How to Prepare for Examinations

How to Prepare for Examinations
Tiji Thomas
HOD
Department of Computer Applications
MACFAST

Tips for Revision
Maybe there is enough study done, maybe not.
 The idea is to max the performance, and revision has a potent
impact on the performance we register.
 Here are ten proven tips that will give you ample time to prepare
and revise before your exams.

Tips for Revision
1. Start from scratch
 Doing everything, from scratch easily takes 10-15 days.
 You don't have that much time before an exam, esp. if you have
4-6 exams over 2-3 weeks.
 So the only way is to refer to condensed notes.
 Take an A3 sheet or a big chart, and compile all key formulae,
terms etc on it.
 Scan this chart many times in your run up to the exam.

Tips for Revision
 2. Test your memory
 Now that you've scanned your chart, why not make the whole
chart again, from memory.
 Writing, pressuring mind to come up with details, helps anchor all
stuff deep and solid.
 This may take 2-3 hours, but this exercise is extremely
beneficial.

Tips for Revision
3 . 100 items on your list
 You shall discover that every exam has around 50-150 items that
form the entire syllabi, so to say.
 Your chart should have these 100 items listed.
 You can go to Glossary of the subject to identify these 100 items.
 You can go to index at back of a good book, to better identify this
list of 100 items.
 In fact this way, whichever word you aren't clear on, you can
cross-reference the page of the book that item appears on and
get it brushed up.

Tips for Revision
4 Revisit the toughies
 Over the period of preparation, always keep on recording the
tough difficult questions you encounter.
 Over revision, special time should be allocated to revising these.
 This aces you up and allows facing the tough questions set on
the exam you would sit through.


Tips for Revision
5 Form your own questions
 This exercise is truly worth it, in case you are really focused on
excelling on your exam.
 It entails setting up your own version of a full exam paper.
 You study the expected format/ pattern.
 You choose most fitting questions from here and there, of course
after adapting them with due changes.
 You make your own creative questions.
 In case you are short of time, making a small part of the full
exam paper also helps immensely.

Tips for Revision
6 Exchange
 You can swap the paper you set with a friend's and try each
other's mock exams.
 Great fun.
 Maybe a few questions are wrongly designed, but that's ok.
 After all you aren't a professional in exam framing.
 Believe me, the happiness you get on cracking your friend's set
is heavenly.
 Naturally, you would be keyed up with all these initiatives, and
surely score well on the exam you take.

UNIQUE
U –Use your head
N – Note
I – Interval
Q – Question Paper
U – Understand
E – Exercise

Test Anxiety
Exam anxiety is defined as behavioral changes associated with the
feeling of being examined
e.g. at written tests related to courses of study. Is the uneasiness,
apprehension, or nervousness felt by students who had a fear of
failing an exam.

Test Anxiety
 While taking an important exam, I find myself thinking of how
much brighter the other students are than I am.

Types of Exams: The Objective Exam
 Here are some helpful tips when writing an
objective exam:
 Survey the entire exam first to see what kinds of
questions are being asked, length etc.
 Quickly budget for how much time you’ll spend on each
question
 Read over each question carefully
 Answer easy questions first to save time and build
confidence

The Objective Exam
continued…
 Circle any questions you have difficulty with so you
can go back to them at the end of the exam
 For multiple choice, read each option separately
and determine whether each statement is true or
false – GUESS IF YOU DON”T KNOW!
 Leave yourself at least 15 minutes at the end of the
exam to review your answers and ensure you
didn’t make any silly mistakes

Types of Exams: The Essay Exam
 Here are some helpful tips when writing an essay
exam:
 Read over the entire exam first
 Quickly budget for the amount of time you’ll be able to spend
on each question
 Number questions exactly to match the question numbers
 Outline your answer to the question before you begin writing

The Essay Exam
continued…
 Pay attention to key words that indicate what you
are being asked to do
 Start with an intro and end with a conclusion for
each question
 Answer questions directly – don’t beat around the
bush
 Leave time at the end to check for spelling
mistakes, grammar mistakes, clarity of ideas etc.

Examination Writing Tips ( My
experience )
 Management of Examinations
 Pen , Pencil , eraser , Sketch / Color pen etc
 Time Management – Before the Examination and During the Examination
 Question No –
 Title for each answer
 Visualize Scheme of each Question
 Highlight main points in the beginning of the answer
 Underline main points
 Page No for additional Sheets

Examination Writing Tips ( My
experience )
 Order of Answers
 Should give high priority to questions have more marks
 Selections of questions having OR part
 Paper valuation – Examiners
 Preparation for Examination – Combined Study advantages
 Success and Failure - Learning and Blaming

How to Prepare for Examinations

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