Reflecting on ‘assessment’
2. The variety of approaches to assessment
Surviving exams
For many reasons there are some students who consider the exam system
stressful and unfair. Ultimately, however, the fact remains
that exams have to be faced, until such time as an alternative is
arrived at. By far the best way to prepare for exams is to
work steadily throughout term-time from the first day of lectures. A
few additional ideas and strategies for improving your confidence and
your performance in exams will be presented below.
- Look at your attitude to exams; try to see them as
something positive. Challenge disabling beliefs: at times of
stress thinking negatively increases our anxiety.
- Make sure your lifestyle gives you the best possible
chance, by eating well, getting time to relax and getting enough sleep.
- Make your revision count by:
- Planning and selecting which topics to revise (see
unit, ‘Planning: setting goals and prioritising’).
- Drawing up and sticking to a revision timetable,
with
time for breaks and emergencies built in (see unit,
‘Organising and managing your time’).
- Using active learning techniques to make sure the
information gets into your brain and stays there.
- Use past exam papers, if relevant.
- Practice your handwriting, attempting a full-length
answer, under timed conditions – particularly if you are not
naturally a Read/Write learner (see unit, ‘Exploring your
learning preferences’).
- To recall what you revise you could use mind maps,
mnemonics, numbers, rhymes, etc. depending on your learning preferences
(see link in last point).
- Before the exam: check all logistics: time, place,
materials you need, etc. Don’t stand near to people
who panic! Try to remain calm – take some private
time rather than going over notes with others at the last minute.
- In the exam, take time to calm and focus yourself,
read the whole paper through carefully before you do anything else,
select the questions you plan to answer and allocate a start and stop
time to each one, leaving yourself a little extra time at the end for
reading back over what you’ve written.
- Reread the questions you’ve chosen to make
sure you know exactly what’s required, identify the key words
and keep reading the question every now and again to check
you’re still answering it.
Here are a few ideas and strategies for improving your confidence and your performance in exams: http://www.palgrave.com/skills4study/mp3s/exam_prep_final.mp3
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