Exam Preparation Advice​

Preparing for exams

Assignments

All young men must keep a backup copy of all their assignments and must be able to supply these in the unlikely event that the original assignment goes missing or cannot be retrieved due to technology failure. Technology failure can happen, but is NOT a satisfactory excuse for an extension of a submission date.

Guard against technology problems by:

• Effectively managing your time and computing resources.
• Do not leave the completion of tasks to the last minute as you can never be sure of what might happen.
• Back-up work on a portable device/home drive, or print tasks as you progress, or attach a copy of your work to your school email.

Time before the examinations

Organise your time – construct a timetable

Devise a timetable in which you are able to allocate time for your homework, study, rest and relaxation. Reduce your social activities. Although this can be difficult, your priorities for the weeks leading up to and including the exam period must be focused on doing the best you can with the limited time you have. The great news is, this will only be for a few weeks and it’s a small price to pay for the great exam results that await you!

Study at the right time 

Some students study better at certain times of the day. Monitor the time of day when you feel the most alert and motivated and study then. This will of course differ from person to person.

Find a good spot to study

The place where you study should be uncluttered, well-lit and quiet. Some students also find it motivating to occasionally change their place of study to include different parts of the home, garden or public libraries.

Keep a regular routine

Like an athlete training for a special event, your body and mind will be at its maximum efficiency if you keep a regular routine. That means sleeping at about the same time and the same amount every day and eating regular nutritious meals (no junk food).

Take short regular breaks

Generally we all have short 90 minute cycles of alertness, so a short break every 45-60 minutes will maximize the effectiveness of your study.

Don’t study similar subjects on the same day

Studying similar subjects on the same day may confuse your memory. Organise your study timetable so that the subjects that are different from each other are studied on the same day (e.g. Maths and English).

Start the preparation early

No student, no matter how gifted, can expect to cram for exams and expect to do well. The earlier you start, the better prepared and confident you will be.

Get all the notes and handouts

Make sure you have all your subject notes and handouts in a logical order. Your teachers have given you everything you will need to know for the exams, so if you find that you have any missing notes or handouts, ask your teacher.

Practise, practise, practise

Past exams are an excellent preparation tool because they will give you an idea of the structure of the exam, how questions are worded and how problems are presented. By completing the exams in the time allotted and under exam conditions, you will gain valuable experience and confidence.

On the day of the examination

A little nervousness is ok

It is ok to be nervous before an exam. A moderate level of nervousness can actually enhance your performance, however, too much may cause anxiety and mental blanks. If you are very anxious, find yourself a quiet spot and focus on doing the best you can before the exam.

Have a plan

Make sure you are familiar with the exam format and you have a plan about which section or question you are going to start with first.

Use the reading time

Use the reading time to overcome any jitters and focus your thoughts. Remember to read the longer questions carefully so that you don’t waste valuable writing time during the exam.

Start with what you know

In every exam there will always be questions you think you don’t know – but don’t let this faze you. Start with the questions you do know and build your confidence. Answering these questions may actually trigger the answers to more difficult questions. Questions that initially may look unfamiliar will probably turn out to be questions you can answer.

Read the question

Every time you read a question make sure you ask yourself “What does this question require me to do?” Look for key words like; Explain, Describe, Define, Identify. Keep focused, at the end of every section. Ask yourself, “Am I still answering the question or have I gone off the track?”

Don’t look at everyone else

Many students look around during exams, see others writing away and feel stressed about their own performance. Don’t do it, don’t  worry about what everyone else is doing, it’s your exam, no one else’s.

Watch the time

Try to stick to the suggested allocated time for each section of the exam.

Allocate your time according to marks

If a question is worth 4 marks, it probably requires 4 main points. Avoid over-answering questions. If a question asks for 2 factors and you provide 3, the last one will not be assessed, even though it may be correct.

Attempt every question

Unless stated, you would not normally lose marks for incorrect answers, so attempt every question, even the impossible ones. You just may pick up a mark here and a mark there.

Patrick Janes

Deputy Principal