Online examinations are different by nature than paper-based examinations. They require less writing, and responses to questions can be provided faster. This is why the time limit is 1 hour and 50 minutes for the Music History Level 10 online exam, as compared to the 3-hours paper-based written examination. Due to the fact that this examination is not proctored, the reduced time limit also ensures that we are assessing each student’s first-hand knowledge of the material, and not their ability to find the answers elsewhere.
The inclusion of two essay questions that are marked by members of the College of Examiners provides further validation of the students' understanding and comprehension of the Level 10 History learning objectives as outlined in the Theory Syllabus, 2016 Edition.
On the written examination, essays most often consist of detailed discussions of the musical contributions, examples of genres and composition titles of specific composers, as well as detailed descriptions on how genres were influenced by individuals, events, and publications. As part of the online examination, essays require students to demonstrate the ability to apply detailed knowledge of the material by describing, discussing, comparing and contrasting specific aspects of composers’ contributions, musical style and genres across the eras.