Regulation examination aids of the University of St.Gallen
Senate Committee of 26 March 2013
The term “examination aids” denotes, in particular, pocket calculators, textbooks, scripts, formularies, texts of
laws and dictionaries. For each examination permitted aids are specified in the examination fact sheets on the
basis of these Regulations.
1. Examination-aid rules
The University of St.Gallen makes a distinction between the following 6 different types of aid rules, which are
specified in the fact sheets for every individual examination. Basically, the aids that are permitted in all these
rules are dictionaries (except for language examinations) and TI-30 pocket calculators (cf. also Points 2 and 3).
• Open Book: Students are free to choose aids (except electronic devices; cf. Point 6). The information provided
by “Supplementary aids” serves as a recommendation.
• Extended Closed Book: The use of aids is limited; any additional aids permitted are exhaustively listed in the
examination fact sheet.
• Extended Closed Book examinations in Law: Any additional aids permitted (texts of laws, etc.) and the way
in which they may be prepared are exhaustively listed in the examination fact sheet.
• Language examinations: Any additional aids permitted, including the definition of the dictionary
(monolingual or bilingual) are exhaustively listed in the examination fact sheet. Electronic dictionaries are not
admissible.
• Practical examination: No examination-aid rule is necessary for the following examination types:
presentation, active participation, compulsory attendance, evaluation-based performance, microteaching,
moot court.
• Term papers: Terms papers must be written without anyone else’s help and in accordance with the known
quotation standards, and they must contain a declaration of authorship.
2. Use of bilingual dictionaries
General remarks:
With the exception of language examinations, bilingual dictionaries are always admissible, without marginal
notes or markers. Electronic dictionaries are not admissible.
Language examinations:
The faculty member in charge of an examination may permit the use of a dictionary in language examinations.
The dictionary is specified in the examination fact sheet under “Supplementary aids”.
Definition of dictionary
The term “dictionary” exclusively denotes books of reference for translation into another language. Specialist
dictionaries and encyclopaedic books of reference are expressly not admissible.
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3. Pocket-calculator rule
Basically, TI-30 pocket calculators are admissible in all examinations.
Definition of admissible pocket calculators: All the pocket calculators of the Texas Instruments TI-30 series
that cannot be programmed and are incapable of wireless communication are admissible. Thus the following
models are examples of admissible pocket calculators:
• TI-30 Xa Solar
• TI-30 eco RS
• TI-30 XII B/S
Example:
TI-30 eco RS
The TI-34 and TI-36 are not part of the TI-30 series and are therefore not admissible! This is also applicable to
any other pocket calculators, irrespective of whether they have a similar or smaller range of functions.
Inadmissible pocket calculators will be confiscated without substitution.
4. Rules for texts of law
The Law School recommends that examinations in Law at the Master’s Level should basically be run as “open
book” examinations (otherwise the rules applicable to the Bachelor’s Level should be adopted).
If an examination rule other than “open book” is chosen for examinations in the Assessment Year or in
Bachelor’s studies, the following is applicable:
• Official statutory texts issued by the Confederation in the four national languages and in the English
translation provided by the Federal Chancellery, as well as official statutory texts issued the Canton of
St.Gallen, are admissible. The texts required for individual examinations are listed under “Supplementary
aids” in the relevant examination fact sheets.
• Private collections are only admissible if they are exhaustively specified in the examination fact sheet under
“Supplementary aids”. Any texts of laws that are not specified are expressly inadmissible and will be collected
without substitution – regardless of whether they are texts of laws with or without commentaries or with
marginal notes.
• The way in which the documents may be prepared is generally regulated in the examination fact sheet.
5. No provision of examination aids
Students are themselves responsible for the procurement of examination aids. No examination aids are
provided. This also applies in cases where inadmissible aids have been confiscated. In such cases, students are
not entitled to withdraw from an examination or to be given more lenient grades.
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6. Inadmissible aids
• The following aids are inadmissible: electronic devices such as electronic translators, mobile telephones,
cameras, video cameras, webcams, pencams, MP3 players, as well as any devices that are capable of
communication (W-LAN, Bluetooth, radio transmitters/receivers, vision aids and watches that are capable
of communication, etc.).
• Any inadmissible devices must be switched off and must not be kept at the desk or on the candidate’s
person.
• During an examination, students may not contact or talk to, or exchange information with, anyone but the
representatives of the Examination Administration either inside or outside the examination room. Cribbing,
or allowing someone to crib, is not permitted and constitutes dishonesty.
• Term papers must be written in accordance with academic work, i.e. any aids and materials that are used
must always be indicated. The employment of any services by third parties that improve a candidate’s own
examination performance (translators, writers, graphic designers, proof-readers, etc.) is not permitted.
7. Consequences of inadmissible aids
Taking along inadmissible aids and providing a false declaration of authorship will be deemed to be an
infringement of Examination Regulations and constitutes a disciplinary offence that may entail disciplinary
consequences and a grade reduction or a grade of 1.0.
Papers with inadequate quotations or without any indications of sources do not satisfy the requirements of
academic work and will be treated as plagiarism.
8. Effectiveness 1
These “Regulation examination aids” will be applicable from 1 August 2013 and will replace the previous
examination aids regulations of 14 December 2010. These Regulations will be applicable to all the examinations
conducted at the University of St.Gallen (central and decentral). There will be no transitional regulations. SpS
13 examinations sat at a later, alternative date will be subject to the new Regulation.
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Prüfungshilfsmittel_26.03.2013 en.docx
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Pursuant to Art. 123 of the University Statutes of 25 October 2010 [No. 217.15, Consolidated Statutes of the Canton of St.Gallen], only the
German version of these Regulations shall be legally binding.
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