Passing Exams : Cultural Differences in Evaluation, Style and Expectations

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Passing Exams Cultural Differences in
Evaluation, Style and Expectations

• 11/05/09
• Karel Joos
• Study Advisory Centre

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Introduction
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Introduction

• Cultural differences
• Exam expectations
• How to pass exams
• Focus of this session oral exams
• Similar expectations (whole K.U.Leuven)?
• No,
• but /- consensus

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Content of this session

• Different examination formats
• How to prepare
• Grading
• Cultural differences?
• Contact

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Different examination formats
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Different examinations

• Oral
• Written
• Open questions
• Multiple choice
• Paper
• Presentation

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Oral exam progress

• Classroom
• Materials
• paper, pen
• no food, drinks, mobile phone
• (open book closed book)
• Questions
• 2-3 questions on cards
• knowledge - exercises

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Oral exam (2)

• Preparation time
• Human sciences 30
• Exact sciences sometimes 4 h
• Schematic outline
• Presenting (/- 15)
• Oral presentation
• or prof reads written preparation
• Goal of additional questions?
• Prof stops you?
• No feedback! (facial expression, ok, marks)

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Oral exam Remarks

• Exercises knowlegde
• Open book closed book
• Dress code
• Reliability?

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Oral exam Tips

• Structuring your answer
• Situating your answer
• Repeating question in own words
• (if necessary)
• Non-verbal communication
• (showing motivation)
• game (role playing), meeting (convincing)

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Written exam

• Essay questions
• Situating answer
• Structure
• Multiple choice
• Correction for guessing
• Count, different phases

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Papers

• Guided Independant Learning
• Starting from keywords
• Sources and referring
• Hot topic at K.U.Leuven
• Required in scientific writing
• (better to much than not enough)
• Whitin text quotations, reference list
• Plagiarism www.kuleuven.be/plagiarism

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How to prepare?
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Different levels of preparation

• Reading
• Basic understanding (8-12/20)
• Complex understanding (10-13/20)
• Applied understanding (14-18/20)
• Own examples
• Critical point of view
• Linking chapters

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Grading
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Grading
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(No Transcript)
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Marks

• Average 12/20
• 0 9 25
• 10 14 50
• 15 or more 25
• 20/20 only 0.2

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Cultural differences
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Cultural differences?

• Selection at the beginning of programme
  selection during the programme
• Knowlegde insight application
• Knowledge gtlt personal evolution
• Grading
• No information about results after oral exam

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Contact

• Study Advisory Centre
• Naamsestraat 80
• 3000 Leuven
• 016/32 43 11
• www.kuleuven.be/studyadvice
• Karel.Joos_at_dsv.kuleuven.be

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Succes!!