Exam strategies

Time management

Regular review develops the memory. After each lecture/tutorial/workshop recall the important points.

Make a realistic study plan:

Do you work better in the morning, evening...
Allow time for domestic activities and recreation.
Allow times for break.
Physical exercise will help your concentration.
Ensure that your study time is free from noise and interruptions.
Allocate appropriate amounts of study time for each subject

Don't waste time

Identify your time wasters, eg television, domestic chores, telephone conversations...
Set yourself achievable goals/tasks/questions for each study session.
Give your learning a focus.
Check that you are achieving your goals, doing the tasks, answering the questions.
Revise material in sections.
Consider how the sections relate to each other.
Consider your concentration span and give yourself appropriate breaks; eg work for one hour then do some exercise.
Reflect on what you have learnt at the end of each session.

Preparation

Make your revision active and try different study approaches.

Use active learning strategies for revision

Revise with other students. (Be careful, however, of turning the study session into a party!)
Ask yourself, what are the main ideas of the subject?
What was the subject trying to teach me?
How are the main topics connected?
What were the sorts of questions the lecturers asked in the subject?
Write outlines for probable questions.
Test your memory.
Make summaries of your notes.
Try using visual memory aids, eg flow charts, diagrams, mind maps, pictures, highlights... Colours are particularly helpful to stimulate the memory.

What do know about the exam?

Information about the exam is usually found in course outlines and handouts.
Lecturers will often give details in lectures.
Former students might tell you about their experience.
Find out about the format of the exam. Is It open book, essay, multiple choice...?
How many questions are there likely to be? Will you have a lot of choice?
Can you access old exam papers? Using old exam papers for practice will give you an idea of the format and help you to allocate the length of time.
Find out what resources you can take to the exam, and what equipment you will need.

Anxiety

Everyone finds exams exams stressful.

Attitude

Use your nervousness as a motivation to do some preparation.
Tell yourself that this is only one test - there will be others.
Be positive about yourself.
Look after your health.
Get plenty of sleep, eat properly and exercise.
Vary your work and take breaks.

On the day

Avoid coffee and cigarettes before the test.
Do something relaxing and interesting in the hour before the test - last minute cramming will not help.
Avoid meeting with students who make you feel nervous.
Arrive at the test location early - choose a seat away from distractions.
Think of a reward you can enjoy after the test.
Say to yourself 'I will worry later, now I will put my energy into this test.'
Clam yourself by tensing the muscles throughout your body, then relaxing them. Take deep slow breaths.

During the exam

Relax. You have done the preparation and revised the relevant sections. Now, you can focus your energy on doing the tasks to the best of your ability.

Before you start writing

Check your comfort. If there is glare from sunlight, or a draught is making you cold, ask to move.
Synchronise your watch to the clock.
Do you have enough paper and pens?

Reading time

Use this time to read the directions carefully.
How many questions do you need to answer?
Do you need to answer these in a particular order?
Are the questions arranged in sections?
Are there compulsory questions?
What is the value of each question?
How are you expected to answer? eg a word, a number, an explanation, an essay?
Where should you write your answers?

Answering the questions

If there is a choice, tick those you can do.
To help your confidence, do the easiest questions first, although this will not apply to all test formats (See Objective answers below.)
Number your answers correctly and clearly.
If you get a memory block or concentration blank try to recall other facts related to the point. If your memory still fails, return to the question later.

Written answers

Underline the key words.
Make a quick outline.
Don't exceed the word limit.
Check your time allocation.
You are better to answer all the questions you are required to do, rather than to do an excellent job on some and not have enough time to do the others.
If you run out of time, write notes.

Objective answers - True/False, Multiple choice

Use the response method required, eg tick, circle... (this is especially important if the test is scored by computer.)
Read all the possible answers. Even if you think one is correct, there could be another one that is better.
Answer all the questions, even if it means guessing, unless marks are deducted for incorrect answers.
Answer questions as you come to them. If you are unsure about a question, write what you think is most likely and mark it so that you can return to it later. Remember you might not have enough time to return to unanswered questions.
Be careful about changing your mind, first answers are usually correct.

Numerical problems

Write down any formulae as soon as you can.
Write down something in answer to every question. Stating part of the formula might get you a mark.
If the problem is complex, determine the order of the steps.
Check your accuracy.

Rather than leave the room before the time is up

Use the time to check your answers.
Have you answered all the questions?
Check your grammar and spelling.

GOOD LUCK!