1 / 16

Succeeding in exams Planning for revision and exam success

Succeeding in exams Planning for revision and exam success. This workshop was originally produced at the. Overview of the session Using time effectively is especially important when it comes to exams. This workshop aims to help you plan your time before and during exams. It includes:.

larrymaclean
Download Presentation

Succeeding in exams Planning for revision and exam success

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Succeeding in examsPlanning for revision and exam success This workshop was originally produced at the

  2. Overview of the sessionUsing time effectively is especially important when it comes to exams. This workshop aims to help you plan your time before and during exams. It includes: • How to make a revision timetable • Using revision time effectively • Planning and using your time in the exam room

  3. Get the basics sorted… • How many exams have you got? • When do they take place? • Where do they take place? • How much time do you have during the exam? • What form does the exam take? Seen or unseen? Essays, multiple-choice questions, oral exam? • How many questions?

  4. What’s the big issue?Why is good time management so important now? • Time limits are central to examinations • You have a limited amount of time to revise • You have a limited amount of time to answer questions • You are under pressure to perform well, so you may try to do too much, or worry that you haven’t done enough • Good time management is about understanding what you need to do, and fitting it into the time you have to do it in

  5. To start you thinking… What sort of reviser are you? Perfectly planned Penny Laid back Larry Working in pairs: • Discuss which of these is closest to the way you revise • What is good or bad about this style of revision?

  6. Different styles of revisionDo what works for you • Some people like to have a detailed timetable - and stick to it • Some people prefer something more flexible • Don’t worry about what your friends do – do what works for you Students often say they leave things to the last minute because they work better under pressure • Do you think this is true? • What are the advantages and disadvantages of this approach?

  7. Planning your revision Fitting things into the time available • There’s no fixed amount of time you should spend on revision – but don’t start too early, or too late • Select the topics you need to revise (can’t revise everything) • Work out how many days you have, leaving some time free immediately before the exams to practise • Plan two revision sessions each day (morning, afternoon or evening) • Divide the sessions you have by the number of topics, and allocate topics to sessions

  8. Planning your revision Tips to make it work • Give more time to difficult topics if necessary • Alternate topics – helps you to make connections and stops you getting bored • Start by writing down what you know already, then fill in gaps • Don’t try to do too much – but make sure you cover enough • Keep changing learning mode – writing, reading, thinking • Don’t work 24/7 – your brain needs downtime to process information

  9. Planning your revisionAn example revision plan for discussion Would this suit the way you revise?

  10. Using time in the exam room Work out your timings • Find out how much time you have and how many questions you have to answer • Reserve five minutes for reading the questions, and five minutes for checking through at the end • Work out how much time you have for each question - don’t forget that this should include planning time • Are your questions broken down into parts? Check how many marks for each part – it should have an impact on how long you spend on each part

  11. Using time in the exam room Making quick answer plans for essays • Choose an example question and make a five minute plan Either: • Brainstorm everything you might discuss, see what can be grouped together, choose three ideas or groups and put in order Or: • Decide what the three most important messages are and put them in order

  12. Using time in the exam room Tips to make it work • Practise writing to time – it’s a different genre to ordinary assignment writing • Stick to your timings and your answer plan as far as possible • Don’t waffle – marks are given for quality not quantity! • Time spent reading the question carefully, planning your answer, and checking through, is time well spent • It’s okay to stop and think – don’t feel you have to be writing all the time

  13. What could you do if you go blank? Working in pairs: • Discuss and make a list of possible strategies • Share with the whole group • Choose and write down one thing you will do

  14. My Top 5 Tips... • Answer the question • Answer the question • Answer the question... • Test yourself – or get others to test you • Practise in exam-type conditions ...but above all else...

  15. ...remember to wear those lucky pants!!!

  16. For more on time management and other study practices... LearnHigher time management webpages For guides and exercises on all aspects of time management www.learnhigher.ac.uk/learningareas/timemanagement/home.htm The LearnHigher network brings together the expertise and experience of 16 universities to produce research-informed support for study practices. www.learnhigher.ac.uk

More Related