Exam technique

Writing Development CentreUniversity Library

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Dr Helen Webster, Dr Caroline CrowOn behalf of the Writing Development CentreRobinson Library

Exam Technique

For enquiries about workshops, please email [email protected]



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Slides are available online

Slideshare

http://www.slideshare.net/WDCNewcastle



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What is exam technique?

'Exam technique' refers to all the skills you need to use in exams other than subject knowledge and understanding. Even if your ability in your subject is very good, your mark may not reflect this if you neglect: Time management Close reading of instructions Planning Good presentation Personal organisation

Exams do not primarily seek to test these skills, but by their nature, they will still require competence in these things to ensure a good performance.



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What do you want to get out of this session?



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Horror Stories….



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How to fail an exam

Getting the time or place of the exam wrong Not reading the ‘rubric’ Misreading the question, not answering the question Doing the wrong number of questions Doing questions from the wrong sections Missing a page or not turning over Focusing on the beginning of the question, not the sections with

higher marks Forgetting forbidden notes or other things you’re not supposed

to have Perfecting one question at the expense of others Getting stuck on the first question and not moving on

April 15, 2023



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Getting some perspective

The lecturers… want you to pass and do well! want to give you marks wherever possible want to see what you know, not what you don’t know

The exams…. are not a test of everything in the curriculum, just your working knowledge test your ability to think on your feet and apply it to new questions under

time pressure- deeper understanding and critical thinking on the day are as important as memory

Rely not just on your knowledge and ability to think on the day, but on exam technique- largely a matter of being calm, sensible and methodical

You… Shouldn’t work excessive hours, but take frequent breaks and time to

relax



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Knowledge

Understanding

Application

Analysis

Evaluation

Synthesis

ideas

connections

extensions

What do exams test?Bloom’s taxonomy (revised)



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Before the exam – fact finding

What practical issues do you need to make sure you know about the exams?



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Checklist

How many exams do you have, and for which modules? Are you registered for them? What days are they on? What dates? What time do they start? How long are they? Where is the location? How will you get there and how long will it

take? What kind of questions will they be? Will there be a mix? Approx how many questions will there be? How many sections?

Does the marking weight differ? Do you have a choice of questions or do you have to do all of them? Do you know what you are allowed to / have to take? What are you

not allowed to take? Do you know how to contact relevant people in the School or Student

Progress if you need to?



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Dealing with the unexpected

Sources of support: The Student Union Advice Centre: Advice on Personal

Extenuating Circumstances and Appeals http://www.nusu.co.uk/welfare/sac/advicepages/academic/

Student Progress: process for Personal Extenuating Circumstances and Appealshttp://www.ncl.ac.uk/students/progress/student-resources/help/

http://www.ncl.ac.uk/students/progress/Regulations/SPS/appeals.htm

Student Wellbeing: Reasonable Adjustments http://www.ncl.ac.uk/students/wellbeing/disability-support/support/examinations.htm

http://www.nusu.co.uk/welfare/sac/advicepages/academic/

http://www.nusu.co.uk/welfare/sac/advicepages/academic/

http://www.ncl.ac.uk/students/progress/student-resources/help/





http://www.ncl.ac.uk/students/wellbeing/disability-support/support/examinations.htm





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The Revision Process: the final stages

select

break

down

Learn

revisit

test

Practise

apply

synthesise

Organise

rework



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Diamond ranking: which last-minute revision activities would be most worth doing?

Memorising new key facts, dates, etc Doing past papers Reading new material which presents

what you’ve learned differently Not doing any revision Testing what you’ve already memorised Question spotting on past papers Reworking material into new formats Testing or revising with a friend Reading over your revision notes Reading over your original lecture notes

and coursework



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The night before…



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Things to do in the exam

Make sure you are actually in the right room on the right day at the right time in the right exam in the right seat.

Make sure you can see a clock and have everything you need / nothing you’re not allowed

When indicated, read the rubric first, then skim the exam paper and check it is as you expect. Check all the pages.

Perform The Calculation* Read through all the questions first and shortlist/select which you’re going

to do by topic Decide in what order you will address the questions (easiest/quickest first)

Analyse your first question carefully and check it says what you think it says. What is it really testing?

Plan your answer briefly (and then cross it out) Write the number or question on the answer paper Write up your answer Read over briefly Move on



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The Calculation

How much time do you have in total? How many questions do you have to do? How many marks are they worth?* Subtract 10 mins at the beginning for reading the paper and planning your

approach (incl for this calculation) Subtract time at the end for reading through and checking all your

answers, and to accommodate slippage Divide the remaining time by the number of questions (*adjusting for

marking weight) (Factor in experience from doing past papers about how much you can

expect to write in that time and allow for slippage) Split the time per question into three – reading and planning, writing,

checking. Don’t panic if you need to abandon a question and move on / come back

to it



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Read and analyse the question

“Candidates are encouraged to read the questions with similar care: several erroneously, if ingeniously, wrote about ‘casual explanation’ rather than ‘causal explanation’. (Examiners report)



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What if….?

What if you go blank? What if you’re running out of time? What if you get stuck halfway through a

question? What if you realise you’ve gone off on a

tangent? What if your first answer is taking ages? What if you think you can’t answer any of the

questions?



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Sources of guidance and support

The Writing Development Centre: one to one tutorials, blog http://www.ncl.ac.uk/students/wdc/

The Student Union: Stressed Out Students events http://www.nusu.co.uk/news/article/6516/SOS-Stressed-Out-Students/

The Chaplaincy: Available for a chat in the Library 13th May – 3rd June (see Robinson Library reception for more details)

Student Wellbeing

http://www.ncl.ac.uk/students/wdc/

http://www.nusu.co.uk/news/article/6516/SOS-Stressed-Out-Students/

http://www.nusu.co.uk/news/article/6516/SOS-Stressed-Out-Students/



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The Writing Development Centre

Understanding assignment types, questions, instructions and marking criteria

Critical thinking, critiquing and reviewing literature Note-taking from lectures and reading Planning and structuring writing (incl. paragraphing) Academic writing style (incl. fundamentals of grammar) Understanding and using feedback to improve your work Referencing, citing and avoiding plagiarism Managing time, work and writing (incl. writers block and

procrastination) Exams and Revision Managing research projects, dissertations and theses Presentations and posters Learning effectively in lectures, seminars, classes, labs etc



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The Writing Development CentreLevel 2, Robinson Library

Our team offers:

- One-to-one tutorials on study skills and all stages and types of academic writing

- A programme of workshops on aspects of study and academic writing

- Online resources

You can book appointments and workshops with us online: http://www.ncl.ac.uk/students/wdc/

http://www.ncl.ac.uk/students/wdc/

Education

Exam technique