‘On Your Marks’ Student Learning Exam Strategies www.dcu.ie/studentlearning

Workshop objectives We will cover: Strategies to help you prepare well for the exam Tips for revising The importance of self care Focus on the exam

Types of exams What prevents you from doing well in exams? Use flipchart to write down people’s perceptions about the challenges in essay-based exams, MCQs and short answer questions

Preparation - Steps to success Prepare for study Revise wisely Self care Exam preparation

1. Prepare

How do I know what to study? Use your course overview or module specification e.g. social psychology 2014-15 http://www.dcu.ie/registry/module_contents.php?function=2&subcode=NS123 e.g. social psychology 2014-15

How do I know what to study con’d? What topics have I covered this semester? What topics do I know well? What topics do I not know well? Work out the minimum number of topics you need to revise for each paper.

How do I know what to study con’d ? Learn from the past Use past exam papers - access through the Student App Link questions to areas of the course Find the common thread!

2. Revise wisely

Revise Wisely Bring together all the information you have about the topic you are revising.

Summarise your notes Exams give you the opportunity to show you understand the work covered on the course. Avoid learning off paragraphs of information. Engage with ideas and concepts and make sure you understand what you are learning. Reduce your notes to key headings, concepts, points, names and dates.

Mind map Free to download for all DCU students https://www.dcu.ie/user?destination=/iss/software/mind-manager.shtml

Flash cards There’s nothing wrong with pen and paper or try making flash cards with Quizlet free from Chrome

Combine a mixture of memory strategies

Tried and tested strategies Repetition Self-testing Practice - timed and untimed

Manage your time carefully Start as early as possible in the semester Write out your priority list Use a revision timetable Start revision

Anticipate

3. Self Care Keep a positive mindset - work on your motivation and attitude towards exams Set up a small study group Ask for help Eat nourishing food, have fresh air and exercise, sleep and take plenty of breaks

Stay calm

4.Focusing on the exam Check the time Check the instructions Write your name & number are on all sheets Check the time Check the instructions Beware of question choices and time division

Doing well in exams Grading - know what gets you good marks? Keep focused - note any ideas that pop into your head for other answers Answer the question Structure your answer - outline, headings, clear language how is the exam graded what will get you good marks?

Ways to lose marks in exam Not answering the question asked Time wasting - writing out the question Waffle, padding, taking too long to get to point Over complicating - giving too much information Unbalanced answers Poor handwriting/ poor English

Essay-based exams Read instructions carefully Work out your timing Read questions carefully and re-read Choose your best question Work out order for additional questions Structure your answer - show outline Remember one point per paragraph 1 - are there compulsory questions 2- allow for checking over answers 3 - some of the topics you studied might not be immediately obvious in a question - take time to read

Essay-based exams Do not write everything you know on a topic show breadth and depth of knowledge Summarise your points Reference should be able to name main theorist, give relevant dates, names and statistics - no long quotes If you get a blank - breath, relax Running out of time - be economical with points put down the pen, take a deep breath, relax for a moment. Read over what you have written. If nothing comes - leave a gap and start next question

MCQs MCQ exams - require accurate knowledge Revise using flash cards - think vocabulary, terms, concepts, definitions. Read instructions carefully Answer the questions you know first, mark the ones you are fairly sure of and go back to them Cover the options, read the question and try to answer Know time per question

MCQs Answering difficult questions Eliminate answers you know to be incorrect Check the answer fits grammatically with question Watch out for double negatives Always guess if there is no penalty Don’t guess if there is negative marking

MCQs e.g. Introduction to Marketing Which of the following is not a part of the communication process model? Feedback Chaos Noise Receiver Source Watch out for negatives

Short Answer strategy Analyse and interpret question Think in your own words Use key words, ideas, concepts Be concise - stick to point Answer all parts of the question

Short questions e.g. Web Design Explain what is meant by the following terms, and state why each is used (9 marks) SFPT HTTP SMTP Routers, hubs, gateways and repeaters play an important role in transmitting data all over the world. Explain what each of these devices is, and what they’re used for. (8 marks) Remembering the IP address of a webpage can be difficult for users. What system has been developed to provide an easier mechanism for users to open a page in their browsers? Briefly explain how this system works. (8 marks)

Final preparation It’s the night before an essay-based exam. What are the final materials you would like to have ready to look over before the exam the next day?

Visualisation Imagine you are in the exam hall, completing the exam. Re-create the conditions – do a mock exam in a similar environment

Further resources

Steps to success Prepare your topics Revise wisely Self care Exam preparation

References Skills4Study Campus 2014. Exam skills [Online]. Available from: http://www.skills4studycampus.com/StudentHome.aspx [Accessed 28 August 2014].