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Survival of the Fittest: How to Ace Your Exams
It’s that time of year again: thousands of Canadian students are facing a blitz of exams, and the pressure is on! If you think pulling all-nighters is just part of the game, think again: there are better, more effective ways to make the grade. Studentawards.com and Thomson Nelson have partnered to bring you the following tips and advice, to help make sure you find yourself at the head of the class.
Serene Surroundings: Create Your Ideal Study Space
To make the most of your study time, examine where, when, how and what your study characteristics are:- Concentration is key: determine your optimal study environment, whether it’s at the library or your home, at a desk or on the sofa.
- Timing is everything: mornings or evenings, during the day or after work; pre- or post workout? Figure out when you’re at your sharpest, then plan your study sessions ahead of time.
- Total recall: how do you remember information best? Through writing, seeing, reading or hearing?
- Stamina: are you marathon runner or a sprinter? Short spurts or long hauls, make sure you know how long you should be hitting the books at any single time.
Before the Exam: Preparation is Everything!
Boost Your Memory: Mnemonics are tricks and techniques to help you remember complex pieces of information. There are five basic ways to create a mnemonic:- Loci: create a route or path and tie key pieces of information to key locations along your chosen route.
- First Letters: Assign first-letter sequences to remember chronological periods.
- Acronyms: Create memorable acronyms to remember formulas, relationships, and theories.
- Rhymes: Try rhyming key words and phrases to remember historical figures, locations, events and dates.
- Graphics: Use graphics to illustrate equations.
Short Cuts: You can’t read every page of every textbook, and you certainly can’t remember every word of your lecture notes. The trick is to hone in on the most important information, and build your knowledge based on key themes for each course. Here are some short cuts to help you plan and review:- Skimming: Skim over titles, subheads, graphics and illustrations: the editors of your textbook should have already done the work of highlighting and explaining key concepts.
- Reading: Don’t read every word – read the introduction and summary, and the first sentence of every paragraph.
- Evaluate: How much do you really understand the information you are studying? Could you carry on an informed discussion or debate key concepts?
- Write: After reviewing chapters, write your own introductory and summary paragraphs.
The Day of the Exam: Putting Your Best to the Test
Exams come in many shapes and sizes, but the most common elements include a combination of the following question types:
Multiple Choice + True or False Questions- Watch for “qualifiers” or words which give you clues as to the nature of the statement. For instance, absolute terms such as “always, never, and only” leave little room for interpretation and for most questions, indicate a false answer. Relative terms, including “sometimes, possibly, perhaps” broaden possible answers, and are more likely to be “true”.
- Rephrase tricky questions and remove jargon or “junk” words and phrases.
- For multiple choice questions, read the question with the answers covered; if you can answer the question in your head, you can save time by skipping over wrong answers.
Essay Questions:- Compose a detailed outline to keep you on track and prevent meandering answers.
- The more concrete examples you can provide, the better. Use specific dates, events, theorems and historical figures.
- Leave time to proofread your answer, and if you are writing multiple essays, leave a bit of space at the end of each essay, in the event you have time to return to add more information.
Short Answer Questions and Problem Solving:- For short-answer questions, make quick notes before you begin writing and remember to stay on topic – just like essays, include as much concrete detail as you can.
- When it comes to solving problems, write down key formulas before you begin to solve problems. Read over each problem and solve the easiest ones first. And remember to leave plenty of time to proof your answers!
Like these study suggestions? For more great tips on how to prepare for exams, check out the book Learning for Success, Effective Strategies for Students, ISBN 0176415297 and the Student Success Guide rapid reference Permachart ISBN 1554311209 from educational publisher Thomson Nelson. Order at (800) 268-2222 or online at http://hed.nelson.com/
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