by Meng Looi

Created on: December 24, 2009

Exams are usually used as a method to check on students level’s of learning. When preparing for an exam, a number of factors need to be considered to be able to do well in the exam. This essay explores what should be done before, during and after an exam to get the best results. It concludes by summarizing the important parts and giving tips on how to do well.

Before the exam, the student should always check the format of the exam paper. If the format is similar to previous years, the student should find the old exam papers that are usually available at the library or online. Looking at past year papers allows the student to get a general idea of the types of questions that will come out and sometimes questions may be reused from the past year exams.

Preparation for exams should also be started early. If the studying of the exam material is done over the semester, the last week is just used for revision rather than a mad rush to memorize everything a week before the exam. Starting early also allows the student to get help from the lecturer before the exam if they are unsure about something related to the material. They can also get a better idea from the lecturer what the questions expect and how they should answer it. Notes should also be hand-written by the student if possible as they will understand the material more and it is good practice for essay exams as they will already have memory of writing the material once.

Another important part of studying for exams is the type of questions involved. For multiple choice and short-answer exams, emphasis should be put on details that can be included in these types of exams like technical terms, definitions and other similar details. These types of exams just require the student to recognise and recall information so questions will usually be specific and expect the student to remember details from what they have studied.

Essay exams on the other hand require more understanding rather than memorizing. Essay questions are usually more general and expect the student to show their understanding of the subject in question. The student should always read the question carefully and understand what they are expected to do. If the answer goes off topic, the marks of the student will be reduced accordingly. Essay exams should also be proofread by the student to ensure clarity of expression. Sometimes the student loses their focus while writing the essay and if the student themself can’t understand what they

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