Math.byu.edu
HOW TO SUCCESSFULLY PREPARE FOR EXAMINATIONS
The key to successful testing starts with your ability to use time wisely. By efficiently scheduling your time, you can prepare well in advance for your examinations. Successful preparation for an exam starts at the beginning of each term and continues throughout.
The following are some helpful suggestions for successfully preparing for your exams:
Make a Term Study Plan
Λ At the beginning of each term, develop a daily schedule that will allow time for class preparation, study, review, recreation, eating, and sleeping.
Λ Find a study area conducive to learning.
Λ Study and review differ from each other. As they are equally important, allocate time for both in your daily schedule.
Λ Forgetting takes place most rapidly immediately after learning. Therefore, review and recall are most effective soon after study.
Λ Don't overtax your memory or stamina. Research shows that most people can absorb and retain just so much knowledge at one time.
Λ Take thorough and effective class and study notes.
Use Good Review Techniques
Λ If you have applied yourself during the term, preparing for exams is only a matter of review. Review for weekly quizzes should take no more than 15 minutes, a mid-term hour exam 2 to 3 hours, and a final examination 5 to 8 hours.
Λ Your preparation for a final should be carefully scheduled into the two weeks prior to exam day.
Prepare for Examinations
Λ Plan your review systematically and consistently. Go from main idea to main idea using your chapter and class notes to recall the important headings and ideas in each.
Λ Making summary notes is often helpful, depending on the amount of material to be reviewed.
Λ Ask your professor what he recommends for pre-examination work.
Λ Group reviewing can be helpful.
Λ Avoid cramming.
Organize Pre-Exam Hours
Λ The day before an exam, plan to review a maximum of three hours.
Λ Eat and sleep well so that you are refreshed the day of the exam.
Λ It may be helpful to take a last look at your summary notes, but avoid them if it makes you nervous.
HELP WITH TESTING WHEN PREPARATION IS INSUFFICIENT
The correct option will generally, but not always, show these characteristics on a test:
Λ Length. It will be longer than the incorrect answer.
Λ Qualification. It will be qualified to give it precision.
Λ Generalization. It will be generalized to give it wider application than the incorrect options.
Λ Physical position. It will not be the first or last option.
Λ Logical position. It will not be one of the extremes of a set of options which can be put in some natural order (e.g., options which are all numbers).
Λ Similarity or oppositeness. It will be one of two similar statements, or it will be one of two options which state the idea or fact diametrically opposite.
Λ Phraseology. It will be in a sentence bearing familiar or stereotyped phraseology.
Λ Language. It will not contain language or technical terms which you are not expected to know.
Λ Grammar. It will be a grammatically perfect extension of the question itself.
Λ Emotive word. It will not contain such extreme words as nonsense, foolhardy, harebrained, etc.
Λ Silly ideas. It will not be a flippant remark or a completely unreasonable statement.
Never answer on the basis of these clues when you have any other reason to believe that one option is most likely to be correct.
HINTS FOR WRITING ESSAY EXAMS
Λ Try to anticipate the questions.
Λ Read the questions with care.
Λ Key words such as the following will often dictate the structure and content of your answer:
Λ explain - give a series of statements which describe reasons, causes, significances, etc.
Λ illustrate - give concrete examples of the concept.
Λ criticize, evaluate - discuss merits and demerits of the concept.
Λ interpret - write statements explaining your analysis of the concept.
Λ define.
Λ list, enumerate - describe attributes which show the kinds of actions, which together serve to explain or define something.
Λ discuss.
Λ compare and contrast.
Λ why? - explain causal factors behind an event.
Λ justify - give reasons why an act can be defined.
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