Dear Maths Students,

Just a brief update this time, since I know you have seen lots from the university recently.

I draw your attention to the new SSLC questionnaire hub:

https://moodle.warwick.ac.uk/mod/questionnaire/view.php?id=889867 

The SSLC are working closely with the department to help us understand better all kinds of issues students face in these times, and if you send concerns here it will give us a chance to absorb them.

We are trying to relay most replies to common questions, including from the SSLC hub, through the department information and FAQ pages:

https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/maths/undergrad/coronavirus/ 

You will have seen that the university has published the April timetable. Maths papers have been given 4-hour timeslots during which they will take place. We don’t yet know exactly when within that timeslot they will be, nor the precise method of assessment, but we are working to keep assessment as familiar in spirit and style as possible. Once we know more, I will be able to give you clearer guidance, albeit in necessarily general terms.

I should say that we are very conscious that you will need time allowance to attend to the technical matters of online assessment such as downloading papers and uploading solutions. The university is considering a range of proposals over the coming day or two, so I expect an answer soon. And of course the university is aware that some students have extra time for assessments, and we will be guided by the university on this too.

Mathematics is hard! - that’s why we all do it. I urge you to continue to revise just as you would for conventional Warwick written maths exams. Some things may be a little different with online open-book papers, but they will remain a challenge in very similar ways. I know some students are concerned about the potential for cheating: routine academic misconduct is remarkably easy to detect, and in the context of a university exam would be subject to severe disciplinary measures. But you all know this, and I won’t insult your intellectual integrity by suggesting this will be widespread or that we would tolerate it to any extent whatsoever.

I know there are also concerns that marks may be unusually high and scaling may be severe. We will use scaling carefully alongside comparison of other exam data, as always, but timed open-book exams are used widely, and they do not lead to situations where everyone gets full marks. After all, this is mathematics: the challenge to express yourself coherently in a way to answer a precise question remains the same with or without notes, and rigorous, self-critical revision and preparation remains the surest route to success. I hope that in these difficult times you are able to preserve time to continue your studies, now and over the coming months.

John