Preparing for Exams

General Comments

Preparing for exams should begin right from the start of each semester.  Be on the alert from the start of the term for clues your teachers will drop as to what might be covered on exams.  Be alert to favourite themes and concepts to which the teacher keeps returning.

Ask your teacher what type of exam it will be, i.e., multiple choice, essay, etc., and for what material you are responsible.

Begin your review with your class notes. Next move to textbook material that is required reading and which relates to the lectures.  Then review required reading unrelated to lecture content.  Finally review recommended readings.

Give some thought to how much time you will allot to your review for a test or exam.  Obviously the amount of time should reflect the weight given the test in determining your mark for the course.  At the time of mid-term and final exams it is particularly important that you allocate sufficient time for each exam.  Establish a schedule and pace yourself accordingly.

Review the night before a test, but be sure to get a good night’s sleep.  Don’t try to cram too much information in your head the night before the exam.  Limit yourself to class notes and focus on the most important material.

Have an adequate breakfast or lunch prior to an exam to get your blood sugar (energy level) up.

Allow sufficient time to get to your exam so that you don’t have to rush.  When you arrive at the location of the test stay by yourself; don’t become involved in the hysterical conversation so characteristic of anxious students just prior to an exam.  It is too late to cram at this point.  Just keep your mind on something neutral.  No negative thoughts; no anticipation of what lies ahead – these thoughts only generate anxiety.

Do not become depressed by low test scores.  Review our exam paper carefully after it is scored, and learn from your mistakes.

Essay Tests

Essay test questions usually require that course material be well integrated and organized in your mind and that the information be committed to memory.  Themes are concepts are emphasized.  Specifics and details are less important.

How to Prepare:

• Anticipate what the questions might be.

• Organize the course material around a number of key themes, concepts, or principles.

• Formulate questions around these themes and develop answers in outline form to these questions.

• Include some examples and facts to illustrate and substantiate your points.

• Commit answers to memory.

• Practice recalling the outlined material without looking at your notes.

Writing the Test:

• Allocate the time you have to the questions to be answered.  Some questions may be worth more points so they should be given more time.

• Read the test questions carefully.  Underline key words in the question.

• Consider the question from your perspective and try to appreciate what your teacher might be looking for.

• Jot down a few words representing points you will cover.  Go directly to the heart of the matter.

• Illustrate and document general statements with specific names, dates, examples, etc.

• Keep your penmanship legible.

• If you begin running out of time, list things in point form.

Essay Test Strategy

T.O.W.E.R.

Think about the question.  Write jot notes in the margin.

Outline jot notes into a logical sequence. 

Write a draft.

Edit draft.

Rewrite

Short Answer and Fill-In-The-Blank Questions

How to Prepare:

• Study in more detail than with broad essay questions.

• Anticipate what material is likely to be covered on such a test and commit it to memory.

• Fully understand the definitions, principles, laws, etc., but don’t spend time integrating the material into themes.

• Practicing the new terms must be done on an on-going basis.
• The use of 3x5 inch index cards is very useful for learning new words

Short Answer Test Taking Strategy

• Read the question carefully.  Look for clue words before the blanks (a, an, the these, those, they).
  
• Answer the question making sure the answer “fits” the question.

• If you are stuck, flag the question and come back to it.  Often the answer can be found in another question.

Tests Involving Problems Such as Math and Accounting

How to Prepare:

• These tests will probably consist of a number of problems.

• Do the problems given as homework or lab work for these courses and practice similar problems on your own.  Enough problems and variations on the problems must be done so that procedures, steps, principles, etc. become second nature.

• In subjects like accounting, math and electronics the material builds on itself.  Each segment of the course of study requires mastery of proceeding material.  Weekly mastery of small sections of material through homework problems is required to master the highly complex and interrelated structure of knowledge that comprises these academic disciplines.

Multiple Choice Tests

How to Prepare:

• Course material should be studied in detail.

• Don’t need to memorize material.

• You will be called upon to recognize the correct or best answer, not to recall it from memory.

• Have to understand the material and be able to apply it.

• Questions will often involve the application of the material in complex situations requiring judgment, insight, and in-depth knowledge.

Writing the Test:

• Begin by reading the instructions carefully.

• Pace yourself by determining how many questions you must complete one quarter of the way through the test.

• When you are one quarter of the way through the time, take note of how many questions you have completed and adjust your speed accordingly.

• Haste can result in misreading a question, or failure to comprehend its full meaning.

• Important to absorb every word in a question and appreciate the complete meaning and intent of the question.

• Read slowly.

• Underline key words and elements.

• Rephrase or translate the question into your own words to make sure you understand the more difficult questions.

• Consider all the data in a question, but do not assume that all the data are relevant to answering the question.

• Cross out any distracters.

• With the test question clearly in mind, you are ready to consider each alternative answer.

• Read each answer carefully.

• Eliminate those answers that are incorrect or have little merit re-read the question and make your choice from the remaining answers.

• Do not be fooled into favouring answers simply because they contain impressive technical jargon or familiar phrases from your textbook.

• Don’t skip questions of which you are unsure.

Intelligent Guessing Strategies

Research shows that use of “Intelligent Guessing Strategies” can significantly raise test scores. Learn the following strategies and use them when all else fails!

Statements/Words Most Likely to be True

• The most “general” statement
• The most complete statement

• “All of the Above”

• The longest choice

• If two choices are opposite, choose one of them

• Answers in the middle, especially with the most words

Statements/Words Most Likely to be False

• Absolute statements

• Unfamiliar/unknown words and phrases

• Humorous alternatives, insults or jokes

• If alternatives range in value, eliminate the two extremes

• Statements that contain reasons or qualifying answers

• If two choices are nearly the same, choose neither one