Tips on How to Write Exams

The importance of effective exam writing

So many students spend hours and hours studying and memorizing course content, only to underperform on their exams. When effort and results don't align, this can impact students' confidence, motivation, and belief in their abilities.

Luckily, there are tricks that can help you get the highest marks out of your preparation.

Each course requires a different strategy

Some courses require memorization and remembering large amounts of information, with little demand for interpretation or critical thinking. Exams for these courses, such as general biology, are more straightforward and the amount of time studying generally correlates with exam results.

Other courses, such as mathematics, statistics, physics, and language appraisals, require a solid base of knowledge, but the real difficulty lies in the critical thinking and problem solving component of these exams. These are the courses that students often struggle in, despite putting in long study hours.

The appropriate studying strategy for each exam type

1. Memorization-based courses

   • The emphasis for these courses is to see the material at least three to five times before your exam. The first read-through is to make sure all the concepts are understood, whereas the subsequent reads are to commit details to memory.

   • For content-heavy courses, this can take a long time, so make sure to work backwards and determine the correct starting date for your studying.

   • Rewriting notes is time consuming and inefficient - it is better to take concise, clear notes in class and spend study time reading and reciting.

   • Study with a friend: perfect for quizzing each other and remembering key details.

     
     

2. Problem solving-based courses

   • For problem solving-based courses, it is best to divide your studying into three sections.

     • Phase 1: Read and understand. Read through all material once to make sure you understand the underlying concepts. This should only take a day or two, and be the shortest part of your studying.

     • Phase 2: Practice. There's not much to say here, but to sit down and practice. This can take days or weeks, and should take up the majority of your studying time. Identify patterns for different problem types, and as you gain confidence, simulate exam situations by writing whole solutions without access to the answers.

     • Phase 3: Memorize. The day or days before your exam, memorize necessary formulas, proofs or methodologies. This should be the last step of the studying process.

General exam-writing tips (important !!!!!)

Exams, particularly for problem solving-based courses, are like a performance and require focus.

Being well-rested, energized and hydrated is of utmost importance.

Reducing stress is a must. Stay away from stressed out classmates or friends before writing.

Positive mental attitude. Studies show that your self-talk matters. If you see a difficult question, start by telling yourself "I know how to do this!" before beginning, whether true or not. It will make a world of difference.

Do easy questions first, difficult questions last. A difficult exam question can cause frustration and panic which can derail your entire test. Best to get the easy marks first, and the bonus marks second. This will also help with time management while testing.

Be like a goldfish. If you're blanking on a problem, turn the page and forget it exists. You can always come back to it at the end and try again.

Conclusion

Each course is different. Make sure you're employing the correct study strategy for the correct type of course.

Doing well on tests is not just about knowing the material, but being able to perform on the day of your exam. Much like an athlete must rest before a big competition, the same is true for writing tests - get your rest. Staying up late to absorb extra information rarely works.

Finally, remember that nerves and excitement are the same thing - the only thing that is different between them is your outlook. With time and practice, you can learn to get excited for your exams. This is when you'll truly get the marks you deserve.

Go get 'em.