Preparing and Taking Exams - Essay Example

PREPARING AND TAKING EXAMS 05-FEB-2009 INTRODUCTION If you have those jitters before an important exam or a test, you can draw comfort from the fact that you are not alone among those who suffer from “pre-test anxiety”. There are countless others who have what are called “a bout of nerves” before an important exam. No matter how well prepared you are and how comfortable you feel, having some sort of stress before an exam is normal. There are cases of students “blanking out” during the exams and those who do not turn up at the exam hall due to the fear associated with tests. In this paper, we list some strategies to prepare for exams and how to take them in your stride. PREPARING FOR EXAMS When preparing for an exam, you should remember that grades are not everything. Yes! They are indicators of how much you have grasped the basics of the subject and how well versed you are with the subject matter. According to Ellis (2000), “Tests are not a matter of life and death”. Hence, remember that life is like a marathon with several milestones in between. Though it is important that you cross each milestone, it is equally important that you cover the entire race as well. Your staying power and your perseverance see you through the whole journey called life. Tests and exams are just stepping stones for a career or a job and hence as mentioned above, indicative parameters. The exams test your ability to recall and your grasp of concepts. Before you start the preparation for the test, set your goals clearly on what you want from the test and how much you can get. There is something called the SMART criteria that translate to Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely. These criteria can be used to assess your chances of getting a good grade. Try to be realistic about your chances of getting the grade that you desire. There is a difference between aspiration and actual performance. As Walter (1974) states in his book, the chances of getting the grade that you want depend on a combination of your preparation and how well you know yourself. This means that you have to work towards a goal and have a plan. Do not try and read everything in the textbook but, read the content in such a way that you have covered the basics and the most important of the study matter. We have listed some suggestions for you to consider before preparing for an exam. - Ensure that you list all topics to be covered. Do not miss any topic or chapters in a text book just because you are not comfortable with the topic. Remember that the test may have any questions from anywhere in the textbook. - Make notes for each chapter of the textbook and memorize the important details in each. You should take the help of bullet points and memory notes to ensure that you have covered the relevant material. - Use what are called as Mnemonics. These are notes and anagrams that help you remember the key points in a particular topic without going too much into the detail for each. Learn to work smart instead of working hard. TAKING THE EXAM Now we come to the actual part of the test itself. You could have prepared for months on end and crammed all the material. You may have been the best student in class but, unless you “peak” on the exam day, all your efforts would have gone down the drain. In sports terminology, there is something called “form” and “class”. While taking a test, remember that you need both of these to succeed. There are some words that you should know to spot in the questions to get a good idea of what you should answer and how you should answer them. You should know the subtle distinctions between those to ensure that you have made a difference to the test. For instance, you may think that both contrast and compare are the same. However, according to Lincoln (1968), the former asks you to look for similarities whereas the latter asks you to look for differences. We have listed some suggestions that you can follow while taking a test: - Read the directions carefully. There is often a subtle difference in the way the question is worded. You may wonder about the inflection or the sequence of words. Hence, pay careful attention to the question in totality before you proceed to answer the same. - You may skim through the question paper to see if you have can find questions that need to be answered immediately or you have top of the mind recall for the answers. You can answer these questions right away and deal with the rest later. - Try to be specific with regards to your answers. Do not ramble and write lengthy answers that do not address the main point of the question. Break down the question into sub-topics if that suits your purpose. - Write the answer like you would write an essay. Have an introduction, body and conclusion. Include a thesis statement and derive your answer from it. Back your conclusions with data and jot down all the relevant points that you would like to be answered. - Be conscious of the time that you are taking to answer each question. As Jason (1969) states, you need to “pace yourself” throughout the test and not give in to panic at the end when you suddenly realize that you are running out of time. Till now we have focused on the actual preparation and taking the tests. Over and above that, your state of mind on the day of the test is equally important. Arrive at the exam hall well in advance and use a route that you are familiar with. Wear comfortable clothes and carry stationery with you so that you do not have to depend on others. If electronic aids are allowed like calculators, make it a point to take them with you. CONCLUSION Tests and exams can be an exciting part of your student life if approached in the right way. They need not be occasions for nightmares and instead you can derive pleasure from them as well. After you have graduated, tests and exams and the preparation that you have made for them will remain with you throughout your life. In conclusion, prepare well, work smart and keep your cool during the test. There is no reason why you would not be able to do well and get the grade you deserve. Sources Deese, James and Ellin K. Deese (1979). How To Study (3rd ed). New York: McGraw-Hill, Inc. Millman, Jason and Walter Pauk (1969). How to Take Tests. New York: McGraw-Hill. Ellis, D. (2000). Becoming a Master Student. Canadian 3rd edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. p. 167. Pauk, Walter. (1974) How To Study In College (2nd Ed). Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co. Read More