Exam Tips
Tuesday May 13, 2014
General Tips
• Study!!!
• Start to study now, 20 minutes a day per subject.
• Find out what you don’t know and get help in that area
• Ask a friend or teacher – the sooner the better – during exam times
finding a teacher may be difficult
General Tips
• Study in a quiet, well lit, and distraction free environment
• Distraction free means no music, no Facebook, no computer, no
cellphone – Just the student, their textbook, their notes.
General Tips
• Create a study plan – organize your days and nights according to the
exam schedule.
• Get a copy of the exam schedule, write your exam dates in your
agenda, your cell phone.
• Post the exam schedule on a wall, fridge door etc..
General Tips
• Use the Green Research Guide to help organize thoughts, ideas,
schedules.
• Available on the Earl Haig Library website – password: tdsbresearch
• Ask teachers in May for exam tips
• Keep and frequently review all exam review sheets
General Tips
• Complete, redo, and review all tests, quizzes, worksheets, and
homework questions
• Complete all textbook chapter review questions and exercises.
• Compare your answer, especially the wrong answers, to the correct
answers and state to yourself where and why you were incorrect and
what you can do to prevent this
General Tips
• Know the format of the exam – what type of questions will be asked
and how they will be asked.
• Look for the marks awarded to gauge the importance of the question.
• In general – plan 1 minute per mark
• Write notes on the exam paper – specify that they are notes
General Tips
• Multiple choice questions should be of same length and only the last word shall
change
• Question – where is Earl Haig S.S. located?
• Answer:
• A) It is located in Toronto
• B) It is located in Mississauga
• C) It is located in Amsterdam
• D) It is located in Mexico City
• Two answers shall be easily seen as incorrect and two answers shall be difficult to
choose
General Tips
• Get a good night sleep – stay away from caffeine the day of and the
day before.
• Eat a good breakfast or lunch – full stomach equals a full brain
• Arrive early – 20 minutes before
• Bring your textbook
• Leave electronic devices at home – less distractions the better
General Tips
• From: http://www.topuniversities.com/student-info/health-andsupport/exam-preparation-ten-study-tips
Give yourself enough time to study
Organize study groups with friends
Organize your study space
Take regular breaks
Use flow charts and diagrams
Snack on 'brain food'
Practice on old exams
Plan your exam day
Explain your answers to others
Drink plenty of water
English Exam Tips
• From CL of English – Mark Webster
English Exam Tips
• The English Department schedules exams on the first Wednesday in
May for the Grades 11 and 12 students.
• The benefits of this date are twofold:
• we can give students rich descriptive feedback because we have
the time to mark exams carefully.
• Plus, students are freed up to focus on their many other summates
and exams in June.
English Exam Tips
• Anxiety is Good!
• Remember that stress isn’t bad; it means you care.
English Exam Tips
• Attend all your classes, and don’t be late. Usually the most crucial
part of the lesson happens in the first 20 minutes; when you arrive
late, or you miss classes you erode your own confidence: not good.
• Avoid short cuts. Nothing replaces an in-depth reading of a text.
Movies and internet summaries may help to supplement an
understanding, but often they are the equivalent to junk food for the
mind.
• Focus on the learning not the mark. We tend to do better on
assignments we enjoy, so see if you can glean as much joy from
learning.
Science Exam Tips
• Vocabulary
• Create a glossary of specific vocabulary terms for each unit
• Make flashcards with friends
Science Exam Tips
• Calculations
• Review formulas and where they’re used
• Practice problems from notes and textbook
• Be aware of required problem-solving format (ex. GRASP) for full
marks!
Science Exam Tips
• Labs
• Study all labs: be aware of background information, calculations,
and expected results
• There may be other activities or demonstrations done by the
teacher, as well
• Many labs can be reviewed on YouTube
• Physics review (all grades) is also available at physicshelp.ca
Science Exam Tips
• Notes
• Rewrite notes as summaries, create your own tables and charts
• Create your own shorthand/abbreviations
• Create mnemonic devices, ex. FAST for the speed of refraction, My
Very Excellent Mother Just Served Us Nice Pizza (for the order of
planets…back when Pluto was a planet!)
Guidance Exam Tips
Guidance Exam Tips
Business Exam Tips
• Mostly from notes and the textbook
• Review previous tests and quizzes
• Complete all chapter review questions and exercises
• Expect knowledge, theory, and application type questions
• Usually questions are “stand-alone” so a mistake in one question
doesn’t carry forward to another question
Thank You and Questions