1. ACING FINAL EXAMS: It’s Not Over ‘til It’s Ended!
Adapted from a presentation created by Dr. Saundra Y. McGuire
For students at LSU
Used by Permission

2. Prof. Isiah Warner Fall 2005 Chemistry 2001 Class Average Adam
Frederick
M’Famara
Stephanie
Test 1 76 65 77 70 83
Test 2 52 67 46 55
Test 3 72 61 68
Final 78
107 88 90
Chemistry 2001
Date of Final Exam: December 14, 2005
Meeting with Adam: December 12, 2005
Meeting with Frederick and Stephanie: December 2, 2005
Meeting with M’Famara: December 8, 2005
The final was worth 100 points with a 10 bonus question.

3. Reflection Questions
What’s the difference, if any, between studying for finals and learning the material that the final exam will cover?
What learning strategies have worked for you so far?
How many of your final grades will be determined by your final exam score?

4. Prerequisites for Success
Mastery of all concepts
(not rote memorization!)
Realistic study schedule
Effective use of resources (office hours, walk-in tutoring centers, academic success coaching, etc.)
Managing anxiety

5. Reflection Question
Have you ever experienced a situation in which fear (or nervousness) made you unable to do something you were actually capable of?

6. Presidential Swearing In Ceremony
Did anxiety cause the chief justice to stumble over the oath of office?
Presidential Swearing In Ceremony

7. So, What Can You Do for Finals?
Spend enough time reviewing and mastering the material
Aim for 100% mastery
Use office hours for clarification
Use the Study Cycle with intense study sessions
Study information carefully to avoid careless mistakes

8. Answer the following questions:*
In baseball, how many outs are there in an inning?
 A rancher has 33 head of cattle standing in a field, when suddenly a bolt of lightning kills all but 9 of them. How many head of cattle are left standing?
Some months have 31 days, and some months have 30 days. But how many have 28 days? 
Two U.S. coins are worth a total of $0.30, and one of them is not a nickel. What are the coins? *

9. Exam Preparation Stage I
Before the Exam
Use the Study Cycle
Utilize intensive study sessions
Organize the information

10. The Study Cycle Preview Attend Review Study Assess 4 Reflect 3 Review
Preview before class – Skim the chapter, note headings and boldface words, review summaries and chapter objectives, and come up with questions you’d like the lecture to answer for you.
Preview
4 Reflect
Attend class – GO TO CLASS! Answer and ask questions and take meaningful notes.
Attend
Review after class – As soon after class as possible, read notes, fill in gaps and note any questions.
Review
Study – Repetition is the key. Ask questions such as ‘why’, ‘how’, and ‘what if’.
Intense Study Sessions* short study sessions per day
Weekend Review – Read notes and material from the week to make connections
Study
Assess your Learning – Periodically perform reality checks
Am I using study methods that are effective?
Do I understand the material enough to teach it to others?
Assess
*Intense Study Sessions 1
Set a Goal
(1-2 min)
Decide what you want to accomplish in your study session 2
Study with Focus
(30-50 min)
Interact with material- organize, concept map, summarize, process, re-read, fill-in notes, reflect, etc. 3
Reward Yourself
(10-15 min)
Take a break– call a friend, play a short game, get a snack 4
Review
(5 min)
Go over what you just studied
Center for Academic Success
B-31 Coates Hall ▪ ▪

11. Weekend Review Example:
Simply review and quiz yourself on information from your notes, text and other course material.
Make note of anything that still does not quite make sense. (Be sure to follow up with the faculty or a tutor to work on this information.)
Not only review notes from this last week, but also the week before that AND the week before that.
3:00 - 3:45
4:00 – 4:45
5:00-5:45
5:45-7:00
7:00
Review all of last week’s notes/materials from Chemistry
Review all of last week’s notes/materials from Sociology
Review all of last week’s notes/materials from Math
Take a longer break
Continue with other course work…

12. Get the Most Out of Lecture
Arrive early
Actively participate
Review notes soon after class
Rethink all examples covered in class

13. Exam Preparation Stage II
1 – 2 Weeks Before the Exam
Go to Smart Moves for some great study strategies
Determine the type and scope of the exam
Construct practice exam with friends
Aim for 100% mastery!!!
Double check exam schedule
Eat well, sleep well, and exercise
Visualize success!
Go to all prep sessions (SI, Instructor, etc.)

14. Survey the Task Gather Information from...
instructor text lecture notes
to answer the following questions:
What will the test cover?
Is it comprehensive or non-comprehensive?
What kinds of questions will be used?
How many questions (of each type)?
Where/when will the test be given?
Will I need any special test materials?

15. Schedule Enough Time Make a “Master To Do” list
List specific details (chapters to read, study exercises, etc.)
How much time do I need to study for each class?
Create a study schedule
How much time do I have before the exam?
Where and what kinds of time-blocks do I have available?
How will I distribute my study time?
Create intermediate deadlines
Schedule time for fun
Schedule time for consolidation

16. Study Schedule - Task Oriented
Monday Thursday
French Ch. 6,7 *French Exam at 2 p.m..
Johnson article Math Assignment
Math assignment Comm. articles
Tuesday Friday
French Ch. 8, Comm. Ch. 10, 11
Lab assignment Make weekend study
Comm. Ch schedule
Wednesday Study Group
Review/Self-test Saturday
Math assignment Review/Self-test

17. Organize The Information
Prepare charts or summary sheets
Integrate notes with text information
Make concept maps
Predict test questions
Memorize, create mnemonics
Aim for 100% mastery!

18. Memorize Thoroughly Intend to remember Overlearn
Preview/review frequently
RECITE and WRITE!
Learn in as many ways/modalities as possible Visually, kinesthetically, by association, organization (e.g. outline or map), study group…
Focus attention – lose the cell phone dependency!
Schedule time for assimilation
Learn a variety of ways to trigger memory

19. Review Lecture notes and textbook notes
Study Sheets and study group notes
Self-tests
Index Cards
Old exams (retake them!)
Textbook CD’s (with practice tests)

20. Tips for Science and Math Exams
Develop a list of types of problems
Develop problem solving protocols
(steps for solving types of problems)
Develop a practice test with randomly arranged problems
Practice solving problems quickly

21. Exam Preparation Stage III
Day of the Exam
Calmly rehearse facts, formulas, ideas
Perform deep breathing to relax
Use positive self-talk
Arrive at the exam room a few minutes early; not too early!
Visualize success!

22. Exam Preparation Stage IV
During the Exam
Perform deep breathing to relax; use positive self-talk
Write down formulas on exam before you begin
Read the directions VERY carefully; listen for additional directions; ask for clarification
Survey the exam and budget your time
Share what you know! And you know it all!!!
Expect memory blocks
Visualize success!

23. Tips for Multiple Choice Tests
Try to answer the question WITHOUT looking at the choices
Look at one option at a time, and treat each answer as a true or false question
Note that the longest choice is often correct
Read all choices before settling on one
Note answers with “all of the above” etc.

24. Tips for True False Tests
Watch for words such as always, never. These are usually false – but not not always!
Watch for words such as seldom and usually. These are often true – but not always!
Use the rest of the test for information
If in doubt, go with your intuition
Don’t change an answer unless you’re absolutely sure you should!

25. Tips for Essay Tests
Examine the question and organize your thoughts before you start to write
Outline or map your response before you write
Have a beginning, middle, and end
If you run out of time, outline the remaining questions for partial credit
Proofread your answers; make sure all are grammatically correct!

26. Exam Preparation Stage V
After the Exam Plan
Leave the area promptly; don’t talk about the test
Let it go!
Reward yourself for your hard work
Resume preparation for next examination or celebrate that all your exams are over!
If your final grade is lower than you expected, ask to see your final exam at beginning of the next term. There may have been a grading mistake.

27. Use Concept Mapping for Preparation and for Essay Exams
Simply stated, concept mapping is a way to arrange and manipulate material in a visual manner to assist your organization, comprehension and retention of material. Concept mapping can be used to brainstorm about ideas and to systematize concepts you are trying to understand. Some students actually take notes in the form of concept maps, others use it to preview a chapter before reading. Try using it in many different ways.

28. Create a Chapter Map Title of Chapter Primary Headings Subheadings
Have you ever started reading a chapter and found yourself on the same paragraph fifteen minutes later? One of the best ways to combat this problem is to preview the chapter by creating a chapter map. Here is one way to do this:
1. It is best to use a large piece of unlined paper (we recommend purchasing some butcher paper from an art or book store) but you can use any paper you have on hand.
Print the Chapter Title at the top of the page, then draw a rectangle around the title.
Next, look through the chapter and note the number of primary headings. You will write each of these headings in a row across, just below the title, then circle each of them.
You will now skim through the chapter once more, this time looking at the number of subheadings. Print these in a row just below the primary headings.
Depending on the organization of the chapter, you may continue to add sub-subheadings!
This can all be done very quickly. There is no need to spend a lot of time writing details at this point. You may want to fill in details later when you read the chapter, but for now, just preview the chapter with a chapter map. You will find your brain will be ready to comprehend the material now that you have the “big picture”, or an overview of the chapter.
Subheadings
Secondary Subheadings
Get help with mind-mapping at bubble.us

29. Persuasive Writing Thesis Viewpoint Viewpoint Details Details
Maybe you use this type of a map to process compare and contrast an issue of debate or discussion either for a paper or class discussion.
Reasons, Facts, Examples
Reasons, Facts, Examples
Conclusion

30. Compare and Contrast Concept #1 Concept #2 How are they similar?
How are they different?
If you are trying to prepare for an exam and are comparing and contrasting two concepts, this is an excellent exercise.

31. Mistakes to Avoid! Letting the time “sneak up” on you
Basing your judgment of knowledge on your short term memory
Letting others derail your study schedule
Aiming for less than 100% mastery
Failing to believe in yourself!!!

32. If you think you can,
you’re right!
If you think you can’t,
We KNOW you can!

33. Your Link to academic success!!!
The Academic Link Link learning commons Main floor Brown Library Virginiawestern.edu/learning/link
Your Link to academic success!!!