USING THE SITE
Q: What is the best way to use the site?
A: There are two steps, with an optional third step.
STEP 1: Choose an exam on the home page and download its files (usually 2 files, VMBO-gt often 1 file). You print the exam or view it using a PDF viewer. Modern PDF viewers often support highlighting, so that would be ideal. You make the exam on a piece of paper or in a Word document, in no more than the time specified (or up to 20% extra when you're dyslectic). You may use a dictionary.
STEP 2: Make sure you are logged into this site. If you can't log in, make sure you register (open the panel at the top of the home page). Then visit the page of your exam again and click on the first "Click here for **** exam 20** ** tijdvak text **, question **" link. Compare the answer to yours, and specify whether you got it right or not. It is best to enter all the answers for an exam in one go. If more than 1 point could be earned for a question, specify how many you got. If you doubt whether you got a point, then don't add it. And you only fool yourself if you enter better scores than you earned :-). Each answer page has an actual explanation that tells you why your answer may be wrong. It's like a teacher would explain it, which may help you to get a similar question right the next time. After you've entered the results for all questions, you will get your grade, officially calculated with the norm (N-term) of the exam you've done.
STEP 3a: If your grade is not high enough, you can get study advice by opening the panel at the top of the home page and choosing the 'Create Reports/Advice Here' link. If you choose the 'Show your Activity & Question Type Strengths and Weaknesses' button in the next screen you will get to see an overview of the exams you've done, followed by a list of the questions types you are worst at, and best at. Click on the 'Oefen-link' for the question type you want study advice for.
STEP 3b: You will see the study advice page for the specific question type (CITO eindterm) you selected. The screen starts with general advice, then follows advice specific to the question type, next a (sometimes long) list of questions of the same type, and it ends with two lists of people in your class and at your level who are best at that type of question (they may be able to help you when you cannot - or don't want to - ask a teacher). Each entry in the table of questions of the same type ends with a link to the exam that such question types are in. There are usually several links to the same exam. Make a note of those question numbers and follow the link to the exam. Go to STEP 1.
Q: Are there keyboard shortcuts?
A: Yes. This is particularly useful in the screen where you enter your exam answer scores. You can use the arrow left and right keys to choose correct/incorrect/skip. If you need to type the score, you can start typing it immediately. Pressing the Enter key will store your results and proceed to the next question. These keyboard shortcuts don't work on touch-screen devices. Basically, keyboard shortcuts are supported by non-mobile internet browsers. All this site does is make sure the 'focus' is on a proper element of the page.
Q: Does this site work on mobile devices?
A: Yes, but if you want to use it comfortably then it's best to use it on a tablet in landscape mode, or a bigger device (a screen width of 640 pixels or more is best).
Q: I cannot view any of the explanations. What am I doing wrong?
A: You're not logged in. Open the panel at the top of the home page and log in. If you're not registered yet, register first.
Q: Can I just log in with another student's login name and password?
A: No, because the site gives you personal advice. If two people use the same account, they would both get wrong advice.
THE EXAMS
Q: Which exams should I practice with?
A: After logging in, you will be able to practice with the level expected in your year, plus one level lower. The lower level can be practised with if you're not very good at reading, so that you can work your way up to the level you will be tested on.
Q: Why do all VMBOgt exams up to and including 2016 have a letter writing assignment at the end?
A: Until that year, the VMBO exam also included a letter writing assignment. This exam requirement was made into a separate SE starting with the 2017 exam.
Q: Which years and levels have question types (CITO eindtermen) specified?
A: For VWO that's 2010 and up, for HAVO and VMBOgt it's 2009 and up.
Q: I registered on the site, but now I can't see any of the exams anymore! What gives?
A: You have not yet updated your details (which you should do with the link in your registration confirmation email - why not do it right now?). You are therefore not in a class, so the site can't 'see' which exams you are supposed to practise with.
REGISTERING
Q: Why do I need to register?
also
Q: Why do I need to update my class and teacher details after each summer holiday?
A: You need to be linked to a class and your answers need to be linked to a person. You need to be registered because the database can keep track of you then. Your details will not be given to other people.
Q: How do I register?
A: Open the panel at the top of the home page and enter your stamnummer, your first name, and the name of the person our school was named after. Don't forget that stamnummer and the first name you used, as you will need it if you forget your password! You will get an email with your temporary password sent to your school email address (which you can view by logging into outlook.office365.com). Follow the link in this email to change your password and fill in your other details (name, class, teacher, etc.). When you've done all that, click the 'Submit' button.
Q: What is my stamnummer?
A: Your stamnummer is the 4-digit number on your school copy card. You can also find it under "Mijn Gegevens" once you've logged into Magister.
Q: I forgot my password. What now?
A: Open the panel at the top of the home page and click the blue 'Click here if you forgot your password' link. You will need to type in the stamnummer and the first name you used to register. You will get an email with a new temporary password sent to your school email (which can be viewed by logging into outlook.office365.com) right away.
Q: What does the 'Offset' thing in my registration details mean?
A: When you're in STEP 3b (see 'USING THE SITE', 'Q: What is the best way to use the site?', above) you will get a list of specific types of questions that you are advised to practice with. This list can be quite long. By default you will get advice for up to 3 years of exams to practice with. You can make the number of years higher or lower (and the list of advice longer or shorter) by changing the value in this box.
Q: I get no advice about which older exams to use in the overview of my strengths and weaknesses question types. Why?
A: You have set the 'Offset' value (see above) too small. Make sure it's bigger than 2.
Q: I put a check in the little 'Stay logged in' box but I am no longer logged in. Why?
A: Someone else logged you out, or you have not used the site for a while.
Q: What does the "No Advice" checkbox do?
A: When you are really good at a specific type of exam questions, other students may get to read your name to ask who to ask for advice. If you're not the teacher type, you can put a checkmark here, so your name will not be in the list of people who can help with advice about specific types of questions.
Q: I didn't get a confirmation email. What should I do?
A: Many email clients have a special folder for messages that may be 'spam'. Look in there. If it's not there, contact KAR and ask him to help you. He's all-powerful in a Gandalf kind of way and will be able to sort you out.
Q: After I login I do not get an error message but I am not logged in. What's up?
A: You are probably using a translation plugin in your internet browser. Switch that off and it should work. You may have to login again.
RANKINGS/ACTIVITY OVERVIEW
Q: How can I be behind someone in the ranking who has done as many questions/exams as me?
A: When people are ranked equally, they are sorted starting with the person who registered on the site earliest.
Q: Why does my name not appear in the rankings and other people's study advice?
A: If your scores are suspiciously high, your teacher can ban you from appearing in the ranking and the study advice.
Q: What is the difference between 'class' and 'level'?
A: Your class is made up of the people in the exact same class as you (for example 4Mb, 5Hb or 6Ab). The level is made up of all people at the same level (for example all 4M, 5H or 6A classes).
Q: I get no advice on which older exams to watch in the overview of my strengths and weaknesses question types. Why?
A: You have set the 'Offset' value too small. Make sure it's bigger than 2.
OTHER
Q: Why should I use this site and not eindexamensiten.nl?
A: There are various disadvantages with eindexamensite.nl...
1: Answer explanations are only rarely included, if at all, so you don't actually learn how to get better at all;
2: The built-in reports are very limited (no rankings, no advice on which fellow student to ask for help, etc.);
3: 'Entree' login doesn't work for everyone;
4: With quite a few people, 'Entree' login doesn't remember that you were already logged in so you have to go through multiple login steps again, every time;
5: Doing an exam does not have the look and feel of a real exam;
6: The eindexamensite.nl is part of Wikiwijs, which will become inaccessible the moment our school decides to stop paying the Wikiwijs fee;
7: It is made by someone outside of our school, so it will be difficult to change the site to our needs, add custom new reports, etc.
Q: The new May 2018 European privacy laws require me to be able to remove my registration details. How do I do that?
A: Ask your teacher. Every teacher can remove the registration details of individual students.
Q: I have a suggestion for the site, or I spotted something that's wrong or doesn't work. What should I do?
A: Please contact KAR using Magister mail. If it's an error on the site, try to make it happen again and tell him the steps he should take to make it happen.
Q: I have a question that's not in this FAQ. How could I potentially get it added to the FAQ in the future, to help fellow users?
A: Please contact KAR using Magister mail.
Q: What's the answer to life, the universe and everything?
A: 42.