MessML: Spanish exam interrupted after students given transcript

Students sitting the SPB3 Spanish exam yesterday had their exam interrupted after a transcript was mistakenly provided for the video component of the test.

The test was meant to assess second year students’ ability to answer questions based on the contents of a video clip which lasts for approximately ten minutes, however during the assigned 2 minute reading period students found a complete transcript to the entire clip attached to their papers.

The exam started at 2pm in the Lady Mitchell Hall on the Sidgwick site. Within minutes of starting students found the transcript of the video along with a notice saying “THIS IS THE TRANSCRIPT: FOR EXAMINERS USE ONLY.”

Why spend hours in the library when you’re just given the transcript?

On discovering the mistake, invigilators reportedly went into panic, repeatedly removing and replacing transcripts from students desks. In some cases the actual paper to be answered was removed and replaced with the transcript. After ten minutes the exam finally started, minus any game breaking transcripts.

A second year student who sat the exam told the Tab “the whole situation was ridiculous. Although they spotted the mistake after about a minute, there definitely could have been time for them to read part of the transcript and have an advantage. I can’t believe this is the second time in two years the MML department have messed up.”

A University spokesperson said: “An error in an examination was spotted early on in the proceeding and a standard correction was made quickly. The small number of students affected were given extra time to complete the paper. No students were disadvantaged in any way.”

This isn’t the first time a languages exam has been ruined by a departmental screw up. Last year an Italian exam was stopped following an online answers leak.

We can only imagine what’s in store for next year’s MML mess up.