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Yes, it's exam time! And for those with finals, the semester break can't
come soon enough. For now, though, there's some serious business. Here
are 10 expert tips to help prepare you for the dreaded exam room. (source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2010/may/29/top-tips-exam-preparation)
1. Look after yourself
Try
to be well rested and well nourished in preparation for exams. "Drink
plenty of fluids, eat a good healthy breakfast," advises Professor Sarah
Moore, co-author of The Ultimate Study Skills Handbook. "The fresher
and more energetic you feel, the more it will support your ability to
tackle the cognitive challenges."
2. Plan your work
Some
people concentrate better at night, others prefer to be up with the
larks. Stick to a consistent working pattern so your mind and body can
adjust, and take plenty of short breaks.
3. Know your examiner
Unlike
GCSEs and A-Levels, where examination papers are formulated by
matriculating exam boards, at university, course lecturers often set the
questions – which should help when trying to anticipate them. "The
strange thing is, the examiner who sets and marks the paper is a
familiar figure," says Kate Williams, editor of Palgrave Macmillan
pocket study skills. "It's the same person who designed your course or
module, whose lectures you've attended." Hopefully …
4. Be on top of the practicalities
It
is easy to forget practical details, so be clear about simple things
like start times, venue, equipment, material you can or cannot bring,
and so on. "Being on top of all these can make a huge difference in your
poise and performance and will help avoid unnecessary last-minute
jitters," advises Moore.
5. Get hold of recent exam papers
Go
back a few years and consider the kind of questions that came up. Don't
assume that these will be on the paper, but look at the relationship
between the questions and course content, says Williams. "Is there a
question per topic? Are topic areas combined in different ways? What is
the style of the question – single focus or direct question, or does
your examiner go in for questions with two or more bits?"
6. Try and work out your examiner's marking scheme
"Maybe
it's an oversimplification to assume that if the question carries five
marks there need to be five points, but this isn't a bad start," says
Williams. "Marks are allocated for something."
7. Don't despair
Even
if you feel underprepared, you can do a lot with the short time you
have left. "Night-before notes can be an active way of capturing,
condensing and summarising your exam material," says Moore. "Sketching
out short signposts is a great way of gaining last-minute command over
some of the trickier aspects of your studies."
8. Tighten up your essay technique
In
an exam, it doesn't matter what you know if you can't express it
clearly and concisely. Essays should begin with a short introduction
stating your position, followed by a series of paragraphs that each make
a clear point, and a short conclusion supporting the argument outlined
in the intro. "The examiner will be reading fast," points out Williams.
"With only three minutes per essay, ease of reading makes for a more
cogent argument."
9. Clockwatch
Be
aware of what you can realistically do in the allotted time. If you
have one hour per question, you might allow around 10 minutes to
consider the question and jot down notes, then 45-50 minutes writing
time. But don't be tempted to skimp on one question to lavish time on
another, urges Williams. "The first 50% of marks in any question are
much easier to pick up than the next 20%," she says.
10. Avoid postmortems
As
soon as one exam is over, move swiftly to focusing on the next one.
"Dwelling on an exam that you have completed wastes energy and time, and
will drive you crazy," says Moore. "Remember, be positive, stay calm,
and mobilise your energies to do the best job possible on the day."
All the best for your Finals!
