Exam Preparation
Exam preparation doesn’t just start in the weeks leading up to the exam – it
actually starts during your very first class! It is a series of steps that includes good
time management and study habits, as well as going to class and being an active
participant. Exam periods are usually one of the busiest times for students.
Assignments are usually due at the same time you need to be preparing and
studying for exams. It is important to balance your exam study time with your
other commitments. To do this you will need to reexamine your priorities at this
time and shift your schedule to accommodate the extra studying time. This might
mean taking time off work, and letting friends and family know that you will be
busy for the next few weeks. Always fall back to how your choices now are going
to impact your short and long term goals.
Test/Exam Preparation begins the first time you walk into a class!
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Attend every class – catch up on information if it’s necessary to miss a class.
Pay close attention – sit at the front.
Take notes to stay engaged.
Ask questions/volunteer answers or observations in an appropriate way.
Complete all assignments.
Review notes immediately after class and practice active learning
strategies.
 Create possible test questions based on what has been covered.
 Make a mind map.
 Review notes again just before the next class.
There are some general things you can do to maximize your preparation and do
well on the exam.
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Review short and often – repetition is the key to remembering.
Start well in advance breaking large subjects down into manageable tasks.
A typical university exam requires 7-10 hours of review and study (spread
out over time!)
Know when and where the exam is going to be
Know the test format (multiple choice, essay etc).
Know the percentage of what the exam will be towards your final grade.
Make sure you’ve found a way to learn and understand the material as
opposed to simply being able to recall it because you’re memorized it.
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Use times that you are most alert and make sure that where you are
studying is free from external distractions.
Study guides and websites of the text books are great resources with
excellent review questions. You should also make sure that you attend the
review class, and go prepared with any questions you have about the
material or test format. Also take advantage of the professor’s office hours
to clarify any material or questions you might have.
A week before a test or exam:
 Start with an over-view: What points were emphasized in class? Where are
your gaps in understanding? Where should you devote most of your
energy?
 Then, make a study checklist – take 15 minutes to prepare an overview of
the material using your notes, text, and syllabus. Outline the major topics
that were covered.
 Next, create summary sheets for each topic on your list. Choose a key
topic and phrase it as a question at the top of the sheet (i.e. what did Freud
believe about the human psyche?). Then write down key phrases or words,
definitions, vocabulary, and points emphasized in class.
 Use your summary sheets by asking yourself the questions you’ve prepared
aloud and answering them as often as you can. Repetition (especially
aloud) is key to shifting information back to our long term memory.
 Review material by working with it (re-read your key points, re-organize
facts into mind maps, make note cards, create charts, etc.)
Predicting Exam Questions
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Check your notes and text for highlighted material.
If the professor emphasizes certain information most likely it will be on the
exam.
When the professor asks questions of the class write those questions down,
they might turn up as exam questions.
When the professor writes something on the board
Generate your own list of potential questions
Put a star by anything in your class notes and text book that was
emphasized, the star will remind you that they could be potential exam
questions
*Hopefully you will have been practicing the active learning techniques
we’ve discussed and if so, you should have a full page of possible exam
questions generated after every class.
Essay Exams
As with any exam format to be fully prepared for writing essay exams you need to
keep up on attending lectures, assigned reading and course assignments.
Essay Exams:
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Read the entire exam over first (and carefully!)
Look at point values so you can judge how much time to spend on each
section.
If you have choices for which questions to answer, read them all over
making notes and points to help make the decision on what you want to
answer.
The easiest looking question might not be the easiest to answer.
Look for questions where you can explain your answer and not simply one
where you know the answer but can’t explain how you know it.
Analyze the questions so that you know for sure what you are being asked
to do.
Look for the active verbs in the questions, they will tell you what you
should be doing.
Common Essay Exam Directions
" Analyze" means to find the main ideas and show how they are related and why
they are important.
" Comment on" means to discuss, criticize or explain its meaning as completely as
possible.
" Compare" means to show both the similarities and differences.
" Contrast" means to compare by showing the differences.
" Criticize" means to give the formal meaning by distinguishing it from related
terms. This is often a matter of giving a memorized definition.
" Describe" means to write a detailed account or give a verbal picture in a logical
sequence or story form.
" Diagram" means to make a graph, chart, or drawing. Be sure you label it and
add a brief explanation if it is needed.
" Discuss" means to describe giving the details and explain the pros and cons.
" Enumerate" means to list. Name and list the main ideas one by one. Number
them.
" Evaluate" means to give your opinion or some expert's opinion of the truth or
importance of the concept. Tell the advantages and disadvantages.
" Illustrate" means to explain or make it clear by concrete examples,
comparisons, or analogies.
Tips for writing essay exams:
 Emphasis on description and analysis.
 Essay questions should be approached just like essays – there should be an
introduction, body and conclusion
 Develop an outline for your answer, this will also help if you run out of time
and can’t finish a question, you can include some points of what you would
have written, therefore letting your professor see the knowledge you have.
 Show clear relationships between paragraphs.
 As you are writing your answer new ideas may come to you, take a moment
to include them on your outline so you won’t forget them.
 Don’t fill your essay with irrelevant information just to fill space.
 Make sure you are watching the time carefully so that you do not spend too
much time on one area.
 Double space your answer so that you can have room if you have to add
some information
 Write legibly, your professor will be reading many exams, and you don’t
want them marking yours feeling frustrated trying to figure out what
certain words are.
Multiple Choice Exams
Whether you love them or hate them there are specific techniques you can use to
be successful when answering multiple choice questions. Multiple choice exams
are not simply about recognition, the information in the questions can be
complex and involve thinking for synthesis, analysis and application. Sometimes
the material can be unrecognizable, and being unprepared can make them even
more challenging. Multiple choice exams require careful reading and analysis of
the question and possible answers.
Strategies for Writing Multiple Choice Exams
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Start with the multiple choice questions, just reading the question and
alternatives can help you recall information needed for completing the
other questions.
First, cover up the answers and read the question. Take a guess about
what the answer will be. Only then should you uncover and read all the
options. This is especially helpful if your strength is essay exams.
Read the questions carefully.
Answer the questions that you are 100% sure of first and put a “?” next to
the ones that require more thought
Eliminate any alternatives that you know are not correct.
Read the stem with each alternative, look at what sounds correct and
eliminate any that are not grammatically correct
Look for negatives in the stem, such as “not”, “none”, “neither”, “never”,
then the correct answer must be a fact or an absolute, this is also true for
superlatives, such as “every”, “all”, “always”, and in the social sciences
absolutes are rare.
Consider the “all of the above” or “none of the above” options; examine
the answers to see if all of them or none of them totally applies.
Never change your initial answer unless you can find a clear reason why
your first response is incorrect. We tend to second guess ourselves and
change answers that are actually correct the first time!
Don’t psyche yourself out! Just because the last three answers were “A”
doesn’t mean the forth can’t be “A” as well. Multiple choice questions are
often computer generated or chosen randomly, the professor is not trying
to trick you!
Always do the practice questions in your study guide, text book website
etc.,- sometimes multiple choice questions are created by the publisher of
the text book and the professor chooses the ones they want, therefore you
can sometimes find your practice questions on the exam
Short Answer & True and False Exam Questions
As with other types of exam questions there are several techniques you can use
to help you identify and write the correct answer.
True and False
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Every part of a true statement must be true, if any part is false than the
answer is false.
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Absolute words, such as no, never, none, always, every, only, restrict
possibilities and usually indicate a false answer.
Words like sometimes, most often, frequently, generally, open up the
possibilities of making accurate statements.
Long sentences often include groups of words set off by punctuation, pay
attention to the truth of each of these phrases.
DON’T over analyze a question, this can make it seem more confusing some students go beyond the scope of the question, looking to find an
extreme exception to the question.
If you have no idea and there is no penalty for wrong answers, guess true.
Short Answer
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Read each question carefully; look for the central idea in a question.
Underline or highlight key points in the question.
Do not try to write an introduction, these are not essay questions.
Support your answers with evidence – give examples whenever possible.
Write complete sentences.
Try to have as many points as the question is worth.
Exam Anxiety
Almost everyone feels a bit anxious prior to writing an exam. We think about the
difficulty, get butterflies in our stomach and question whether we know the
material. However, for some people exam anxiety greatly impacts their
performance and lives. If the anxiety is severe, persistent and goes beyond the
exam situation you may want to discuss it with a doctor or counsellor.
Some symptoms of exam anxiety can be physical, emotional, behavioral or
cognitive; examples are upset stomach, rapid heart rate, and muscle tension,
feelings of anger, depression, guilt, procrastination, avoidance, excessive
studying, poor nutrition, substance abuse, negative self-talk, excessive worry, and
difficulty with concentration.
There are some things that can increase exam anxiety, such as not preparing, as
well as focusing on the negative consequences of poor performance (failing the
course if fail the exam). Also, stimulants (coffee, tea, energy drinks) can greatly
contribute to feelings of anxiety.
Reducing Exam Anxiety
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Learn how to study properly. Learn to work with the information to make it
relevant to you.
Practice methods of relaxation.
Take care of yourself physically by getting the proper amount of sleep and
eating healthy.
Create balance in your schedule.
Set realistic goals.
Avoid excessive stimulants such as caffeine on the day of the exam.
Eat a healthy and moderate meal avoiding processed foods
Do something relaxing right before the exam; last minute cramming is
never helpful!
Arrive at the exam early and completely prepared with everything you need
(pens, watch)
Avoid talking to others who will make you feel more anxious and question
what you know.
Use relaxation techniques if you become anxious while waiting for the
exam.
Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and tell yourself that you will do fine.
During the Exam
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Do a quick “mind dump” of facts, dates, key points, formulas, etc. on the
back of your test paper
Look over the entire exam first, reading the directions carefully.
Organize your time (how much time will you spend on each question?)
Work on the easier sections first, this can also help you recall material you
thought you had forgotten and boost your confidence.
Recheck your time to make sure you are not rushing ahead or falling too far
behind.
Continue to use relaxation techniques as needed throughout.
Sitting upright and breathing fully will help get oxygen to your brain, which
will calm you down and help you brain with recall.
Following the Exam
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Reevaluate what worked and didn’t work to help you manage your anxiety.
Look at what didn’t go well as a way to learn new strategies for next time.
Focus on where you did well.
Study with people –Co-operative Learning
Excerpts from “Becoming a Master Student”, Dave Ellis
“Education often looks like competition. We compete for entrance to college or
university, for grades when we’re in school, and for jobs when we graduate. In
that climate, it’s easy to overlook the power of co-operation.
Consider the idea that competition is not necessary for success in school. In some
cases, competition actually works against your success. It is often stressful. It
can strain relationships. According to staff members at the University of
Minnesota, people can often get more done by sharing their skills and resources
than by working alone.
We are social animals, and we draw strength from groups. Study groups feed you
energy. Aside from offering camaraderie, fellowship, and fun, study groups can
elevate your spirit on days when you just don’t want to work at your education.
You might be more likely to keep an appointment to study with a group than to
study by yourself. If you skip a solo study session, no one may know. IF you
declare your intention to study with others who are depending on you, your
intention gains strength. In addition to drawing strength from the group when
you’re down, you can support others.
Almost every job is accomplished by the combined effort of many people. For
example, manufacturing a single car calls for the contribution of designers,
welders, painters, electricians, marketing executives, computer programmers,
and many others. Jobs in today’s economy call for teamwork—the ability to
function well in groups. That’s a skill you can start developing by studying with
others.”
Forming a study group:
 Look for dedicated students who share your academic goals.
 Include people you can learn from as well as those you may be able to
teach.
 Look for people who pay attention, ask questions and take notes during
class.
 Limit to 5 or 6 people.
 Post a notice or ask people.
Conduct a study group by:
 Testing each other by asking questions (each group member may agree to
bring 4 or 5 sample test questions)
 Practice teaching each other (this is a great way to learn)
 Compare notes
 Brainstorm test questions
 Keeping it “professional” – have an agenda of what you’d like to accomplish
 Create wall sized mind-maps as summary and review.