Preparing for Exams
Learning with a pencil
Introduction
In most of the courses at university, students are required to take exams. Students are expected to either complete the more traditional method of exams - the unseen paper - or in some cases complete a seen paper or other type of examination. Universities continue to test students by examination because such a system is fair in that students are tested impartially and are not able to plagiarise. Second, as most courses build throughout the academic year, testing students at the end will allow for a fair assessment. Despite these advantages, examinations do place pressures on students. Students struggle with preparing before the exams, as well as during the exam, and answering the question correctly.
Objectives
1. To identify the myths and realities about taking exams
2. To gain practice in using your memory for revision.
3. To investigate what to do before, during and after an exam
Activity 1: Myths and realities about exams
Most university courses change little from year to year. However, every exam will have different questions. Some of these questions will be worded differently, and some exams will have new questions. In addition, in the run up to exams you will be hearing mixed messages from your tutors and other students. Some students will be saying they have revised everything, while others will argue that they have been selective in their revision. Tutors will argue that exams are not memory tests, but that you need to apply what you have learnt. The following activity will highlight some of the most common myths and realities about exams.
Instruction
Decide which of the following statements about exams are true or false.
Exams are for people with good memories.
To do well in exams, you need to answer the question.
Exams are based on material from the course.
Exams are for the fastest writers and thinkers.
Exams mean you need to revise till you drop.
Activity 2: Using questions to answer the question
In order to do well in exams, you need to be able to interpret the question. There is no point writing pages upon pages if these do not answer the question. It is often the case that students start writing in exams without having spent some important time working out what the question is asking them and then structuring their answer accordingly. University teachers are forever saying "Answer the question!". The following activity is adapted from Peter Levin's book "Sail Through Exams" (2006). It is called the Question String, and asks you to ask questions about the question you are being set as a way of developing a plan to answer the question.
Instruction
Look at the following question. In the text box, write a number of questions you can think of relating to the question that you would want answered if you were marking this essay question.
It is worthwhile considering some easy questions first, before going into more depth with more complex questions.
Anti-discrimination policies will never succeed. Discuss.
Activity 3: Memory: Using your Head
Some of us find it easier to remember things visually, in which case you should be using diagrams, pictures and mindmaps (See Tony Buzan, 2003, “Using your Head” for more details). While others have more of an audio based memory, these individuals should be recording their notes, singing their notes in order to learn them. There are also those who work more practically, and like to act out the points they want to remember or make maps in order to remember things. There is no right or wrong way to remembering, and each of us is different, so some things may work for others, but not for you. If you are unsure of how you remember things, then try thinking about how you remember directions to somewhere new: just in your head, drawing it out on a map, drawing the map or writing a list.
Instruction
The following activity is taken from Eileen Tracey's book "The Student's Guide to Exam Success" (2002). If you enjoy playing with words you can make up sentences or phrases that encapsulate the first letters of words in a list.
Try and develop a phrase starting with the first letters from the following seven deadly sins:
Pride, Envy, Anger, Sloth, Covetousness, Greed, Lust.
Now develop your own sentence to remember a particular aspect of your course. Use the text box below to write your answer in.
Activity 4: What to do before, during and after the exam
So that you can focus your time on content you will need for the exam, you need to ensure that you are organised and prepared for the exam. This will mean making sure that you know what you will be doing before the exam, and what you will be doing with your time during the exam.
Instruction
Look at the following statements and decide which are true and false.
You should ask your lecturer how much you need to know for the exam
Things will always take longer than you expect them to.
Read all the questions carefully before selecting an answer.
Write a short brief plan for your essay questions.
After the exam, you should think about whether you have answered the right questions or not.
Would you like to review the main points?
© David Donnarumma, Brunel University, 2008