Tweak Your Exam Technique [Infographic]

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Tweaking Your Technique For Exams

Sometimes even though you may have prepared well, your exam technique can let you down. This infographic from Study Medicine Europe takes you through how you can improve your technique in exams so you don’t fall at the final hurdle.

Despite having all the best intentions, most people will be doing at least some work the night before the exam. During this final study session, you don’t want to be completely stressed out so it’s vital to try and calm yourself before you even begin. Some light exercise can work well here as it releases endorphins to help keep you calm.

It’s also important to get things right on the morning of the exam to ensure you feel good in the exam hall. Even though you may feel a bit nervous, ensure you have a good breakfast as you don’t want to find yourself hungry during the exam.

When in the exam hall; ensure that you read the instructions carefully, manage time, and present your answers in a structured manner. Answering the question rather than just writing everything you know about a topic is also vital.

Whether the exam goes well or goes badly; try to forget about it as soon as possible. Get ready for the next one and give them your all!

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Tweak your exam technique

Studying hard is of course vital to achieving the exam results you want but sometimes exam technique can be forgotten. Here’s a realistic approach to the last 24 hours before an exam. Yes, you should have all the work done, but the reality is most of you will still be doing at least some studying the night before.

The night before

How prepared you are in the exam Hall is heavily influenced by how you act the night before. Getting it right is vital.

Top memory tip!

Mind palaces

Visualize a building or a road. Fill your mental image with details, such as what you see in each room or what’s on the other side of the road.

Connect an image of each of the features you see with what you’re studying.

Calm yourself

Don’t go into your final study session feeling restless. Try to do some light exercise before studying to release endorphins and focus your mind. It can often be the last thing you want to do but it really helps to settle you down.

Brain food

It is always very tempting to binge eat when you’re studying, but instead of reaching for another packet of crisps, try a banana. Foods high in protein such as nuts are also great, and you can have them without reading the crash.

Hardest first

Focus on the most difficult subject areas first. You’re mine will be at at sharpest so it makes sense to tackle them and then move to easier topics as a reward for getting the hard work done.

Don’t let the bedbugs bite

Organize your time effectively so you can still get a good night’s sleep. Your brain needs time to process them anyway, so you may as well use that time to sleep.

Top memory tip!

Mnemonics

Translate information into a format that is easier to remember.

One way of doing this is by taking the first letters of a string of information and creating a more memorable phrase that is easier to recalled in the original information.

The morning of

Take a hot shower

Instead of overdosing on caffeine, it is a much better idea to take a shower as it clears your mind-leave you refreshed and rearing to go for the day.

Eat a good breakfast

Even though you might feel like you don’t want one, make sure to at least have something. Completing a test on an empty stomach will make you more irritable and stressed.

Gather everything you need in paragraph this includes all the basics such as pens, etc., but depending on the exam, you may be allowed to bring notes into the hall. You might also need a calculator, so just think of everything you need before leaving the house.

Arrive early

Speaking of leaving the house, make sure you do so with plenty of time to spare. It is a terrible feeling worrying that you’ll be late for an exam.

Top memory tip!

Rhyming

Your rhyme could be modern sounding to help you remember it or you could use rhyming couplets to cement facts in your brain.

This can be an effective way of memorizing large amounts of information and can be more effective than a mnemonic.

In the Exam Hall

IMPRESS

Instructions
Read the paper instructions carefully and always double-check the number of questions to be attempted and the time you have.

Manage time
make sure that you not only answer the correct amount of questions, but that you spend the right amount of time on each question.

The time you spend on each question should be by the number of marks available.

Presentation
planning your answers properly and presenting it clearly is another critical factor.

Structure and present all answers in a clear and concise manner.

Relevance
understand what aspects of the subject area are being tested and always tailor your answer to the question asked.

Do not just write down everything you know about the topic.

Easy marks
pick up some easy marks right away to help you get into the flow of the exam.

Survival
everyone has experienced the moment when I look at the exam paper and don’t recognize any of the options or understand the questions.

Take a moment to settle yourself and read all the questions carefully. It will come back to you.

Success
success is what you can expect to achieve if you play all the above techniques.

After the exam

If it goes well… 

Enjoy the moment but don’t let it affect your focus for the exams to follow.

Stick with the preparation that served you well in the next exam.

If it goes badly…

Don’t dwell on it too much, you may well have done better than you think. It is only one exam after all and there are plenty more to come.

Trust in your preparation you will fare better in the next exam.

... And best of luck!

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