Who can take the exam?

  • All students admitted to the online sections of CopyrightX 2021 can take the exam; however, only those who have attended at least 10/12 of the weekly sessions will receive a certificate (provided the student receives a passing grade).

Is there a charge for the exam and certificate?

  • There is no charge.

Should I take the exam?

  • While this is largely a personal preference, we encourage students who have gone through the course to take the exam not only because it marks a fulfilling and substantial point of closure, but also because it gives students a well-defined goal to work towards. The certificate of completion for the course is only available to students who attend at least 10/12 online sessions and pass the final exam.

When is the exam?

  • Dates for the 2022 exam will be announced during the next application cycle.

How will the exam be administered? 

  • This year, the exam will be distributed and submitted via email.

    In the past, the CopyrightX exam has been administered using an online text editor similar to the “Google Docs” software. Each section student has been assigned a unique “pad,” or instance of the text editor, located at a unique URL sent to them via email. 

What is the exam like?

  • You can find relevant information about the exam, including the exams from the past years and sample answers for some of them, on the course website here. The CopyrightX team encourages you to try taking the previous exams and then compare your answers to the sample answers provided.  If you have any questions about your answers to the practice exam, feel free to ask your teaching fellow. 

What is the format of the exam?

  • You can see the format of past exams by perusing them on the website.  There has historically been one longer doctrinal question, one shorter question on comparative copyright law, and one shorter question on theory of copyright law, but this format is subject to change.

What is the word limit?

  • The word limit has changed each year and is typically allocated per question. In recent years, the exam has had two questions, each limited to 2000 words. In other past exams, the issue-spotting, doctrine-focused question was limited to 2500 words, while the two theory/policy-focused questions were allowed 1200 words each. The limits change year to year, and the appropriate instructions will accompany the exam. The word limit is designed to allow you to answer the question but rein in unnecessary wordiness; whenever possible, please try to show your analysis and explain your conclusions instead of simply stating them. Please see sample answers to get a sense of the level of detail that is expected.

If the exam is open book, does that mean I can refer to my “cheat sheet” with the steps of a copyright infringement suit, relevant tests, and case law?

  • Yes!  The exam is entirely open book, which means you can refer to your cheat sheet, the Internet, and other resources you would like. However you should not consult other people with respect to the exam, and you must follow the academic honesty policy. Furthermore, be sure not to get bogged down in doing additional research. You have all the information you need to take the exam from the lecture videos, assigned readings, and class sessions. Ideally you would use your notes to outline your answers and then use reference materials to fill in the necessary details (e.g., names of cases or statutory provisions etc.).

Do I have to take the whole exam in one sitting, or can I take breaks?

  • As long as you submit your exam by the deadline, you may structure your time however you wish during the four-day exam period.

Can I take the exam next year or retake the exam if I don’t pass?

  • Unfortunately, no. The exam is only available to current students of the course and cannot be retaken in the future. Nor can students retake the CopyrightX course.

How do students usually fare on the exam?

When will students be notified of the exam results?

  • Typically by the month following the exam.

Will I receive feedback on my answers?

  • No.  The CopyrightX team is not able to provide feedback on your answers, only your overall grade.