PREPARING For TESTS and EXAMS

PREPARING for TESTS and EXAMS
TEST PREPARATION:
How do you overcome exam anxiety to perform well on exams?
The answer is simple: be prepared!! This preparation has to begin from day one o the course; it is
based on strategic revision. Regular and spaced learning is far, far superior to last–minute cramming.
A/LECTURE REVISION
- Take notes thoroughly and regularly

- Review your notes immediately after each lecture to avoid any confusion or lacking
information.
- Revise each weekend: dedicate a special time for revision (other than for doing homework or
specific assignments).It should be about learning your notes and other materials as if you had
an examination on the topics the following day.
- Revise your lecture notes and other materials and write a list of the three most examinable
topics from each lecture or reading assignment.
What are the benefits of regular revision?
B/REVISON for TESTS and EXAMS:
-Consult your syllabus and take special note of any comments made about assessments. Note
particularly the different types of quizzes, tests and examinations which are scheduled.
- Draw up a timetable: precise how much time you have to revise, given potential ‘emergencies’
-In case it is the end of the semester/year exam revision, schedule intense revision over at least a
three-week period. Make a plan which specifies the time devoted for each subject-matter
-Organise your notes and select what to revise: the most important theories, references, and
evidence for each topic.
-Condense the content of your chosen topics into brief summary notes.
-Use any technique to memorise important information: mind maps, index cards, grids, outlines...
-Use past exam papers, if possible. Look for patterns of recurring on and practicing a range of
answers to possible exam questions without looking at your notes; this will help you identify the areas
that need more work and increases your ability to think and write under pressure.
-Prepare yourself for answering different types of questions (multiple-choice sections, short answer
questions: or major essay questions)
-Build up writing speed by practicing writing anything at speed every day.
-Meet with a classmate (rather able to and committed) to compare notes and discuss on the examinable
topics.
How should students prepare for specific exams? (Multiple-choice exams (MCQ).Short answer
questions, Essay questions)
1
C/PRACTICAL ADVICE about EXAM and TEST PREPARATION
-Try to get to bed early enough so you can get a reasonable night sleep. But, if you are a heavy
sleeper, set two alarms with one on the far side of the room.
-Early morning revision on exam day:it will help to get your mind primed and prepped for the
assessment .That early morning session should be just a light scan of the notes. I t is not the time to
challenge your mind with new difficult concepts. Be confident that you have well revised and that you
will perform well on the exam. Make sure you take all the necessary equipments. Have an adequate
nutrition.
-At the exam venue: arrive early to the exam. In order to keep calm and maintain rational thinking
during this crucial period, stay removed from your classmates
-In the exam room: Once you have entered the examination room, you will not be permitted to
consult your notes .After the exam papers have been distributes and you have been given the ‘go
ahead( signal, jot down quickly any notes which you think you might forget .Having noted these
points, you can then proceed with calmer mind.
What if you discover a chapter or article which you have forgotten?

What if you find difficulty in trying to sleep the night before exams?
D/MEMORISING TECHNIQUES:
You can try different techniques to help you remember. Some people use letters, some images, even
songs. Each depends on how comfortable you are with, or how useful they are to your way of thinking.
1. Acronyms: An acronym is an invented combination of letters. Each letter is a cue to, or
suggest a, item you need to remember ,eg.ROY G.BIV, the colors of the visible spectrum
(Red, Orange,Yellow,Green,Blue,Indigo,Violet)
2. Rhyme –Keys: (for ordered or unordered lists):first, memorize key words that can be
associated with numbers ,example: bun=one, shoe= two, tree=three, door=four, hive=five, etc.
Create an image of the items you need to remember with key words.
3. Chaining: (for ordered or unordered lists): create a story where each word or idea you have
to remember cues the next idea you need to recall. If you had to remember the words Napoleon
,ear ,door, and Germany, you could invent a story of Napoleon with his ear to a door is
listening to people speak in German.
4. Active listening: discuss what you are trying to learn with friends. Listen to your voice saying
or reading in. Tape yourself. Exaggerate. Use accent. Be dramatic.
5. Repetition or over-learning: Go over information at least three times. Check back again.
6. Writing things down: in your own words, write things out over and over again.
2
2) TEST TAKING
1) Read the whole exam paper carefully before starting to answer.
2) Read each question at least twice to work out what it means. Follow all instructions.
3) Plan time well, and use all the available time.
4) Answer questions but avoid irrelevant details.
5) HAVE A LEGIBLE HANDWRITING!!
6) Check your paper to see that you recorded correctly your name, student number and any other
requested details. Look over your answers and correct any misspellings or grammatical mistakes.
7) Remember, a good examiner will expect you to know well any basic course topic but also
relationships between the different concepts, as well as their implications and assumptions.
8) Quality and relevance are more important in exams than quantity. Concise answers can get high
marks.
9) Keep focused on the exam during the exam. One way to help maintain your concentration is to take
frequent, but short breaks during the actual exam.
10) In case of a block, practise a brief relaxation exercise. Then, draw a rectangle on some scrap
paper. Write the key topics of the question in the centre of the rectangle and then try to write four
associated ideas, items, correlates or whatever, one at each of the corners. You will probably find that
something relevant will come in mind.
3)DEALING with ACADEMIC and EXAM ANXITY/THINKIN MORE

POSITIVELY
Negative thoughts or fears of failure or of low performance cause to become reticent in certain
academic situations. For example, getting started on major projects and speaking in class. However,
the pressure of the exams should stimulate you to acknowledge areas that need more work. You can
view this pressure negatively, as stress and likelihood of failure, or positively, as a challenge
encouraging you to move forward. In order to reduce anxiety, try to adopt the following steps:
-Forget about past experiences and take steps to prevent the anxiety from recurring.
-Be well prepared for your classes to increase your chance of performing to the best of your ability.
-TUF approach: Try to participate in class, Use the skills frequently to increase their strength, and so
move to confidence and fluency, and try to turn the learning situation into Fun so that to learn more
easily.
-Practice relaxation exercise twice a day for a period of about three months.
-Work with positive-minded people.
-Work gradually to small goals.
-Speak to a professional counsellor at the university.

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PREPARING for TESTS and EXAMS

- Take notes thoroughly and regularly

B/REVISON for TESTS and EXAMS:

What if you discover a chapter or article which you have forgotten?

3)DEALING with ACADEMIC and EXAM ANXITY/THINKIN MORE

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