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How to Prepare for S emester Exams. Get ready for success!. Exama Jama. Semester Exams are coming. Discussion: How do you typically prepare for an exam? What seems to work best for you to successfully prepare for exams? What is problematic for you?.
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How to Prepare for Semester Exams Get ready for success!
Semester Exams are coming • Discussion: • How do you typically prepare for an exam? • What seems to work best for you to successfully prepare for exams? • What is problematic for you?
What are good habits for exam preparation? • Set up an exam schedule and study schedule • Get organized • Find Connections • Sleep well and eat well the night before exams
Study Schedule • Use a calendar or day planner to set aside hours for subject specific studying • Give yourself planned study breaks • Turn off phone, skype, message services, etc to let yourself study in peace • Avoid multitasking and focus on your studying • Build in some exercise time to relieve stress
Study Schedule • Pay attention to which exams will be the hardest. Weight your study time appropriately so that you give the most study time for these exams. • Prioritize your study time • Schedule time with friends to study
Get Organized • Find your notes and other handouts or information from the class • If you don’t have complete notes, form a study group with friends and review the full notes together • Put your notes in order and rewrite missing or confusing parts so you have a full and correct version.
Get Organized • Find your old tests to review and correct • See what you got wrong and where you made mistakes. Try to avoid these on the semester exam • Practice the test questions again • Make lists of key terms or vocabulary from the semester that you are likely to see on the exams • Make flashcards with these terms to help you study
Create Connections • Look for the main ideas of the various units, topics, concepts that you studied in class. • What skills did you learn during the semester? • Make lists or concept webs to show the topics or concepts that you learned this semester. • Link the material with the skills • Examine the rubrics to see how you are supposed to write / answer the questions
Create Connections • Understand the Command Terms (Describe, Discuss, Compare, Contrast, Explore, Analyze, etc). • Teach a friend some of the concepts or at least go through the material orally. • Sometimes teaching the topics help you remember the material better • Create Mnemonics to help you remember the important concepts
Create Connections • Develop questions and ask your teacher to clarify or help you understand confusing concepts. • Make compare/contrast tables to show how the various topics / concepts are similar or different
Night Before Exams • Avoid cramming everything last minute • Get 7-8 hours of sleep the night before exams • Eat a good, healthy breakfast • Drink plenty of water • Stretch your muscles and breathe deeply before the exams begin • Have confidence in your own abilities
How to Prepare for Exams • Good luck!