NALA Certified Paralegal Examination Proctor Instructions · 2016-04-26 · Certified Paralegal Examination Proctor Instructions, May 2016 Testing Window 1 Introduction This booklet

Certified Paralegal Examination Proctor Instructions, May 2016 Testing Window i

NALA Certified Paralegal Examination

Proctor Instructions May 2016 Testing Window

Please review these instructions carefully!

Please note NALA Headquarters regular business hours are Monday-Friday, 8:30 am – 5:00 pm Central Standard Time. If you are proctoring an examination after NALA Headquarters' regular

business hours, please contact Marie Greninger at 918-636-0178 for assistance.

Certified Paralegal Examination Proctor Instructions January 2016 Testing Window Page ii

Table of Contents

Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 1

The Testing Process ............................................................................................................................. 1

Examinee Testing Center Designation and Test Schedule ........................................................................ 1

Examinees ................................................................................................................................................. 1

Examinee Rules ......................................................................................................................................... 2

Certified Paralegal Examination Policies ................................................................................................... 2

Proctors ..................................................................................................................................................... 2

Proctor Credentials and Permissions ........................................................................................................ 2

Preparing for Testing - Proctor Contact Information ................................................................................ 2

Proctor Duties as Agreed to on the Proctor Application Form ................................................................. 2

Proctors will receive from NALA ............................................................................................................... 3

On the Day of Testing – Steps ............................................................................................................ 3

Check in ..................................................................................................................................................... 5

Examinee sign in to the testing web site .................................................................................................. 5

Examinee Dashboard ................................................................................................................................ 6

Checking the Correct Examination Section ............................................................................................... 6

Judgment & Analytical Ability Essay Question .......................................................................................... 6

Essay Question Presentation .................................................................................................................... 7

Communications Examination Presentation ............................................................................................ 7

Proctor release completed – Time Begins ................................................................................................ 7

The Examination Pages ....................................................................................................................... 7

Examinee Behavior During the Examination Session .............................................................. 8

Emergency Situations .......................................................................................................................... 9

After the Examination........................................................................................................................ 10

Comments and questions about examinees or procedures ................................................................... 10

Return essay questions ........................................................................................................................... 10

When applicants may expect exam results ............................................................................................ 10

Examinee Rules .................................................................................................................................... 10

Certified Paralegal Exam Policies .................................................................................................. 11

Examinee Attestation .............................................................................................................................. 11

Certified Paralegal Examination Proctor Instructions January 2016 Testing Window Page iii

Terms and Conditions – Exam Delivery .................................................................................................. 12

Results ..................................................................................................................................................... 12

Appeal of Results .................................................................................................................................... 12

Retake Policy ........................................................................................................................................... 12

Confidentiality of Examinees .................................................................................................................. 12

Other Certified Paralegal Program Requirements .................................................................................. 12

Screen Shots .......................................................................................................................................... 13

Examinee Sign-in ..................................................................................................................................... 13

Sign in Page ............................................................................................................................................. 14

Sign in Page, cont. ................................................................................................................................... 15

Examinee Dashboard – Part 1 ................................................................................................................. 16

Examinee Dashboard-Part 2 ................................................................................................................... 17

Proctor Release ....................................................................................................................................... 18

In-progress / Incomplete Exams (Power/Internet Connection Failure) ................................................. 19

Examination Question Screen ................................................................................................................. 20

Judgment & Analytical Ability Essay Question ........................................................................................ 21

Judgment & Analytical Ability Essay Question, cont............................................................................... 22

Reviewing items Screen .......................................................................................................................... 23

Reviewing items Screen, cont. ................................................................................................................ 24

Finished ................................................................................................................................................... 25

Thank you! ............................................................................................................................................. 26

Certified Paralegal Examination Proctor Instructions, May 2016 Testing Window 1

Introduction

This booklet provides procedures for proctors of the Certified Paralegal examination. Information in this booklet is CONFIDENTIAL. This booklet should be used only by approved proctors and not copied nor distributed in any fashion.

The Testing Process

Examinee Testing Center Designation and Test Schedule NALA designated Certified Paralegal Examination testing centers must submit examinee application forms together as a group to ensure that examinees are assigned to a specific testing center. If examinees file application forms individually, NALA will accept a list of examinees from a proposed testing center for information purposes only. All examinees must meet the requirements for taking the Certified Paralegal Examination, and application forms must be filed timely, with payment, to be scheduled for a specific test window. The test times and dates may be scheduled by a testing center any time during the 30-day test window. NALA requests that for groups of students and employees the Center administer the same examination sections at the same time. NALA must be advised of the schedule adopted by the testing center two weeks prior to the first test session. No payment to NALA is required to be an authorized testing center for the Certified Paralegal Examination. Facility and proctor fees are the responsibility of the testing center.

Examinees Examinee application forms and payment are received by NALA Headquarters. If all is in order and examinees are approved for the Certified Paralegal Examination, they will be authorized for testing. NALA will send each examinee a packet of information which includes:

The terms and conditions of the examination, exactly as listed on the examinee sign in sheet, and on the examinee sign in screen on the test site web page.

The examination policies, exactly as presented on the test site web page.

TesTrac ID number

Personal ID number (PIN)

NALA account number

Certified Paralegal Examination Proctor Instructions January 2016 Testing Window Page 2

Examinee Rules All examinees must agree to honor the rules of the testing session before beginning the examination. The rules are attached to this booklet for review. Please review this carefully, and be sure any questions you have are addressed prior to test day.

Certified Paralegal Examination Policies The policies of the NALA Certifying Board have been provided to examinees and are also attached to this booklet. Proctors are not expected to know all details of the Certified Paralegal Examination program, however, an overview of the policies related to the testing session will be helpful. Please contact NALA Headquarters with any questions about these policies.

Proctors Proctors receive a proctor ID number and password, as well as a test center/site identification name. This information is CONFIDENTIAL and provided by NALA Headquarters only to authorized proctors. Proctors are designated for only one testing center per testing session.

Proctor Credentials and Permissions The proctor credentials are the test center name, proctor login ID, and password. These items are used to release the examination to an examinee. Proctor information is Confidential. Sharing of this information or release of this information will be considered a breach of the proctor attestation and may be cause to invalidate all examinee tests. If this information is lost or missing, please contact NALA Headquarters immediately.

Preparing for Testing - Proctor Contact Information It is vital that NALA be able to contact proctors any time during the examination testing sessions, including off-hours. NALA will ask that you provide us with your cell phone or other phone number we may use to contact you. This information will be used solely for the purpose of contacting proctors in the event of an emergency. If you have received a request for additional information from NALA Headquarters, PLEASE respond as quickly as you are able. For security purposes, an employer who administers the exam to an employee is required to provide a home address or another secure address - other than the office address – to receive the confidential exam materials.

Proctor Duties as Agreed to on the Proctor Application Form Participate in training provided by NALA

Keep Proctor ID and PIN number confidential and secure.


Be accessible by phone or e-mail for routine correspondence; messages must be returned within 24 hours.

Be accessible by phone for immediate contact during the examination test times.

Arrive at the testing center timely and contact the site manager if there is a problem with the test location/room.

Follow the testing schedule established by the testing center and confirmed with NALA.

Check identification of all examinees as reviewed during proctor training.

Provide and collect signed examinee testing forms prior to initial testing session. Return forms to NALA as directed.

Provide rules of the examination to all examinees.

Provide hard copy of examination questions as provided and directed by NALA. o Collect printed questions from each examinee upon conclusion of the test. o Return questions to NALA Headquarters, or destroy as directed. o This relates only to the CP Exam section on Judgment & Analytical Ability.

Enforce the testing center rules acknowledged and signed by all examinees prior to testing.

Return completed PROCTOR ATTESTATION and EXAMINEE Agreement and Sign In Form for each examinee after testing.

Provide and collect scratch paper from examinees as directed by NALA.

Ensure student does not access notes, articles, books, or other information.

Contact NALA Headquarters regarding a disruptive examinee or any interruption in computer service.

Honor confidential information including examinee names, and any candidate information provided such as addresses or e-mail addresses.

Refrain from answering questions from candidates regarding an examination question.

Ensure no copies of the examination or questions have been made.

Become familiar with other rules and regulations related to administration of the Certified Paralegal exam.

Proctors will receive from NALA Proctor booklet (distributed before the web-based training session)

Prior to the first designated test time:

o Proctor credentials (test center name, proctor login ID, and password) o Confirmation of the testing schedule as confirmed with the testing center by NALA o Check in forms for each examinee, per session, per day o Essay questions if needed o Return envelope and shipping form (FED EX)

On the Day of Testing – Steps The following is a list of steps for the day of testing. Contact NALA Headquarters immediately if there is any variation in these steps. Further detail about each of the procedures follows.

Arrive 30 minutes before testing is to begin o Ensure computers are plugged in and on


o Open Internet Explorer and go to https://app.testrac.com/nala/delivery o Make sure all other windows/programs are closed o Double check screen resolution (recommended is 1280 x 1024) o Be sure pop-up blockers are turned off o Be sure the browser history settings are set to check for new versions of stored pages

each time the webpage is visited and disc space to use is no more than 8 MB. To verify the browser settings:

Start IE On the browser tool bar click on “Tools” Then click on “Internet Options” On the “General Tab” look for Browsing History. Click on “Settings” Set “Check for newer versions of stored pages”, set the radial button to “Every

time I visit the webpage” Set Disk Space to 8 mb In History, set “Days to keep pages history” to “0” Click on “OK” Next to Setting click on “Delete” Select “Temporary Internet Files”, COOKIE” and “History”. Click on “Delete all” Close the browser. We recommend restarting the computer, if time permits.

o If you have any questions regarding these settings, please check with your IT department as instructions may vary depending on your specific version of Internet Explorer.

o Be sure the room is well lit, quiet, and meets the testing center standards IF not, please do not begin the test until you have contacted NALA

Headquarters

Check-in examinees o Be sure all personal articles are not in the examination room, or are checked with you,

and all cell phones are turned off. o Provide check-in sheets to each examinee for their review o Check ID’s and collect check-in forms

Proctor and examinee sign form at the same time Note time on the space provided Present examinee with essay question, if applicable

o Collect payment (if applicable)

Authorize testing for individual examinees o Go to each examinee station o Ask the examinee to enter the test site, enter login information, review terms and

conditions, and proceed to the examinee dashboard o On the examinee dashboard, enter the proctor information to release the test selected o Be sure the examinee selects the correct examination section as scheduled

Note: special instructions for the Judgment examination follow this section.

Examinees end examination at varying times

https://app.testrac.com/nala/delivery


o Either finished for the session, or continue, depending on schedule submitted to NALA

End of testing o If testing is scheduled for another day, review test procedures

Check-in forms are required on subsequent days just as the first day o Note comments for NALA Headquarters regarding the testing facility, examinees,

variations in schedule, missing information.

Return testing packets to NALA Headquarters o Due no more than 10 days after the examination date o Completed PROCTOR ATTESTATION and EXAMINEE Agreement and Sign In Form for

each examinee o Essay questions for each examinee, if applicable o All materials must be returned to NALA Headquarters in order for the results to be

released.

Check in Proctors provide each examinee with a “PROCTOR ATTESTATION and EXAMINEE Agreement and Sign In Form .” This form is signed by each examinee in the presence of the proctor. The proctor then checks the examinee government issued photo ID, and signs the “Proctor Attestation” portion of the form. This form is used also to note the time in, and time out for each examinee during the test session. This includes breaks an examinee may take. If testing centers charge examinees with an administrative or facilities fee, the proctor must collect payment. This is the responsibility of the testing center and proctors. NALA does not intervene in this. A check-in form, and ID verification, is required for each examinee for each day of testing. On days with multiple test sections, proctors are required to log the examinee time-in and time-out of the test room. Proctors are also required to log the time an essay question is given to an examinee, and the time the question is returned. Examinees enter the room only with their photo ID. They may take nothing from the testing room, including scratch paper.

Examinee sign in to the testing web site Once all sign in forms are complete and examinee identifications checked, the proctor may assist examinees in signing in to the testing web site. The examinee’s computer should be at the https://app.testrac.com/nala/delivery web site and the examinee clicks the “Sign in” link.

From the Welcome window, examinees sign in to their own page by clicking “Sign In.”

Examinees will be asked to enter their ID and PIN, read the “Terms & Conditions” of the test session, and check that they agree to these terms and conditions.

The next screen is the examinee’s dashboard.



Examinee Dashboard The examinee dashboard contains unique information for each examinee. It lists each of the exams assigned and available to the examinee. It also lists “In-progress/incomplete” exams and “History.” For the Certified Paralegal Examination sections, each section is locked. This means that each section is proctored. An approved proctor must physically enter the “Proctor release information” before an examinee may begin an examination section.

Checking the Correct Examination Section All testing centers are requested to administer the same examination section at the same time. For example, if there are 10 examinees, all 10 examinees will take the Communications section on the same day, at the same time. The examination schedule for the testing center is to be determined at least two weeks in advance of the first examination date, and provided to NALA. This rule only applies to examinees who are taking the Certified Paralegal examination for the first time; retake examinees may be allowed to take the examination at a time and date decided by the testing center.

Judgment & Analytical Ability Essay Question The Judgment & Analytical Ability section of the Certified Paralegal Examination requires examinees to complete an essay question. This essay question is lengthy and the text of the question does not appear on the computer screen. The question instructions refer the examinees to a printed question, and a text box is provided on the computer screen for the examinee to type the answer to the essay question. Proctors are asked to distribute essay questions to examinees as part of the check-in procedure when the Judgment & Analytical Ability section is scheduled.

1. Printed essay questions will be provided by NALA, via mail, to the proctor designated for the testing session.

2. Proctors are not authorized to make additional copies of the essay questions without approval by NALA.

3. Proctors are asked to log the time an essay question is given to an examinee, and the time the essay question is returned to the proctor by the examinee.

4. If more than one examination section is scheduled for a test day, the essay questions should be distributed ONLY for the session in which they are needed.

5. Proctors are asked to return the essay questions with the check-in sheets, after the testing is complete. Forms for return of these documents will be included in the proctor test package.


6. Examinees may mark on the essay question pages. HOWEVER, ONLY the information entered by examinees in the text box on the computer screen will be graded as the answer to the essay question. The Certifying Board will not consider notes or comments written on the essay pages.

Scratch paper may be provided by the proctors with the essay question. Scratch paper must be collected by the proctor and returned with the essay questions and check-in forms. NALA does not provide scratch paper.

Essay Question Presentation Judgment & Analytical Ability: For the September 2015 testing window, the Judgment & Analytical Ability examination will be an essay-only exam. There are no objective questions. Time allowed for the Judgment & Analytical Ability examination is 2 hours. Essay Question. The essay question may be given to examinees upon check in. Examinees are entitled to the full time allowed. Examinees must be aware of the following:

The space provided on the computer screen to type the answer is a text-only box. Examinees must not use any special character keys such as ALT, CTRL, or TAB or the computer workstation may freeze.

Once examinees click “Complete the exam” they cannot return to the test.

Only answers designated on the screen, and only text entered on the text box for the essay question will be graded.

Communications Examination Presentation For the September 2015 testing window, the Communications examination will consist of objective questions only and will be administered as a one-part examination. Time allowed for the Communications examination is 1 ½ hours.

Proctor release completed – Time Begins Once the examination is released, the examinee will work through the questions. The computer program times the examination section automatically. Proctors are expected to stay in the testing room with examinees during the test time. Any violation of this may be cause to invalidate an examinee’s test session.

The Examination Pages

The examination is presented question-by-question. Each question has the following instruction: Each question is presented below, one at a time. For objective questions (multiple choice, true/false, matching):


Click your choice of answer then click “Next” to continue to the next question.

If you wish to review your answer to the question later, click “Mark item for later review” at the bottom left-hand corner of the screen.

For essay questions, follow the instructions presented on the essay question screen. When you have completed ALL questions, click on “Complete the exam.” You will be asked if you wish to continue to the review screen. Click “Yes” to proceed. Once you have finished reviewing all questions, click “Complete the exam” from the review screen and you will be asked to confirm that you wish to submit and score your exam. If you are finished, click “Yes” to submit the exam. If you have not answered all questions or want to review your answers and have time remaining on the clock, click “No.” Once the time allowed for the exam has elapsed, the exam will terminate. From the question screen, examinees may:

Select an answer

Select “Mark Question for Review” (can be selected even if an answer is marked)

Go to the previous question (do not use this button for more than one question)

Go to the next question

Other Options:

Complete the exam – Reviewing items screen o This should be selected when examinees are finished with the exam. o When clicked, the next window is a list of each question number. o Questions that are marked for review are indicated in the “Marked by you” column. o The “Displayed to you” column indicates each question that was displayed to the

examinee. o “Answer provided” indicates which questions have been answered. o The question numbers are hyperlinks back to the actual question. Examinees may

click on any question number, from the “Reviewing items” screen, to edit answers. Once the examinee has finished answering and reviewing all questions, or if time is up, “Complete the exam” from the reviewing items screen should be clicked by the examinee to submit the examination in final form. This ends the test.

Examinee Behavior During the Examination Session

Examination applicants finish a test earlier than the allotted time. If the examinee is authorized for additional test sections, Proctors may use their discretion and:

o Ask the examinee to wait to begin the next section, if another section is scheduled. o Allow the examinee to begin another section. After the examinee submits the examination

in final form, the examinee may return to the dashboard to either “Sign Out” or select another examination section. The proctor must follow the usual check-in procedures to release another exam section to the examinee.


Proctors may permit this option if:

There are one or two examinees total, and another exam test session is scheduled.

Starting another test session will not disrupt another examinee. ESSAY QUESTIONS: If the examinee just completed the Judgment & Analytical Ability

exam section, the examinee must turn in the printed essay question before starting another exam section.

Examinees who are not finished when the time runs out o The examination will automatically time out and access will terminate. o The work of the examinee will be submitted for grading as an examination in final form.

Once an examinee clicks the final submit button, or time has elapsed, the examination section may not be accessed again.

Examinees who want to leave the room while time is running o Examinees may be permitted to leave the room for a short period of time for a restroom

break only. Examinees may not take cell phones, books, purses etc., while on break. o A reasonable time is at the Proctor’s discretion. o An unreasonable or excessive delay is cause for forfeiture of the examination section. o The examination clock will continue to run.

Examinees agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of the exam delivery. Any disruptive or uncooperative behavior is cause for immediate dismissal from the testing center.

Emergency Situations

Call NALA Headquarters immediately for any emergency situation, including:

o Power outage, testing center evacuation If there is a power interruption or computer failure, the examinee work is saved on the server as well as the time remaining. The examination may be resumed during a specified period. Additional time to restart an examination may be provided.

o Examinees unable to reach testing center by designated time Contact NALA Headquarters and advise if an examinee did not appear at the designated time. The testing schedule will be revised working with the proctor, test center and examinee. Facility and proctor fees are the responsibility of the testing center. Any no-show or late fee may be assessed by the facility to the examinee as agreed in advance.

o Proctor emergency Each testing center is required to provide a minimum of two proctors. Upon notification, NALA will attempt to reach another proctor if the proctor has not already been contacted. We will attempt to re-schedule the testing session in the same test window.


NEVER leave examinees while they are working on an exam section. If a proctor must leave, instruct examinees to log out of the examination before leaving the room. The examinee(s) must leave the room at the same time the proctor leaves. The proctor is responsible for retaining the check-in sheets, and essay questions.

After the Examination

Comments and questions about examinees or procedures While administering the examination, proctors are asked to note any problems with the exam delivery, or with the examinees. If proctors have suggestions or any comments or complaints from examinees, we ask that comments are included with the check-in sheets and essay questions that are returned to NALA.

Return essay questions Proctors must return the check-in sheets, and essay questions, if applicable, to NALA Headquarters. The material must be received no later than 10 days after the last examination session. Shipping forms will be included in the administrator packet to be used for the return of the material and the shipping bill will go directly to NALA. NALA will reimburse proctors/testing centers for return of the material if forms are mistakenly not included, or another method of shipping is used.

When applicants may expect exam results Exam results are sent via mail to examinees about 30 days after the close of the test window. For the May testing window, results will be mailed the first week of March. Results are not available by telephone, e-mail or fax.

Examinee Rules

Examinees have agreed to the terms and conditions of the testing sessions listed below. This list was provided with the examinee’s “Authorization to Test” packet. They are presented on the check-in form, and are presented on the sign-in page of the testing web site. Examinees must agree to the terms before continuing with the examination.

I have read the “Policy Statement” and I am familiar with its provisions.

I will be continuously monitored during my appointment.

I consent to video and audio recording of my test session and to the examination of the video and/or audio recording of my test session in the event that any questions should arise concerning possible violations of the procedures and/or rules of the test center. (May not apply to all centers.)

I will follow instructions of the test proctor, represent myself honestly, and conduct myself quietly to avoid interfering with the performance of other examinees.

I will neither give nor receive any form of unauthorized assistance during the examination or any breaks.

I will not bring into the testing room any unauthorized items such as food, drinks, purses, briefcases, backpacks, cell phones, pagers, notes, note pads, photographic equipment, or any electronic devices. If I


am observed using an electronic device, including a cell phone, in violation of these rules, it may be confiscated and sent to NALA for examination.

If I have questions or concerns about the test environment, I will quietly notify the test proctor.

I will report all problems related to the testing center, proctor, or computer delivery of the exam to the proctor immediately. If an examinee does not report problems with exam delivery immediately to the proctor, NALA will trust there are no problems, and no basis for complaint after the examination session has ended.

I will allow testing center staff 30 minutes to resolve any technical problems that may arise (including power failure). I have the option of continuing the examination or requesting a rescheduling of the examination for technical or other problems outside of my control taking more than 30 minutes to resolve.

I will sign in and out every time I enter or leave the testing room.

During testing, the exam timer will remain running during any unscheduled breaks; therefore, it is in my best interest to use the restroom or otherwise address personal needs prior to beginning my test. I will remain in the test center and may leave only to use those restroom facilities that are closest to the test room. I will not leave the building. I will not access a phone or my personal belongings, except in the case of an emergency. Under such circumstances, I will notify the test proctor before accessing a phone or my personal belongings.

I will not remove any written, printed, or recorded materials of my examination from the testing center. The examination questions remain the property NALA and I shall maintain the confidentiality of the questions and answers.

I will return all materials, including scratch paper, provided to me by the test proctor when I have completed my examination and before I leave the test center.

Once I begin taking sections of the Certified Paralegal examination, I understand the examination, including retakes, must be completed within two years, (a maximum of five additional testing sessions). If the examination is not completed within this time frame, credit for all passed sections will be forfeited and a new application form will be required.

Abuse of this site, or non-compliance of these terms and conditions will not be tolerated. Should information concerning abuse or non-compliance come to NALA’s attention, the candidate’s ID number and PIN will be terminated and NALA may take further disciplinary action.

Certified Paralegal Exam Policies Examinees have received a list of the following policies related to the Certified Paralegal Exam. These policies were provided in the examinee “Authorization to Test” packet.

The Certified Paralegal Examination was developed by NALA-The Association of Legal Assistants-Paralegals and has been provided to the paralegal profession since 1976. The program is administered by the Certifying Board for Paralegals.

Examinee Attestation All examinees are required to sign the following attestation on the application for the Certified Paralegal examination. This serves a reminder of the examinee’s pledge of confidentiality, and reasons for suspension of authorization to use the Certified Paralegal credential:

I hereby declare that the above information [on the Certified Paralegal Examination Application Form] is complete and truthful. I further pledge not to divulge the contents of any examinations questions for certification as a paralegal by NALA (the “Examination Questions”) and agree to be bound by the Code of


Ethics and Professional Responsibility of NALA. Inasmuch as it is and ever will be impracticable and extremely difficult to determine the actual damages resulting to NALA should I divulge the contents of any Examination Questions, I agree to pay NALA as liquidated damages and not as a penalty, the sum of $500 for each breach of my agreement not to divulge the contents of any Examination Questions. I further understand that the Certified Paralegal designation may be suspended or revoked and that I may be prohibited from taking any further NALA exams, including but not limited to any specialty practice area exams or retaking the general certification exam for the following reasons:

1. Falsification of information on application form. 2. Subsequent conviction of the unauthorized practice of law. 3. Failure to meet continuing legal education requirements as required by the Certifying Board. 4. Divulging the contents of any Examination Questions. 5. Subsequent conviction of a felony. 6. Violation of the NALA Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility. 7. Violation of the Terms and Conditions of testing.

Terms and Conditions – Exam Delivery Prior to allowing examinees to sign in to the testing site, all examinees are required to review the terms and conditions related to taking the Certified Paralegal examination via computer based testing. The information contained in the terms and conditions are also provided to examinees with the login ID and password, the NALA account number, and other instructions. Each examinee will be required to check “I accept these terms and conditions” prior to starting an examination.

Results Results of the examination are provided by mail notification to all examinees. The results will be released by the second week of the second month following the test window, i.e., the second week of March, July, and November. Results are not available by e-mail, telephone or fax.

Appeal of Results An examinee may appeal, in writing, to the Certifying Board for review of the Board’s actions concerning examination results. The specific procedure for the appeal of examination results is posted on the NALA web site.

Retake Policy Examinees in retake status must successfully complete the Certified Paralegal examination within two years (a maximum of five retake sessions) or credit for all passed sections will be forfeited. If the examination is not completed within this time frame, the examinee must re-submit a completed application form required of first-time examinees, and begin the certification process again.

Confidentiality of Examinees The names of examinees for the Certified Paralegal examination are considered confidential and not released by NALA to any person, except examination proctors, without express approval of the examinee.

Other Certified Paralegal Program Requirements This policy statement refers strictly to the delivery of the Certified Paralegal examination. It is the responsibility of each examinee to be familiar with the other policies and requirements of the Certified Paralegal Program, including but not limited to the continuing education requirements to maintain the Certified Paralegal credential, and examination and testing center fees.


Screen Shots

Examinee Sign-in URL: https://app.testrac.com/nala/delivery



Sign in Page Examinees will enter the login ID and password and scroll to the bottom of the page to agree to the Terms and Conditions before proceeding.


Sign in Page, cont.


Examinee Dashboard – Part 1 The first part of the dashboard includes instructions for all examinees on how to use this page. The exam section(s) the examinee is assigned to take will appear under “Assigned to me.” All examination sections require proctor release in order to allow access to the examinations.


Examinee Dashboard-Part 2

Once the exam section has been selected, the confirmation box will open to verify that the correct section has been selected. If correct, click “Yes” to continue to the proctor release area; if incorrect, click “No” and return to the dashboard to select the correct exam section.


Proctor Release The Proctor Release dialog box will then display. The proctor will select the test location, enter the proctor’s unique ID and Password, and click “Release” to release the examination.


In-progress / Incomplete Exams (Power/Internet Connection Failure) The testing system is designed to write directly to the test server as each objective question is answered by clicking the Next button. Text typed on the computer screen in response to the essay questions is saved directly to the test server in 10-second intervals. In the event an examinee encounters a power failure or loss of internet connection during a test section, contact the proctor immediately as the examinee will need to close the internet browser and log back in to the testing site. Close the internet browser and log back in to access the examinee dashboard. The examination will be available to restart in the “In-progress / Incomplete” section of the examinee dashboard. Click on the exam section link the same as with the initial login. The proctor will be required to enter the required credentials to release the examination, but an examinee will be able to continue the examination on the question and with the time on test starting at the point the internet connection was lost.


Examination Question Screen

The options are:

Select an answer

Select “Mark item for later review” (can be selected even if an answer is marked)

Navigate to the next question or to the previous question

Complete the exam This should be clicked when examinees are finished with the questions. The window that appears when this is clicked is a list of each question number. Those that are marked for review are indicated. Others are marked “Viewed” if they have been viewed by the examinee, and the screen also indicates which questions have been answered.


Judgment & Analytical Ability Essay Question The essay question requires reading. To assist in answering the essay question, examinees must be provided with a printed copy of the essay question before beginning the Judgment & Analytical Ability exam section. Examinees should be sure to verify they have received the correct essay question before continuing on with the examination. The printed copy of the essay may be used to make notes and for ease in reading the question but the answer MUST be typed in the text box provided on the computer screen in order to be graded. Examinees will be required to turn in all printed pages prior to leaving the testing center. The text box provided for entry of essay question answers will allow examinees to move around within the box, delete, and add sentences and characters as needed. Cut and paste is available, however, spell-check, and other special formatting functions are disabled for all sections of the Certified Paralegal examination. The space provided on the computer screen to type the answer is a text-only box. Examinees must not use any special character keys such as ALT, CTRL, or TAB or the computer workstation may freeze.


Judgment & Analytical Ability Essay Question, cont. When the answer is complete examinees may go to the “Reviewing items” screen to review the essay answer, if time permits. Once the answer is final and ready to submit for grading, click the “Complete the exam” button. Examinees should be sure the essay answer is complete before clicking the button. Once clicked, access to the examination will terminate. Essay questions are graded by members or former members of the Certifying Board. Examinees must not use their name or any identifying information anywhere in the response!


Reviewing items Screen The “Reviewing items” screen will display a list of each question number in the first column. The numbers are displayed as links back to the individual questions for use in editing responses. The second column, “Displayed to you,” confirms that all questions have been viewed by the examinee. The third column, “Marked by you,” indicates questions the examinee has marked to review. The fourth column, “Answer provided,” displays whether an examinee answered the question. The fifth column, “Question text,” is for the beginning text of each question. For security reasons, this has been disabled for the Certified Paralegal examination. Click the link for any question number to return to the specific examination question and edit the answer as needed.


Reviewing items Screen, cont. “Complete the exam” from the “Reviewing items” should be clicked by the examinee to submit the examination in final form. This ends the test. Scores are not presented to examinees for the Certified Paralegal Examination at the time of testing.


Finished

After the test has been submitted, the “Results” screen will display. Click “Close” to return to the dashboard. Once the examinee returns to the dashboard, he/she may either sign out or select the next examination section.


Thank you! Thank you for serving as a proctor for the Certified Paralegal examination. As a proctor, you are helping paralegals in your area meet their professional goal of certification. We appreciate your assistance! If you have any questions about instructions, procedures, etc., please do not hesitate to contact us at: NALA Headquarters 7666 E. 61st Street, Suite 315 Tulsa, OK 74133 Phone: 918-587-6828 Fax: 918-582-6772 E-mail: [email protected]

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Documents

NALA Certified Paralegal Examination Proctor Instructions · 2016-04-26 · Certified Paralegal Examination Proctor Instructions, May 2016 Testing Window 1 Introduction This booklet