Exams

For those students who have yet to take them Notes provides seven strategies

The big day has arrived. You have done hours and hours of revision - well, at least given your books a brief look over - and your exams are finally here. As you enter the room, your mind goes blank, you start to sweat and you feel sick!

Does this sound familiar or are you one of those lucky people who never suffer from exam nerves?

Whichever group you might fall in and however much - or little - you have prepared, there are seven simple strategies you can use to improve your exam performance.

Try not to panic

We know it is easy for us to say - we are not the ones sitting the exam. But it is really important that you try to keep calm and focus your mind and energy. If you suffer very badly from exam nerves it is worth learning some relaxation techniques and practising them in the weeks leading up to the exams.

Once you enter the exam room and are seated at your table, close your eyes for a few seconds, place your hands on the table and take some deep breaths.

Try to clear your mind of everything and picture the subject of the exam as a whole. Focus on a visual image of the subject for a little while, and then see how much calmer you feel when you open your eyes.

Read the whole exam paper carefully

This may sound obvious, but you would be surprised how many people miss out questions because they don't turn the paper over and see the questions on the back. Look at every page in detail. Take at least five minutes to read the instructions and all the questions carefully.

In many exams you are given reading time, so make good use of it. Read all the questions and think how you would answer each one.

Sometimes you are not allowed to write during reading time, but even if you are, it is a good idea to just take the time to think about each question rather than trying to answer it straight away.

Follow the instructions

You probably think this goes without saying, but believe us, many students lose marks or even fail because they do not follow instructions.

For example, if the question asks for an essay, don't write a series of bullet-pointed notes; and if you are asked to show how you worked something out, don't just give the final answer.

Similarly, if you are asked to give four examples or reasons, give four - not two or six or even worse, none!

The instructions should clearly tell you how many questions you have to answer from which sections. Make sure you answer the correct number of questions. If you find the instructions confusing, don't be afraid to ask the invigilator to help you clarify what you have to do.

Of course, it is an excellent idea to find out the format of the exam before you take it. But still read the instructions carefully during the exam just in case something has changed.

Pay attention to the weightage given to questions
Before you start writing, work out how long you should spend on each question according to the marks for each.

For example, if you have one hour and you have three questions of equal weightage you should spend 20 minutes on each question. It may be tempting to ignore this and spend more time on the questions you know well, but you may lose marks in the long run.

Remember, even if you get full marks in one question, if it is only worth 10 per cent of the total marks, you could fail the exam.

Manage your time

Once you have taken the weightage of the questions into account and the length of time you should spend on each question, you really need to keep a close eye on the time. You should be able to see a clock in the exam room (you can ask for one if you can't see it), or you can put your watch on the desk.

Try to stick to your time plan. Even if you haven't finished a question in the allotted time, move on to the next one and come back to it later. This will help you in the long run.

So many students write brilliant answers to one question and then run out of time on the others. Unfortunately, they end up with poor marks just because they did not manage their time well.

Answer the actual questions

Yes, we know this shouldn't have to be said, but so many times students seem to ignore the actual question and try to write down everything they know about the topic.

Before you start writing, underline the key words in the question and refer to them in your answer. You will get far more marks if you link your answer directly to the question.

Be extra careful to answer the actual exam question, particularly if the question is similar to the ones you have practised. You should also remember that you don't have to answer the questions in the order they appear on the paper.

It is a good idea to begin with the ones you can answer well and leave the difficult ones until later. This gives you more confidence and helps you settle into the exam. Even in a multiple choice exam, do the easy ones first and leave the ones you are not sure about until later.

Check your work

You should always leave yourself at least 10 minutes at the end of the exam to check your work. You will be surprised at how many mistakes you find - and how many more marks this will get you. Read carefully through your answers and cross out any parts you do not want the examiner to read.

Make sure you have clearly identified which questions you are answering. It is very frustrating for examiners when a student just launches into the answer without indicating the topic or the number of the question.

If you follow these seven strategies we can't guarantee you will pass every exam, but you will certainly improve your chances of getting good marks.

Remember to keep calm and think carefully as you answer the paper. Exams are your opportunity to show how much you know, so go ahead and impress your teachers.

Dr Lejla Vrazalic and Lois Smith are award-winning educators and teaching/learning researchers at the University of Wollongong in Dubai