OnLine Test Centres

The NABS is interested in receiving applications (see form at the link above) from locations interested in hosting NABS family level certification tests. If you are interested in becoming an online test centre please complete the application form (from the above link) and send it to the program coordinator.  Typical locations would be academic institutions, Government Laboratories, Consulting Laboratories or other similar locations. A family level TCE may also be administered in connection with a course or workshop, by prior arrangement with the Taxonomic Program Coordinator (TCP).

Requirements

Each OnLine TCE Center (see list of centres) will be staffed by an examination supervisor who is a NABS member. The OnLine TCE Center will provide access to a closed or secure area containing a computer with suitable graphics capacity and high speed internet connection.  A maximum of 2 hours are allowed for the examination. 

The OnLine Family Level  Examination is "open book" and administered on the NABS website in a controlled, supervised environment.  Examination supervisors in various North American venues (e.g., private testing services, specified universities, other agencies) administer the examination.  The supervisor provides technical assistance with the web-administered system and verifies the candidate's identity and his/her independence in the taking of the test (i.e., the absence of unauthorized assistance).  Printing of any parts of the examination are not allowed.  A printout of final results will be made available to the candidate.

The candidate may choose to stop the examination at any time without recording the results, but without reimbursement of fees.  The taxa to be identified will be North American families of insect adults (aquatic forms only) and larvae; orders of benthic insect pupae; families of Mollusca; and higher taxonomic levels of other invertebrate groups (Porifera, Tricladida, Nematomorpha, Nematoda, Nemertea, Polychaeta, Oligochaeta, Hirudinea, Bryozoa, Amphipoda, Isopoda, Decapoda, and Acari).

Role of the Family Level Test Supervisor