Are you concerned about approaching examinations? Are you unsure about preparation
and how to go about it? These suggestions review recommended preparation techniques.
Some may apply to you.
-
Plan time carefully. Identify exam date and amount of review time
needed well in advance. Alter your usual schedule accordingly.
-
Avoid cramming. This often causes fatigue, increased worry, poor retention,
and prevents thorough review. Also avoid stimulants and all night study sessions.
Learning is inefficient under these conditions if it occurs at all.
-
Find out everything possible about the exam. What material will it
cover? What form is it in? (essay, short answer, multiple choice, etc.) Also
determine what proportion of the course grade is the exam? What course average
do you have going into the exam? Test yourself using old previous exams or the
book publisher’s website.
- Use appropriate review techniques. Several of the most used techniques
are listed below.
- Boil down lecture notes.
- Reread selected important assignments.
- Review underlined portions of reading and notes.
- Make a brief overall set of notes for review purposes.
- Predict questions and outline answers.
- Organize a group study session (Be careful with this.).
- Use self-testing procedures where information is reproduced or written
from memory without using notes and other aids.
- Look at past tests for the pattern of errors that you make and practice
answering questions.
-
Make review an active learning process: Test yourself often! Don’t
limit review to rereading only. Vary your review method. Don’t overly review
material you know well. Write down things from memory without the help of notes
or reading. Keep your review active!
-
Don’t panic if you feel pressure. It’s normal to feel anxious when
tests are coming up. Anxiety can help you work harder and concentrate better.
Don’t indulge in negative thinking. Stop by the Counseling Center, 206 Health
Services Building or cal 610-519-4050 if your nervousness seems out of control.
See the following web sites for more information:
|
