1. Under Test Condition Techniques The Learning Centre Semester 1 2017
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2. You have made a positive first step!
Exam study should begin before midpoint of the semester
Curtin exams begin in 3 months. Phew!!!
Now is the ideal time to organise your time.
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3. Get organised today!
Take a blank timetable and block out one hour time slots for exam study.
Don’t forget to make the most of those spare 15 minutes (on the bus, waiting for lectures...).
When do you study best? Are you up with the birds or more of a night owl?
Organise your notes.
Prioritise – which units require more study?
Where will you study?
Adapted from ‘The Learning Centre UNSW, Studying for Exams Some Basic Guidelines’
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4. This is really important!
Goals
Before you begin studying, set yourself goals.
‘By the end of this 50 minutes I will have revised and summarised chapter 2.’
Why are goals so important?
What might happen if you don’t set goals?
Adapted from ‘The Learning Centre UNSW, Studying for Exams Some Basic Guidelines’
This is really important!
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5. Study Groups Share notes Read – summarise – share
Drill each other on key concepts
Swap practice exams – read answers and give feedback.
Celebrate together when it’s all over!!!
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6. Dealing with Different Exam Formats
Mixed format – might be a good idea to do multiple choice section first. Why?
Answering multiple choice might get your mind into gear for short answer and essay sections.
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7. Multiple Choice
How hard can it be? The answers are all right there on the paper!!!
Check to see whether marks are deducted for incorrect answers.
Read the instructions very carefully!
Watch for key terms – usually, every, some, only...
Have a system
Mixed format – might be a good idea to do multiple choice section first. Why?
Answering multiple choice might get your mind into gear for short answer and essay sections.
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8. This is really important!
Multiple Choice
This is really important!
Try to answer the question in your mind before reading the options given!
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9. Multiple Choice
If you have a range of types of questions, do the multiple choice section first.
Leave questions you’re not sure of and come back to them. Ensure you keep your answers in order with the corresponding questions.
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10. Multiple Choice
Look out for cues in the questions that match the correct answer
Check that every part of the answer is correct
Watch out for absolute terms such as never, none, every, always, only, entirely – usually are an extreme or impossible claim
Partial qualifiers such as: ‘sometimes, often, frequently, generally’ open up possibilities in statements and so are often true
Grammatical agreement such as singular/plural
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11. Multiple Choice Exercise. Choose the correct answer for this stem.
Important in feeling pain are:
bone
Ear
Muscle
nerves
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12. Short Answer Tests
Short answer tests require you to demonstrate your knowledge on specific topics clearly and concisely.
Write your answers in direct sentences that contain all the information you can remember that relates to that question.
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13. Short Answer Tests
For example, in the question ‘ Describe the various challenges students might experience in their first year at university’ the words describe, various and might all give you clues as to how to answer the question, while the words challenges, students, first year, and university tell you what content your answer needs to cover.
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14. Essay Exams
Do NOT simply memorise an essay that you have prepared as a response to a former exam question!
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15. Essay Exams
Instead, it is much better to memorise relevant quotations, facts, passages or statistics from your set texts and then, in your planning time, to organise this information into a strong response to the question.
Break down the Essay Question so you know the directive verb and the key terms to include in your Introduction to get you started.
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16. Essay Exams Read questions carefully.
Do the easiest question first – that will give your brain time to warm up!
Underline key words.
Work out HOW MUCH TIME you can spend on each essay.
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17. Essay Exams First, PLAN your essay
If you go blank with the plan – start writing a middle paragraph of the essay and key points may come to you.
If you start to run out of time, jot down as many notes as you can. You will be given points for every relevant part that you write.
Keep to your worked out time allocation for each question.
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18. During the Exam
Settle in as quickly as possible, and avoid distractions.
Check the instructions on the exam paper.
Start with an overview of the paper.
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19. During the Exam
Identify those questions you can answer or prefer to attempt.
Eliminate those which you can’t answer or prefer to avoid, if you have the choice. Answer these after you feel more confident by answering the questions you are more sure of.
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Source: Charles Sturt University’s ‘Exam Preparation Notes’. p. 4.
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20. Tackling the Questions
The easiest strategy is to start with your favourite or most prepared topic. This will give you a sense of confidence, and promote your fluency.
However, you might like to start with a more difficult question, which has the advantage that you are tackling the more difficult question in a fresher state.
Divide your question time. The value of the questions will determine how much time you allocate to each question.
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21. Reflection just before
When? About one hour before exam begins.
Where? Somewhere comfortable, near the venue, and where good coffee is served!
What? Write down whatever comes into your head about the exam topic/s.
Why? Clears your head of any negative thoughts so you’re ready to focus on the exam.
It works!
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22. Reflection just after
When? Within 24 hours after you have completed the exam.
Where? Somewhere comfortable, without distractions!
What? Note down the exam experience, considering what went well and what you would have liked to have gone better.
Why? It helps you to be better prepared for the next exam experience.
It helps!
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23. Know that
Your tutors and lecturers are on your side. They want you to do well.
If you have worked throughout the semester and prepared for your exams, then you have done all that you can do.
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24. Any Questions?
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