Exam Preparation
and Performance
Jennifer Zimmerman
Assistant Director
Academic Resource Center
Mercer University
http://faculty.mercer.edu
When Do You Start Studying for an
Exam?
On the first day of class!
How?
 Read your syllabus with a fine tooth comb
 Write in your exam schedule on your semester
planner
 Stay on top of your coursework from that day
forward
Never Stop Studying for the Exam
 Do all your work thinking about how you can make
it easier to study for your next and final exams
 Design your notes so that they can easily be
reduced into useful study summaries
 Listen in class so you know exactly what will be on
the test
 Take time to generate questions that will help you
recite and reflect on the material to be tested
Use Cornell Method Notes and
Follow these Study Steps:
 Record – make notes legible and complete
 Reduce – write questions, cues, and vocabulary in cue
column; prioritize with silver dollar system (Pauk, p.
114)
 Recite – test self with verbal or written exercises based
on cue column and summary
 Reflect – expand and analyze implications; generate
searching questions
 Review – utilize summary to locate selected topics for
repetitive recitation
Recitation as a Rehearsal Strategy
 Steps
 Read
 Convert to a question
 Test
 Benefits
 Involved
 Feedback
 Motivation
 Distinctions
 More than re-reading
 Cultivates recall over and above simple
recognition
Create Summary Sheets that:
 Fold over to display questions and cover up answers
(or use index cards) – repetition and recitation
 Focus on silver dollar prioritizations, summaries, and
some cue questions - reduction
 Relate to questions that are of particular interest to you
– reflection
 Motivation
 Conceptual organization
 topical
 categorical
Pauk, p. 355
http://muskingum.edu/~cal/database/Testprepg.html
Visual Organizers
 Use your own words and representations
 Organize to reduce information to a manageable
amount without losing conceptual depth
 Prepare tools for rehearsal strategies
 CARDS (Nist & Holschuh, pp. 225-8)
 Concept maps and charts
 Compare/contrast charts
 Flow Charts
 Time lines
 Fishbone maps
 Spider maps
 Word maps
 Frayer models
 Color coded notes
http://muskingum.edu/~cal/database/Testprepb.html
Memorization Techniques
 Association – link new information to prior
knowledge or experiences
 Rehearsal – use different learning modalities
 Relevance – make the information meaningful to your
personal beliefs or to a broader understanding of the
course
 Mnemonics – if you are an auditory learner, use songs
instead of simple lists or words
 Clustering – give in to the 7 plus or minus 2 rule and
find logical groupings that streamline what you have
to memorize
 Self-testing – practice putting yourself in a testing
situation
http://muskingum.edu/~cal/database/Testprepb.html
Be Prepared to Get the Most
Out of a Study Group
 Legible notes and summary sheets can be shared
 Pre-defined questions will expedite group study sessions
 Questions written at the time that material is first
learned will be more accurate memory refreshers
 Comparing questions will allow the group to
quickly identify different and/or erroneous
interpretations of the subject material
Why Study in Groups?
 Partner testing involves teaching, a more
reflective method than recitation
 Verbal elaboration promotes long term
memory retention
 Explanations require the speaker to
understand the topic being discussed
 Study group partners must expect each
other to operate at a high level of thinking
Anticipate the Test
 Find out first:
 Format – objective or subjective
 Value and length
 Time and place it will be given – make-up policy
 Topic, chapters, and readings covered
 Focus on class lecture, readings, and/or lab
 Open-book or closed-book
 Cheat sheets allowed
 Special tools allowed or required
 Who will grade the exam
 Will partial credit be given
 Will spelling and grammar mistakes count against
grade
http://muskingum.edu/~cal/database/Testprepc.html
Prepare Deliberately
 Start studying 3-4 days prior to the test with the
following completed
 Reading
 Study materials such as summary sheets,
concept cards, timelines, etc.
 List of important concepts that will appear on
the test
 Study plan spelling out
 how
 with whom
 when
 where
Give Yourself a Healthy Edge
 Relax the night before the exam
 Do not cram
 Get at least 6 hours of sleep
 Get up early (as much as 3-4 hours) the day of the
exam
 Shower, eat breakfast, and take a brisk walk to
focus your concentration
 Review notes, books, and study materials
Start the Test on the Right Foot
 Take a pen, your notes, and books to the testing site
so you can study
 Take your watch if you prefer to use it to track your
time
 When you receive the exam, take a deep breath and
relax
 Read, analyze, and follow test instructions
 Write legibly, use a pen, and leave extra space so
that the grader can read your exam easily
Approach the Test Carefully
 Scan the entire test
 Check content
 Circle key words and underline important
phrases
 Gauge relative values of questions based on
assigned point values
 Answer questions you are sure of first
 Only write down answers that are correct so you
will return to uncertain questions later
 Build your confidence and let your memory
trigger recall of other information
Pace Yourself
 Calculate how much time you will need to review the
test
 Spend the appropriate amount of time on each
question based on point value
 Move on and finish the test and come back later to
questions left unfinished
Don’t Give Up on Any Questions
 Pay attention to interrelated statements and
questions that could help you recall information for
other questions
 Answer every question even if you have to guess
 Guess only after you have answered every
question that you can
 Use common sense in your guesses, but also
stay on topic
Take a Final Look at Your Work
 Save enough time at the end of the exam to review
your answers
 Make corrections and additions in the extra
space you left around your answers
 Check that you have understood the questions
correctly
 Check that your answers are accurate and
complete
Behavior
devises plan
based on a
specific goal
breaks tasks
down
works
persistently
toward goal
Olympic Gold
Master Test
Medalist
Taker
e.g. gold medal e.g. “A” on
in 100 meter
Psych 101 test
trains differently
at different
stages
does one thing
toward goal each
day
concentrates on
pieces for study
does one task for
an “A” each day
Behavior
takes advantage
of all
opportunities
warms up
Olympic Gold
Master Test
Medalist
Taker
does not miss
attends all
classes and
workouts
reviews
arrives early and arrives early and
runs practice
rehearses
laps prior to
material before
workouts,
classes, reviews,
practices, and
and the test
the event
Behavior
identifies
weaknesses and
takes corrective
action
learns from the
competition
(other
participants)
Olympic Gold
Master Test
Medalist
Taker
e.g. stamina
e.g. note-taking
watches other
runners and
learns
techniques
watches other
students and
learns new study
skills
Behavior
is nervous before
big performance
maintains health
maintains selfesteem
Olympic Gold
Medalist
Master Test Taker
recognizes that
nervous energy can
be channeled into
physical energy
cares for self
mentally as well as
physically
recognizes that
nervous energy can
be channeled into
mental alertness
cares for self
physically as well
as mentally
realizes that
winning is not the
only thing
realizes that grades
reflect how one
takes tests and do
not define the
person
Evaluating Your Performance
 What strategies did you use?
 How much time did you spend studying beyond your
normal schedule?
 When did you begin preparing for the exam?
 Did you stick to your study plan?
 Did you earn the grade you were aiming for?
 Did anything outside of your preparation affect how you
performed?
 Was there anything unexpected on the exam?
 Do you understand how your exam was graded and how
you can improve on the next exam?
 If you master the material on this exam, will you be
adequately prepared on these topics for the final?
References
Center for Advancment of Learning, Learning
Strategies Database. Muskingum College © 1998
<http://muskingum.edu/~cal/database/Database.html>
Nist, Sherrie L. and Jodi Patrick Holschuh, Active
Learning: Strategies for College Success. Needham
Heights: Allyn & Bacon, 2000.
Pauk, Walter, How to Study in College. 7th ed. Boston:
Houghton Mifflin Company, 2001.