Study Skills Workshops

1. Study Skills Workshops Exam Preparation

2. Learning Outcomes This workshop will help you to: • Review Current Strategies • Explore Effective Preparation Techniques • Gain Insight into effective organisation for exams • Prepare more effectively for exams • Use stress management techniques before and during exams

3. Overview • Effective Study Techniques • Reviewing • Principles of Memory • Getting Organised • Exam Preparation • In the Exam • Common Pitfalls • Stress Management

4. Effective Study Techniques • Create right study environment • Use active reading strategies (SQ3R) • Identify essential information • Summarise in your own words • Review – end of session

5. Effective Study Techniques • Present information to yourself in various ways • Diagrams • Notes • Visual or motor presentations • discussions • Use headings and structure

6. Reviewing Material • Students who review recall for longer • Regular intervals of review • Same day • One day later • Two weeks later • Nine weeks later • Lack of review – studying harder

7. Principles of Memory • Organisation • Overlearning • Depth of Processing • Rehearsal • Preparation • Retrieval • Moran, A. P. (2000)

8. Getting Organised • Organise your notes by topics and themes in your course • Plan your time (revision timetable or to do list) • Select what needs to be revised • Review past exam papers for format and content

9. Getting Organised • Check your course outline or check with fellow students / tutors etc • Condense material to summary sheets or mind maps • Try discussing exam answers with others • Use elaboration and organisational strategies.

10. Examinations • Preparation • Past Papers • Focus on question types • Create timetable of study • Create timetable of exams • Practice questions • Look for hints

11. Examinations: What you need to know • When & where? • Seen or unseen? • How Long? • Number of papers? • Types of Questions? • How many questions to be answered? • Compulsory questions? • Allocation of marks? • Equipment permitted? (e.g. calculator in maths)

12. Examinations: In the Exam • Choose questions carefully and quickly • Ensure you understand the question fully • Look for key words (process & content) • Brainstorm • Plan your answers well – mind maps • Hand up all plans and rough work. • Always leave time for editing

13. Examinations: In the Exam • Answer the question • Key terms • Area of course • Critical analysis/argument • Objective • Support opinions/make conclusion • Draw on material from the course: Use to back up your arguments • Don't overfill your answer full of names and facts • Always plan your time and use it wisely • Pay attention to presentation: Use paragraph structure for layout.

14. Common Pitfalls in Exams • Not answering sufficient questions • Not reading instructions correctly • Not reading the questions correctly • Not answering the question asked • Incorrectly identifying key terms • Incorrectly identifying instructions

15. Stress Management • Positive Visualisation • Rehearsal • Breathing Techniques • Relaxation Techniques • Good Planning • Exercise • Sleep

16. References • Cook Counselling Centre, University of Virginia (www.ucc.vt.edu) • Study Skills, Clifton Press, (2000) • www.vhihealth.com • Managing your own learning, Moran, A.P. (2000) • The Good Study Guide, The Open University, (1990) • http://www.hull.ac.uk/disability