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Assessment is a necessary part of all university programmes, by coursework, exams, or a combination of the two, so at some stage in your university programme you will almost certainly have to take formal exams. How can you prepare?
Programmes differ in the number and types of exams that students have to take, so you might find you have more, or fewer, exams than your friends on different programmes.
You may have taken exams in the past, and have some experience of what helps and what hinders you. You may have experienced exam success, and have tried and trusted revision strategies and exam techniques. Alternatively, your experience of exams might have been a bit negative. This section gives advice and tips to help you prepare for exams at university, and to build on your positive experiences so far.
Most students find that exams provoke some anxiety, although some people don't seem to worry as much as others.
It's important to realise that it's natural to get a little nervous. It means you are aware of the challenges ahead, and that your body is gearing up to deal with them.
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In this diagram, you can see that some stress can help improve your performance in the short term. This kind of stress is called challenge.
Higher levels of stress over a long period of time can reduce your performance, even affecting your short-term memory and ability to learn. But everyone is different, and what seems like a positive challenge to some might seem more like unhelpful stress to others. The important thing is to be aware of what works for you!
If you do get anxious, try to identify strategies to help you relax. Perhaps the most important thing is to be prepared.
It's a good idea to think in terms of three stages:
The only way you can properly prepare for exams is if you know exactly what you are preparing for. Sounds obvious, doesn't it!
There are many different types of exams and it's crucial to be clear about exactly what you will be required to do.
It's very important to find this out. You're likely to find this kind of information in your Module Handbook, but you can also look at the past papers which are held in the relevant library for your subjects.
Past papers can be really useful in helping you think about what you will be expected to do, but it's important to remember that sometimes the format of exams can be changed, so check with your Module Leader that your exam format is the same.
Remember: If you are not clear about the guidelines in your handbook or what you have seen in past papers, ask your Module Leader for clarification.
How about the scope of the exam? How much of the course is it going to cover and how much of the course should you expect questions on?
Your Module Handbook contains a list of module outcomes, and the exam will focus on several of these. The Module Leader can advise you, and past papers are usually a very good source of information on the types and frequencies of topics examined.
If your exam is multiple choice, it can cover a wide range of topics. If you are to write three essay questions however, you will not cover such a wide range of topics, but will need to write about each in more depth.
How will the exam be marked? How many marks will be allocated for each question?
It's a good idea to find out about this before the exam, because it can give you an idea of what is expected for each section. Obviously, if a question is worth ten marks then it will require less depth, and quantity of response, than a question worth thirty marks.
Knowing the allocation of the marks can help you plan your exam strategy. Sometimes students spend a long time on a question worth a small amount of marks, and then find they've run out of time for a question worth a lot more marks. Try to avoid losing marks in that way.
The first thing is to check out the exam timetable, and make a note in your diary of the times and locations of your exams. If you have more than one exam, it's important to know how much time you have between exams so that you can build this into your revision timetable.
You also need to know exactly where the exam is being held. On a multi campus university, you might find that one of your exams is being held in a venue you're not familiar with. If you're not sure about the venue, it's a good idea to check it out in advance.
How do I get there?
Work out your transport arrangements and be sure to check parking possibilities if you're travelling by car. You can't afford to get lost on the day or be late. It does happen! Imagine the stress it creates!
Exams vary in length, some might only be an hour, and others might be three hours. Make sure you check how long the exam is. You'll need this when you plan your exam strategy. You can't work out how to manage your time in the exam unless you know how much time you've actually got.
What do you need to take with you? Unless your exam is online you'll need a reliable pen and a spare one as back up, perhaps a calculator. You might also want a bottle of water. You will definitely need your matriculation card.
Here are some questions you need to answer.
Anne Chirnside
First published October 2006. Last updated 3 January 2009.
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