<p>are they taken during the lecture or the discussion?</p>
<p>thx</p>
<p>It depends on the class and the teacher.</p>
<p>All of the classes I had this past year administered exams during the lecture period. Final exams at the end of the term run on their own schedule. The schedule for the coming term is posted at <a href="http://www.usc.edu/academics/classes/term_20063/finals.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.usc.edu/academics/classes/term_20063/finals.html</a></p>
<p>For many language classes, registration forces you to enroll in an early morning "office" period. This time slot is only used once a term to administer the mid-term exam. With so many sections of a given language, the department wants all students to take the test at once, and the "office" block on your schedule ensures that everyone will be available at the same time.</p>
<p>never taken an exam in discussion</p>
<p>most of the time exams are given in the lecture time slot. However, sometimes when there are multiple sections of the same class, if the department does not want to waste a lecture session on an exam, and/or if more time is given on the exam than in the lecture slot (1 1/2 hour exam in an hour-long class) then there may be a "quiz" section that meets only for exams.</p>
<p>Final exams by <em>very strict</em> university policy are only to be given at their designated time slot in the designated room. Even professors cannot deviate from the schedule without the consent of both the university and every single student in the class.</p>
<p>Yep...exams are (usually) given during the lecture period... Quizzes, however, can be given during the discussions.</p>