Exam Workshop – Revise and De-stress
4 May 2016
Helen Green
Teaching and Learning
Centre
Adam Sandelson
LSE Student Counselling Service
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Today’s session
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Exam revision: the last few weeks
Exam psychology
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Exam revision: the last few weeks
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Plan your time
Practice exam skills
Take advantage of revision support
Helen Amelia Green
Teaching and Learning Centre
Plan your time
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Consider the exams you have, the number
of days until your exams, then plan for a
number of revision sessions per exam.
Figure out what works for you.
e.g. 1.5 hours x 4 or 5; 3 hours x 3
Work regularly, but take breaks / weekends.
An example…
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Four exams, three in one week (8-18 June)
Three half-unit courses, one full unit course
Three “sessions” per day, from 12 May
SO468
LL4BB
GV4A5
HY436
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Find the rhythm that works best for you.
Vary each day’s work.
Take breaks.
Allot revision time for each exam.
23 sessions for SO468
19 sessions for LL4BB
20 sessions for GV4A5
19 sessions for HY436
Work your way up to the exam
week 1 compile and review notes
review past exam papers
develop arguments in response to past questions
week 2 practice timed outline answers (10-15 mins.)
review and “upgrade” your outlines (using notes)
week 3 write timed outline answers (different perspective?)
write 2 or 3 timed essays (outline + body) daily
review and discuss essays
“upgrade” using notes and course materials
week 4 write timed essays (2 or 3 in a row) daily
review, discuss, “upgrade”, and try again
Practice exam skills
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Write legibly.
Answer the question in the time available.
Organise your writing to flow logically.
Demonstrate the skills / techniques / knowledge
of the course and the discipline.
GOOD NEWS: writing essays, making a point in
seminar discussions, recognising arguments and
evidence in texts are all part of exam skills!
Qualitative topic exams & timing
For one-hour essays
• Contains around 800-1000 words: an introduction, 4 or 5
paragraphs, and a conclusion (BUT, quality over quantity!).
• The introduction answers the question and outlines the
argument in support of this answer.
• Each paragraph begins with a clear statement that helps
answer the question; and combines reference to the
literature and other sources to justify and support the
main idea of the paragraph in a detailed and convincing
manner.
• The conclusion summarises the argument and discusses
the ‘so what’ (wider perspective).
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9
3
6
Read all the questions on the
exam paper.
• Eliminate those you do not
wish to answer.
• Make a “short list” of
possible questions.
• Review your short list,
reading each question
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again, carefully.
• Decide which questions you
will answer, in which order.
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3
6
12
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3
6
“Question the question”
(around 10 minutes)
Determine and make notes on
•What is the question asking
you to do?
•What is the main point you’d
like to make?
•How can you justify and
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support this point?
•What kind of examples would
be relevant?
•Which texts or studies could
be helpful to make the
argument?
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3
6
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3
6
Write your introduction
(5-10 minutes)
Based on the first 10 minutes’ work,
write the introduction of the essay.
• Present your interpretation of the
question, with relevant
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definitions of key terms.
• Concisely give your response to
the question – the point that
you’ll make in the essay.
• Indicate how you will organise
the argument (the plan for the
essay).
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3
6
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3
6
Write the main body of the essay
(around 30 minutes)
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Following the plan you gave in the
introduction, develop the main parts
of your argument.
Refer back to your ideas that you
noted and
3 developed in the first 10
minutes.
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6
12
9
3
6
Write your conclusion
(5-10 minutes)
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9
6
Restate the question you set out to
answer; re-iterate your answer to
the question – the main point you
wanted to make.
• Explain why this matters: what
are 3the implications of your
point?
• What might it mean for practice
or for theory in your field?
Practice exam skills
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Practice developing and outlining arguments, and
writing introductions (the first 20 minutes).
Practice writing full essays (55 minutes).
Practice writing 2 or 3 essays in a row, in 2 or 3
hours AT LEAST ONCE before your exam.
Take advantage of revision support
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Course revision sessions
Understand the markers’ perspective, prepare
specific questions.
Office hours
Seek feedback on ideas and essay plans (not on
minute details).
Study groups
Read each other’s essays, try the same questions,
discuss and debate approaches.
other resources
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one-to-one help with a study adviser, Royal Literary Fellow
studysupport@lse.ac.uk
TLC podcasts, Episode 11: Preparing and revising for exams
lse.ac.uk/tlc/podcasts
exam preparation series, 2016
LT8
LT9
LT10
ST1
Planning and preparing for exams: an overview
Using past exam papers for revision
Quantitative exam preparation
Final preparations and sitting the exam
All of these sessions were recorded. Slides and video are
available on MOODLE > Teaching and Learning Centre >
Learning Development > Exams .
In a nutshell…
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Plan your revision time, allot time for each course.
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Practice what you will need to do during the
exam– answer questions or solve problems.
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Practice under exam conditions, with a pen and
paper, without notes, in the allotted time.
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Read your essays and review your problem sets,
identify gaps or weaknesses, upgrade and improve
using your notes and course materials.
Exam Psychology
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Practical techniques for revision and
exams
Common psychological issues
Stress management skills
Adam Sandelson
LSE Student Counselling Service
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Part 1
Techniques for
dealing with
revision and
exams
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Revising well
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Don’t compare yourself to
others
Work out your own schedule,
be flexible if necessary
Explore ways/ places to work
Don’t be obsessive!
Talk to others, ask for help
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Time and Targets
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Set realistic and achievable goals
Break down huge tasks
Short term targets and longer term
strategies
Recognise your achievements
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Focussing on the task
Concentrate on the task, not the outcome
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Remember past successes
Recognise you are likely to pass
Be methodical, and allow time for breaks
and space to breathe and think
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Use mind maps, scribble ideas
Go for a walk, talk out loud
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On the day of the exam
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Don’t cram, sleep
Relax, visualize it being OK
Read the question
Sketch out thoughts, mind map
Plan answers
Keep notes for later questions
After – avoid show-offs
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Part 2
Psychological Issues in
approaching revision
and exams –
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Family Dynamics
Procrastination
Revision Blocks
Perfectionism
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Underlying dynamics
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The family / historic context for your
success, eg keeping the family together
Trying to please others
Wanting to be the best
Setting yourself impossible targets
Repeating past anxiety, fear of failure
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Dynamics of study, work, life ...
Past
relationships
Current
relationships
Relationship
with LSE or
exams or
or work or …
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Why do you procrastinate?
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time management
inability to prioritise
anxiety
boredom
fear of failure
perfectionism
all-or-nothing thinking
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Overcoming revision blocks
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Stop new reading if this is avoidance
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make notes, summarize ideas, list key quotes…
Practice questions
Practice drafting bullet points
Take a break/sleep on it/talk to someone
Talk to your mobile!
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Challenge perfectionism
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Perfectionism can reduce achievement.
Experiment with your standards for success
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Focus on the process not just the end result
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try for 80% or even 60%
evaluate success in terms of what you
accomplished and whether you enjoyed the task
Challenge ‘all or nothing’ thinking
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Part 3
Stress Management Skills
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Stress Management Skills
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Regularly switch off - physical activity
Good self care – sleep, diet, caffeine, alcohol
Allow yourself time off without guilt
Challenge negative thoughts - are they
realistic?
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Thinking errors
1.
All or nothing thinking
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Discounting the positive
3.
Emotional Reasoning
If I feel it then it must be
true
4.
Overgeneralizing - especially
from a past bad experience
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LSE Student Counselling
Service
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Free and confidential
Short term counselling
Appointments need to be booked in advance
Drop in sessions – each day at 3.00
Relaxation MP3’s
Links to self help resources on a wide range
of student issues, including study – related
and personal difficulties
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