# Rules on what notes materials you can take in - printed, handwritten?



## 170B (Mar 22, 2012)

Obviously handwritten notes are not acceptable, as they want to prevent new "Notes" from leaving the exam.

My GATECH course materials are "printed" copies of handwritten notes, is that acceptable to take in?

If so, could you photocopy (aka print) your own handwritten notes which would be readily distinguishable from notes taken during the exam?


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## knight1fox3 (Mar 22, 2012)

170B said:


> Obviously handwritten notes are not acceptable, as they want to prevent new "Notes" from leaving the exam.
> 
> My GATECH course materials are "printed" copies of handwritten notes, is that acceptable to take in?
> 
> If so, could you photocopy (aka print) your own handwritten notes which would be readily distinguishable from notes taken during the exam?


I also took the GA Tech online power PE exam review. The notes Dr. Callen provides come in a large binder such that all his photocopied notes are bound. I brought the entire binder with me when I took my exam. If you have your own handwritten notes, I believe you can do the same by photocopying them and putting them in say a 3-ring binder.


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## ptatohed (Mar 22, 2012)

I don't agree that it is "obvious" that handwritten notes are not allowed. In CA they are (as long as they are bound).

Every state is different. Check with your state board.


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Mar 23, 2012)

I had 3 binders worth of hand written notes, seemed to be just fine when I took it in 2006.

Check with you state board.


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## 170B (Mar 23, 2012)

Getting answers from CA Board is like pulling teeth. If they're trying to prevent information from leaving the room, photocopied "Notes" would be readily distinguishable from freshly written ones and therefore safer and less chance of a problem on test day. I'm OK coping them.

Thanks


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## Peele1 (Mar 23, 2012)

From what I understand (other than in IL) you can take in handwritten notes, as long as they are not in pencil. They must be either photocopied or in pen and bound. I used a 3-ring binder.

There should be no pencil notes in ANY of your material anywhere. They may suspect that you are making notes on questions, aka cheating.


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## Road Guy (Mar 23, 2012)

I had a couple self made sprial notebooks with my own handwritten "stuff" that I brought in and didnt have any issues.

I was in Georgia also...


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## Illini86 (Mar 23, 2012)

yeah only illinois reams ya for some reason.....prob cause state is so corrupt they wana keep engineering licenses pure.......LOL


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## WV_Boiler (Mar 24, 2012)

In :wv:

My MERM was covered with notes in pencil. No issues for me.

Just be aware where the tip of your pencil is at all times and you shouldn't have a problemm(except in Illinois).


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## BH_Cubed (Mar 28, 2012)

what about wire bound note books of worked out sample problems? has anyone gotten any flack for bringing them into the exam?


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## kenny911 (Apr 1, 2012)

When I took the exam last fall, they didn't even bother looking at what kind of calculator anyone had or if anything was handwritten.


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## EEmarcus (Apr 2, 2012)

Kenny did you take the exam in Illinois?


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## Grilledcheese17 (Apr 2, 2012)

In Mass, there is no problem with handwritten notes, pen or pencil, as long as they are bound, more than with a staple. I always go back to the candidate agreement which states that you can not write anywhere other than your exam book DURING the exam.


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## pbrme (Apr 2, 2012)

Grilledcheese17 said:


> In Mass, there is no problem with handwritten notes, pen or pencil, as long as they are bound, more than with a staple. I always go back to the candidate agreement which states that you can not write anywhere other than your exam book DURING the exam.


This, in WA state as well. I brought in hand notes bound, no issue.


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## cdcengineer (Apr 2, 2012)

In Colorado we could bring in photo-copied handwritten notes. I had a code book with pencil notes. I just highlighted over them - A-OK


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## kenny911 (Apr 4, 2012)

EEmarcus said:


> Kenny did you take the exam in Illinois?


No, I did not.


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## humner (Apr 4, 2012)

all of my notes are in ink, have been doing it that way since high school. I even did my practice problems in ink, no erasing, just cross out and work out again below.


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## Outlaw44 (Apr 4, 2012)

No problem with handwritten in MO, as far as I can tell. Here is the direct verbiage from the NCEES Candidate Agreement. Looks like the cover the issue of you taking notes and them leaving the exam by them watching you to make sure you're not writing on anything other than your answer sheet or exam book.

"For Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE), Structural Engineering (SE) and Princi-ples and Practice of Surveying (PS) exams: These are open-book exams. Examinees must bring their own reference materials. All reference materials must be bound and remain bound during the exam. Bound refers to (1) materials permanently bound, as by stitching or glue, and (2) materials securely fastened in their covers by fasteners that penetrate all papers. Ring binders, spiral binders, plastic snap bind-ers, brads, and screw posts are acceptable fasteners. Staples are not acceptable fasteners. Writing tablets and legal pads are not allowed. Examinees may tab reference books before the exam with Post-it type notes and flags, but pads of Post-it notes and flags are not permitted in the exam room."

Further, under grounds for dismissal...

"Grounds for Dismissal from the Exam and/or Invalidation of Exam Results

• Having a cell phone in your possession

• Having loose papers, legal pads, writing tablets, or unbound notes in your possession

• Having a device with copying, recording, or commu-nication capabilities in your possession. These include but are not limited to cameras, pagers, PDAs, radios, headsets, tape players, calculator watches, electronic dictionaries, electronic translators, trans-mitting devices, and digital media players such as iPods.

• Having a calculator that is not on the NCEES-approved list

• Using a non-NCEES writing instrument or eraser to complete any portion of the exam

• Copying from another examinee’s answer sheet or colluding with other examinees

• Beginning the exam before the proctor instructs you to do so

• Failing to stop writing immediately when time is called

• Writing on anything other than your exam booklet or answer sheet; writing in the FE Supplied-Reference Handbook

• Removing pages from your exam booklet

• Leaving the exam area without authorization

• Violating any other terms stated in this agreement that are cause for dismissal or exam invalidation

If any prohibited item is found in an examinee’s posses-sion after the exam begins, the item will be confiscated and sent to NCEES. No refund will be provided to examinees dismissed from the exam."


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## strebe (Apr 11, 2012)

I asked Illinois Department of Professional Registration, the conversation is below:

Me:

I am taking the Electrical PE exam and I am confused about the language regarding the materials allowed during the test. I have many sheets that have typed equations that I am planning on bringing in a three ring binder. Are these allowed? Also I have a printed book called EC&amp;M's Electrical Calculations Handbook and I would like to know if this is allowed. One last item, I have a binder with several different but complete IEEE standards, and publications by various vendors that I would like to bring as well are these allowed?

IDPFR:

NO.

The following is a link directly to the guide for Illinois.

http://www.idfpr.com...E_SPEC_Exam.pdf

NO 3-ring binders (unless that is the ONLY way a book is published).

NO notes compiled together and placed into a 3-ring binder (or bound in any fashion).

Me:

When it states "no unbound notes" that means that bound notes would be allowed. Did I understand that correctly?

What about handwriting in pen in the reference books?

IDPFR:

No notes, bound or unbound are allowed.

The following is from the guide:

The following references are *NOT* permitted in the examination room:

l Dictionaries;

*l* *Material copied from several handbooks and textbooks and bound by/for the candidate;*

l Loose tables, maps, charts, reference cards, etc.;

*l* *Writing tables, unbound tables, or unbound notes;*

l Manuals that are publications of the Illinois Department of Transportation (commonly referred

to as the IDOT Manual);

l Books with content directed mainly toward solution of engineering problems or preparation for

professional engineering examinations

We do not have a policy against handwriting in pen in reference books.


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