Exams
Exams are one of the ways that you might be assessed during your studies. During an exam you will be required to answer a question or questions, in a set timeframe, under 'exam conditions'. Exams can follow different formats: some allow notes or are open-book, some you are allowed to take the paper away and are given a set time, but often they are completed by memory. Work that you produce in an exam will be marked and generally contributes to your grades for your course. Learning exam skills that work for you can make a big difference in how well you perform in an exam.
Revising for Exams
Adapting to the individual exam, rather than using the same method universally, puts you at an advantage and means that any time spent revising is more effective. Targeted revision techniques create a variation between assessments, and what works for one student may not work for another. Finding your preferred learning style and finding ways of revising that fit that style can help make revision easier and help knowledge and information sink in. The sooner you can start revising the more time you have to embed the information. The more interesting, effective and enjoyable you make revision, the better your chances of exam success.
If you have more than one exam in the space of a few days, target your time proportionately depending on the marks available.
Making a revision timetable can be effective, if you stick to it. Plan breaks and time to socialise. Make the timetable flexible so that if you can adapt it if you have to miss one session.
Breaking down your revision into separate areas is an effective way of revising. One way to do this is by trying to fit all the information in a topic into a set of key cards, learning these cards and then refining the information down into one summary card for each area.
By teaching others your revision topics, you should start understanding the information. Teaching others highlights areas of weakness and can be used to target further revision.
Find spaces where you can beat procrastination, whether this means revising in the library, finding ways to avoid distractions or revising with ‘study buddies’. If working in a study group, make ground rules and work out what you want to cover before each meeting.
Varying what you do from one session to another can add interest. Setting specific tasks within a given timescale can also add more challenge and reduce the urge to procrastinate.
Spending some time learning key exam question terms is important as you will need to adapt your answers in the exam to hit these keywords if they form part of the question.
In exams you will need to demonstrate wider research and criticality. To do this, read relevant journals and be prepared with academic comment and wider research to add to your answers. Doing this can improve your answers and place you within the top brackets of the mark scheme.
Attend revision sessions, drop ins and any opportunities to ask your lecturers questions. Although be aware that they may not be able to answer all your questions to be both fair and to ensure that the exam is challenging.
Make sure to practise writing by hand before the exam (if applicable), as in the exam you may be writing solidly for a number of hours. With practice you will be able to write ideas down quicker and better prepare your hand for the physical challenge.
If you are struggling to remember things try learning mnemonics. These are links to other things that can help provoke you to find the answer.
