Study Management Series

Part 4: Exam Time...

A whole semester of classes, assignments and lectures, all summarised in a two hour exam. Sure sounds like a prescription for stress and anxiety, unless of course you are well prepared, have double and triple checked your notes and have a strategy ready for tackling the exam head on.

Obviously knowing your material is most important to passing an exam, however being well prepared, eliminating stress factors and having some structure to actually taking your exam will give you that confident, relaxed feeling we all desire on exam day.

The Final Class Before the Exam
This pre-exam class often gives you a chance to ask any questions you have about the exam and confirm the exact requirements of the exam. Try asking about the way the exam is scored, the types of questions to expect or even examples of questions you might see, and make sure you ask exactly what you are and are not allowed to take in with you. You may just get a key piece of information that makes the difference in your grade.

Prepare your Resources
Regardless of whether you are allowed to bring resources into the exam, index your textbooks with post-it notes and make a summarised “cheat sheet” with key points and ideas. This will help you focus on the key points of your subject while you study, and if you are lucky enough to have an open book exam, you will save time by having quick, easy references. 

Organise your Arrival
Missing the bus and arriving late can cause you to be flustered and your brain to be scattered while you sit your exam. Eliminate this stress factor by catching the earlier bus or start driving 10 minutes earlier than usual. Also, prepare for the worst by making sure you have an alternative way of getting to the exam on time.

Organise your Time
When you first get your exam, give yourself a few minutes to quickly read over the whole exam and get an overview of how much each question/section is worth in relation to the overall score. Then figure out approximately how long you have for each mark, which will give you an idea of how long you have for each question. Try to make sure you have a few minutes at the end of your exam for checking and take an accurate watch to sit on your desk so you don’t have to worry about looking up at the clock all the time.

Make Sure you Understand the Questions/Instructions
Don’t skim read questions, read each question thoroughly and consider exactly what the question is asking. If there are 2 solutions being asked for, give 2 solutions, not 1 or 3. If you don’t understand the question in its entirety, don’t be afraid to ask the exam supervisor, especially if English is not your first language.

Do the Easy Questions First
Usually on your first read through you will spot a few questions that look easy. Do these ones first as it will help get you into your groove and hopefully avoid mental blocks.

Don’t Stop Moving
If you get stuck on a problem, give yourself a maximum of 3-5 minutes before moving on to the next question as you can always come back to it later. Sweating over a 10 mark question for 30 minutes while a 35 mark question goes unanswered is a sure-fire way to lose marks and create stress.

Check your Answers
When you think you are finished, go back through and make sure you have answered everything. Remember, a guess is always better than a blank page. Be sure you have given the right number of answers in multiple solution questions and check that you have followed the instructions given. Your first impression is often best so don’t go changing or rewriting answers unless you are sure that you have got them wrong.

Although knowing how to sit an exam can help you relax, NO amount of exam technique will help you if you don’t actually know your material. Make sure you know your stuff before you walk through the exam room door.

Try to remember, think positively, relax and believe in yourself. You can do it!