# Handwritten notes w/pencil



## civilpe_const (Aug 27, 2018)

Hi All,

Can you take hand written notes with a pencil to the test? I am asking because I tend to write on my lecture notes and work practice problems with a pencil, and if I can't take these, then I will have to start rewriting everything with a pen. The examinee guidelines do not state this explicitly, so figured I would ask.

Thanks.


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## Jbone27 PE (Aug 27, 2018)

I think this has been discussed before.The general consensus was that it is not allowed. Just make copies of your hand written notes or like you mentioned, start writing in pen. 

It's up to the proctor but not worth any added stress to worry about getting booted for pencil writing.


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## Supe (Aug 27, 2018)

It baffles me why nobody remembers that copy machines exist.  Take notes to copier, hit copy.  Voila, notes are now in ink.


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## civilpe_const (Aug 30, 2018)

Thank you for your replies @Jbone27 PE and @Supe. I just wanted as ask ahead of time. I realize I can always make copies in a copy machine. Moving forward, I shall work with a pen.

Thanks.


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## squaretaper LIT AF PE (Aug 30, 2018)

civilpe_const said:


> Thank you for your replies @Jbone27 PE and @Supe. I just wanted as ask ahead of time. I realize I can always make copies in a copy machine. Moving forward, I shall work with a pen.
> 
> Thanks.


That's a good idea. I rewrote nearly 300 practice questions on engineering paper and detailed my solutions in pen when I was building my personal reference manual. I'd say it's better in pen anyway since you have color. I wrote the governing equations in red, conversions in blue, and notes/steps in black. That way, on exam day, as long as I found the sheet with a similar problem, the equation I needed would be standing out at me in red. Game changer (as a repeat taker).


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## txjennah PE (Sep 4, 2018)

Don't do like I did and wait the day before the exam to make the copies! )))


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## Rawan (Sep 4, 2018)

What if I wrote with pencil on my review book ? Will it still be a problem !!!


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## txjennah PE (Sep 5, 2018)

Rawan said:


> What if I wrote with pencil on my review book ? Will it still be a problem !!!


I'd call your state board and confirm. My state board (Texas) said no pencil.  Honestly, to be safe, I'd just write in pen.


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## Surf and Snow (Sep 5, 2018)

I used erasable pen in my books. No pencil risk, and I could still erase it later.


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## youngmotivatedengineer (Sep 6, 2018)

The problem with notes in pencil is that during the exam you can only write in test booklet. If you have notes in pencil, proctor could claim you wrote them while in the exam room.


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## blybrook PE (Sep 7, 2018)

IF you write in your books in pencil, use a highlighter to cover the writing.  That way if the proctor has a stick where the sun don't shine about pencil marks, you can easily identify that it wasn't written during the test session.


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## envirotex (Sep 7, 2018)

blybrook PE said:


> IF you write in your books in pencil, use a highlighter to cover the writing.  That way if the proctor has a stick where the sun don't shine about pencil marks, you can easily identify that it wasn't written during the test session.


Plus, it's a good way to review what you thought was important when you wrote it six weeks ago...


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