Probeklausuren

Probeklausuren are practice examinations used in German-speaking higher education and some schools to prepare students for graded tests. They are designed to resemble the real Klausur in structure, duration, and question types, allowing students to rehearse under exam conditions and gauge their readiness before the actual exam.

They are typically created by instructors, departments, or student initiatives and may combine newly written tasks with old or sample questions. Probeklausuren cover topics from the module or course and often include a marking scheme or solution key to enable self-assessment. They may be offered as paper handouts or online exercises in learning management systems, and can be timed or untimed depending on the intended practice.

Use and purpose: Probeklausuren serve primarily as a formative learning tool. They help students practice time management, understand the expected answer style, identify gaps in knowledge, and reduce exam anxiety. They are not always graded; when graded, the results are used for self-evaluation or as part of a learning activity rather than as the final grade.

Differences: Probeklausuren differ from actual examinations (Klausuren) in that they are created for practice and not necessarily bound to the official grading scheme. They can also differ from "old exams" (Alt-Klausuren), which are actual past test papers; Probeklausuren may imitate their format without being exact copies.

Availability: Many universities publish Probeklausuren for core modules, and some faculties offer them for free in online repositories or course portals.