Surviving Exams

Whoever said that the two things we can be sure of in life are death and taxes probably didn’t go to university. There is a third inevitability most of us would like to avoid: exams. At the end of an intense semester, and just when we have handed in our last major assignment, we discover that the dull light at the end of the tunnel is in fact the examination train, hurtling full steam ahead. It’s a daunting prospect. But exams don’t need to be high drama: the following tips will help you approach your exam period with confidence and focus.

Top Ten Tips

1. Planning. Read your Unit Outline and reading schedule for each unit. Highlight your ‘weakest’ areas and note the topics you know well. This is helpful to focus your study and remind you of your strengths. Beginning with the weakest areas, divide your study into manageable chunks. Work back from each exam deadline to construct a realistic study timetable and then get cracking! Try using the Exam Planner to collect information about each exam in one place.
2. Strategic planning. Remember to study smarter, not harder during the lead-up to exams. Find out how much each exam is weighted and study accordingly. Similarly, find out which subject areas are worth the most marks and dedicate most of your study time to these areas. Also, download past exam papers and check which areas are consistently examined, and which areas are awarded the most marks. This will take some of the mystery out of your exam because you will have some idea of what to expect.
3. Practice. Download a past paper and sit a ‘mock’ exam. Schedule your ‘mock’ exam in your study timetable and ensure you will not be disturbed. Create ‘exam conditions’ by taking the phone off the hook and removing your study materials from view (you may like to sit your ‘exam’ in a library). The practice exam will give you a clear sense of your pace, as well as any weak areas. Review your results and use them to focus your study.
4. Make notes. Convert your lecture notes, readings, assignments, tests and reports into useful notes. You might like to use the Cornell Method or other methods such as flow charts, mind maps, bullet points or diagrams. The best notes are summaries of key concepts AND are useful memory triggers for recall of the finer details.
5. Memory techniques. Technically mnemonics, memory techniques are proven methods that help you convert information from your short term to your long term memory. Each method is as good as its results, so you need to find one that suits you. Some people make flash cards, others stick post-it notes around the house and in the car. More methods are listed in our Memory Trickery Survival Guide.
6. Study smarter, not harder. Find out what kind of exam you will be sitting (essay form, multiple choice, practical, short answer) and prepare accordingly. See our relevant Survival Guides for details.
7. Self-management. Ensure you eat and sleep well, and schedule exercise and leisure time into your routine. Study in bursts by breaking each hour into 45 minutes of study and 15 minutes of active relaxation. Don’t use your break time to turn on the TV or surf the net: get moving by going for a quick walk, vacuuming, having a cup of tea or calling a friend. It’s important to manage your wellbeing during exams: you won’t perform well if you don’t feel well. See our Week Twelve JumpStart posting “Managing Study Stress” for useful hints and guidelines.
8. Check the exam timetable and requirements. Exam venues can change so ensure your details are up to date. Ensure you know which materials are allowed in the exam venue and which are not. If you have an open book exam, find out any restrictions from your Unit Coordinator. Bring several differently shaped pens in case of fatigue, and ensure all your materials are in top condition. Find the venue in advance so you know exactly where to go.
9. Talk it out! You are on the road to success if you can explain a concept to someone who has little or no knowledge of the field. Find a friend or family member and see how much material you can recall. You will find that if you can explain an idea to someone in conversation, you can identify, recall and write about it in an exam.
10. Strategy. Arrive at the exam venue a few minutes early, but don’t join a circle of colleagues who are anxiously discussing answers. If you discuss the answers in this way beforehand, it is likely you will get confused when you are in the exam. Use the reading time to survey the allocation of marks and decide which areas you will tackle first. Remember to complete the areas you find easiest first: this will infuse you with confidence and ensure you have some marks ‘up your sleeve’. Keep track of time during the exam period, and if you are labouring on a question that has few points and many steps, move on!

Web Links

Exam Strategies

Exam Study Guide and other useful study tips

Basic Tips

Dealing with exam-related anxiety

Relevant Survival Guides: Study Skills

Review

Burns, Richard. The Student’s Guide to Passing Exams. London: Kogan Page, 1995. [88 pages]

This brief, practical guide is essentially a step-by-step set of instructions that shows students how to prepare for the exam period, right up to ‘the big day’ and the post-exam review. Burns’ focus is on self-management, including tips for creating a manageable and realistic study timetable that includes wellbeing as part of study, as well as exam excellence. This book is perfect for any student who is bewildered by the examination process, or who would like to brush up on skills to maximise success.

One of the most useful aspects of Burns’ guide is its student-centred approach. There is an entire chapter dedicated to assisting students in defining the workload, which encourages us to create realistic goals and to focus on key issues. This limits the possibility of being overwhelmed and helps us gain a sense of our own capacities, abilities and direction during exam time.

In exams, there is nothing worse than receiving a low mark for an answer you knew but couldn’t clearly express. Burns shows, in a simple and accessible manner, how to write effectively to maximise the transmission and legibility of your knowledge. After all, your knowledge isn’t going to score good grades unless it is well communicated to your marker! In addition to this, Burns includes strategies for tackling notes and recall, as well as the exam itself. Overall, it is a useful guide for university students.

Reviewed books can be borrowed from Student Services
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