Sitting Exams

1
Sitting Exams

• Moira Peelo
• Furness College

2
Sitting Exams

• adjusting your mindset

3
(No Transcript)
4
Exam Myths

• One myth about study is that everyone hates
  exams. This is not true.
• Some people prefer exams to coursework, some
  enjoy the challenge. Others are neutral about
  them.
• Many people are mixed - enjoying parts of the
  process and hating other bits.

5
Mindset

• So make sure you do not carry other peoples
  feelings about exams
• Try to get the most you can for yourself out of
  the experience
• Remember it is not compulsory to be miserable
  all the time!

6
(No Transcript)
7
So what are the advantages?

• Some people enjoy the impersonal setting.
• Exams are time-limited so they can be done and
  left behind

• Rounding off the year - pulling the strands
  together
• Finding out what topics you have enjoyed and
  understood.

8
Likes Dislikes

• It can be hard to work out how you feel about
  exams if everyone around you is complaining about
  how worried they are.
• So take a few minutes now to write down what you
  like and what you dislike about sitting
  examinations.

9
Taking control on the day

• Do you sort out pencils, pens etc. the night
  before?
• How do you feel about eating before an
  examination?
• Do you hate reading notes at the last minute?
• Do you hate being parted from your notes?

• Do you like to wait with other people?
• Do you prefer your own company?
• Do you like a period of quiet?
• Do you prefer to arrive early?
• Do you like to have a walk/swim etc, first?

10
Thinking in the exam
11
Knowing the exam

• How long is the exam?
• How many questions are there?
• Are there rules about which sections you have to
  take questions from?

12
Timing allow equal time for each question

• 3 essays in 3 hours 1 hour each 33.3 of
  marks for each question
• HOWEVER - MCQ tests cannot be timed in this way!
• MIXED exams cannot be timed in this way

13
So know the style of exam

• before you go into the exam room

14
The last essay question
15
Lateral thinking

• One great worry about examinations is what to do
  if you know less about some questions than
  others, but still have to produce an answer. A
  better approach is to expect to work for three
  hours. This means actively using your brain
  rather than waiting for information to spill out.

16
A little knowledge

• With essay-type answers, a common approach is to
  'rough out' an answer after quickly jotting down
  notes. Dealing with questions you know only a
  little about is an extension of this method -
  coupled with a small amount of lateral thinking.
  

17
A little knowledge?

• You know what the course is about what its key
  questions, theories approaches have been
• You know what kind of approach is usually
  required analytical, critical, historical etc.
• You have some general knowledge of the subject
  make your core facts work for you

18
Dont forget the basics!

• Applying your knowledge in essay questions
  address the question that is asked
• Introduce your answer
• Have a limited number of key themes include
  pieces of evidence
• Include a brief conclusion that draws your answer
  together

19
So, a little knowledge
20
and a little imagination

• So, see how you might try to answer the following
  questions
• Critically evaluate Black's theory that carpets
  are less to do with consumer demand and more to
  do with changes in lifestyle.
• Discuss the incidence of ginger cats in
  Lancaster in the nineteenth century.

21
(No Transcript)