We're in this Exam Together

I’m considering using a practice group examination before the individual mid-term examinations in my upcoming literature classes. Perhaps I could assemble a few representative questions for the different sections, have students work in groups to collectively arrive at the most appropriate responses, and then grade them. I would, of course, need to clearly establish that these test-taking conditions only applied to this particular assignment. Each group would have one copy of this exam to complete, but all the group members could consult and review their answers before turning it in. I might assign the “practice” exam a small percentage of the course grade (maybe 5%) as incentive. They would share this small grade.

I would want this examination to be long enough to be a warrantable group exercise, but brief enough not to add unduly to my grading load. It would, then, prepare students better for the more heavily weighted mid-term and final examinations, which I would still have them complete as individuals, while also strengthening the trust and confidence of the individual groups. It would also give the students a sense of the time needed for the different sorts of questions, and most especially the essay responses, whose required time they often underestimate. Maybe most importantly, it would introduce another opportunity for the students to model for each other their own capabilities and the most effective scholarly behavior.