Succeeding in exams Planning for revision and exam success This workshop was originally produced at the

Overview of the session Using time effectively is especially important when it comes to exams. This workshop aims to help you plan your time before and during exams. It includes: How to make a revision timetable Using revision time effectively Planning and using your time in the exam room

Get the basics sorted… How many exams have you got? When do they take place? Where do they take place? How much time do you have during the exam? What form does the exam take? Seen or unseen? Essays, multiple-choice questions, oral exam? How many questions?

What’s the big issue? Why is good time management so important now? Time limits are central to examinations You have a limited amount of time to revise You have a limited amount of time to answer questions You are under pressure to perform well, so you may try to do too much, or worry that you haven’t done enough Good time management is about understanding what you need to do, and fitting it into the time you have to do it in

To start you thinking… What sort of reviser are you? Working in pairs: Discuss which of these is closest to the way you revise What is good or bad about this style of revision? Perfectly planned PennyLaid back Larry

Different styles of revision Do what works for you Some people like to have a detailed timetable - and stick to it Some people prefer something more flexible Don’t worry about what your friends do – do what works for you Students often say they leave things to the last minute because they work better under pressure Do you think this is true? What are the advantages and disadvantages of this approach?

Planning your revision Fitting things into the time available There’s no fixed amount of time you should spend on revision – but don’t start too early, or too late Select the topics you need to revise (can’t revise everything) Work out how many days you have, leaving some time free immediately before the exams to practise Plan two revision sessions each day (morning, afternoon or evening) Divide the sessions you have by the number of topics, and allocate topics to sessions

Planning your revision Tips to make it work Give more time to difficult topics if necessary Alternate topics – helps you to make connections and stops you getting bored Start by writing down what you know already, then fill in gaps Don’t try to do too much – but make sure you cover enough Keep changing learning mode – writing, reading, thinking Don’t work 24/7 – your brain needs downtime to process information

Planning your revision An example revision plan for discussion Mon 1Mon 2Tues 1Tues 2Wed 1Wed 2Thurs 1 Thurs 2 Fri 1Fri 2Sat & Sun 1 Sun 2 Wk 1 Topic1 Catch- up/relax Topic1 Time off Topic1 Wk 2 Topic2 Catch- up/relax Topic2 Time off Topic2 Wk 3 Topic3 Catch- up/relax Topic3 Time off Topic3 Wk 4 Topic1 Topic2 Catch- up/relax Topic2 Topic3Time off Topic3 Wk 5 Topic3 Topic1 Catch- up/relax Topic1Topic2 Time off Topic2 Wk 6 Topic3 Topic1 practice Catch- up/relax Topic2 practice Topic3 practice Topic1 practice Topic2 practice Time off Topic3 practice Would this suit the way you revise?

Using time in the exam room Work out your timings Find out how much time you have and how many questions you have to answer Reserve five minutes for reading the questions, and five minutes for checking through at the end Work out how much time you have for each question - don’t forget that this should include planning time Are your questions broken down into parts? Check how many marks for each part – it should have an impact on how long you spend on each part

Using time in the exam room Making quick answer plans for essays Choose an example question and make a five minute plan Either: Brainstorm everything you might discuss, see what can be grouped together, choose three ideas or groups and put in order Or: Decide what the three most important messages are and put them in order

Using time in the exam room Tips to make it work Practise writing to time – it’s a different genre to ordinary assignment writing Stick to your timings and your answer plan as far as possible Don’t waffle – marks are given for quality not quantity! Time spent reading the question carefully, planning your answer, and checking through, is time well spent It’s okay to stop and think – don’t feel you have to be writing all the time

What could you do if you go blank? Working in pairs: Discuss and make a list of possible strategies Share with the whole group Choose and write down one thing you will do

My Top 5 Tips... 1.Answer the question 2.Answer the question 3.Answer the question... 4.Test yourself – or get others to test you 5.Practise in exam-type conditions...but above all else...

...remember to wear those lucky pants!!!

For more on time management and other study practices... LearnHigher time management webpages For guides and exercises on all aspects of time management The LearnHigher network brings together the expertise and experience of 16 universities to produce research-informed support for study practices.