before your exam starts. Your department may also provide you with additional information.

Plan a suitable location to attempt each remote exam on Inspera

This location:

  • must have a reliable internet connection and a charging point for your device, as required.
  • should be private, without any other person present unless required for reasons set out in a Disability Access Plan.
  • should be free from distraction, disturbance, and disruption, and the potential for assessment offences such as collusion or communicating with any other individual or organisation, unless explicitly agreed as part of a Disability Access Plan or Exam Instruction Sheet.

Let your family or housemates know in advance that you are due to sit an exam at a particular time or revising. They should avoid distracting you and may also be able to limit their broadband usage while you are working.

Quiet space on campus to take your remote exam on Inspera

If you're finding it difficult to find a quiet place to do your remote exam on Inspera, we’ve reserved some spaces for you on campus as follows:

If you are unable to find a suitable location to attempt your exam, you must tell your Director of Studies in advance.

Taking your exam

Accessing your exam paper

You can see the front cover of your exam sheet 72 hours before your exam starts. The full exam paper is available from the start time of your exam in Inspera.

Work alone, don’t communicate with others

During this time, you must not contact or ask for help from any person(s) or organisation, including contacting other students or family to discuss the exam. The only exception to this is if your exam paper or Disability Access Plan (DAP) explicitly states this is allowed. For further information please read the guidance on academic integrity (including plagiarism and cheating).

Not writing in Inspera? Save your work regularly

If you are working directly in Inspera, it will automatically save your work every few seconds. If you are working in an app such as Word or Excel, you must save your work regularly and separately.

Well before the deadline check your answers, and that any files are correctly uploaded

All exams include sufficient time to complete and submit your work by the deadline indicated on Inspera. The Exam Schedule will confirm the length of time you are expected to spend on your exam (exam work time), and any file preparation and upload time provided. You should complete your exam in the expected work time and upload it well in advance of the final deadline.

You must check before you submit your exam that every file you upload is correct, in the right format as set out on your Exam Instruction Sheet and can be opened. If you submit a file that is incorrect or cannot be opened by the marker you will not be able to replace them after you finish the exam.

You are advised to also plan extra time for any minor technical issues that might arise when submitting your work.

Full instructions on submitting your Inspera exam are available in the Inspera video guides.

Make sure you press ‘Submit now’ to end your exam

Your exam will not automatically be submitted. Once you are finished, you must press ‘Submit now’ to complete your attempt.

Check your files before you press ‘Submit now’. After submitting your exam, you will not be able to amend any part of your exam attempt. If you forget to include a file, if it’s corrupted, or you forget answer a question you will not be able to submit it separately, even if the exam deadline hasn’t passed.

  • If you press ‘Submit now’ before your exam deadline, your attempt will be accepted and marked, with no penalty.
  • If you are taking a remote Inspera exams and press ‘Submit now’ after your exam deadline and before the end of late submission time, your exam attempt will be accepted or marked, and a late submission penalty will be applied.
  • If you are taking a remote Inspera exam and miss the end of late submission time, even if you are able to press ‘Submit now’, your exam attempt will not be accepted or marked.

If you are taking an in-person Inspera exam, you should follow the instructions in the guide to In-person Inspera exams

Issues submitting your exam

If something goes wrong during the exam, try to stay calm. In most situations your exam time gives you sufficient time to resolve any difficulties.

If you are sitting a remote Inspera exam you should:

  • Check and follow the guides to how to create and prepare your documents for submission and read the guide, Exams - get help and advice.
  • You may need to contact the Exam Helpline before the deadline. Whilst technical support is available, you must allow enough time to be talked through steps that might remedy the situation such as trying a different browser, clearing cache, or trying a different device if available.
  • If you miss the deadline, you have 29 minutes and 59 seconds to submit your attempt in Inspera, but a penalty will be applied. Read the late exam submission guide.
  • If you are experiencing extraordinary and unexpected technical issues that are preventing you submitting on time, you should also start to collect evidence of your issue as set out in in the late exam submission guide, in case you are eligible to appeal a late submission penalty.

If you are sitting an In-person Inspera exam, you should ask an Invigilator for help.

If you miss the deadline

You have up to 29 minutes and 59 seconds to submit your attempt in Inspera after the deadline, but a penalty will be applied. Read the late exam submission guide for further information.

Your exam attempt can only be accepted in Inspera. If you miss the deadline, the late exam submission guide provides further information on what happens next.

You may also be able to submit an IMC claim.

Further guides

Enquiries

If you have any questions, please contact us.