How to Approach Cumulative Exams

1. How to Approach Cumulative Exams • Before the Exam • Hypothesis Questions • Data Interpretation

2. Before the Exam – Review techniques • Different methods of determining the same thing • Limitations of those methods • Requirements for those methods (ex specific Ab) • Know pros and cons of each method

3. How to budget your time • 10-15 min -Read the hypothesis question and make brief notes • 1 hr 45 min - Data interpretation • 1 hr 30 min - Back to hypothesis question • Last 30 min - Review your work

4. Hypothesis Questions – first glance (10-15 min) • Break overall hypothesis into testable sub-hypotheses • For each sub hypothesis jot a note about what technique you would use • If obvious alternative comes to mind, jot that down quickly as well

5. Data Interpretation (1 hr 45 min) • Interpret each figure • Summarize major points • Do not repeat which bars went up and down, tell them what it means • Summarize overall conclusions • Full paragraph (not 1-2 sentences) • Don’t just repeat – synthesize • This is generally a heavily weighted section! • Make title • Skim intro • Don’t read methods • Look at figures • Go back to intro and read for key points

6. Hypothesis Questions – second glance (1 hr 30 min) • Overall hypothesis • Sub-hypothesis 1 = state clearly • Experimental design/methods • Include positive and negative controls • Expected results (I liked to draw figures when I could) • Conclusions that can be drawn • Pitfalls and alternatives • Other method that can be used to test the same thing • Something that can go wrong with the chosen approach • Unexpected result and what this would mean  • Sub-hypothesis 2 (repeat)… • Overall conclusion statement when there is time

7. After the Exam