Studying for Exams

Exams are the most general indicator used to evaluate the knowledge or skills you have gained during the semester. The period before your exams can be a very stressful time and knowing that your exams will affect your grade point average can make you very anxious. To reduce your stress and anxiety during this time, you should know how to study efficiently and be adequately prepared. The following are the key points for successful exam preparation.

Firstly, you should pay close attention and concentrate when in class. Most of the content in exams is taught in the classroom. If you do not attend class frequently, or just pay no attention to what the teacher says in the class, you will surely miss important information. Remember that teachers will not test what they have not taught.

After your classes, when you revise the lessons for exams, have paper and a pen handy for taking note of the main points and important information while reading. Taking notes is very useful because you will think before you write something and your brain will automatically memorise it. It is stored in either the short-term or long-term memory depending on how much attention you pay and how many times you revise it. When taking notes, it is best to take notes in your own words, rather than simply copying from your textbook, as this process will help you to remember the information more easily. Another good thing about taking notes is that you do not need to read everything again for the next revision. You can read the notes taken in order to recall the lessons.

In addition, you have to know what kind of exam it will be so you can arrange the way you will study. If it is a multiple-choice exam, it would be better to find old exams from the library or exercises to test yourself. This way, you can pre-evaluate your knowledge and correct yourself, as there are usually correct answers or even explanations available. If not, you can still find the answers in your textbook. If it is an essay exam, you must study the detailed information. This kind of exam frequently tests your ability to memorise details and organise your ideas. It is a good idea to identify the main topics and try to write the essay from these topics. If you do this when studying rather than waiting until you are sitting the exam, you will have more time to organise your ideas and check if you missed any important information.

Your surroundings are also important when you are studying. It is likely that you will not be able to focus on your study if there is noise or any disturbance. You may end up paying attention to other things that are distracting you. You should find a quiet place with a comfortable chair and table but you need to ensure that it is not too relaxing as you may fall asleep! Lighting should be adjusted to be suitable for reading so that your eyes will not experience strain.

If you follow the advice above, passing your exam with a high score will not be too hard for you!

Written by:
Amy Jindaphan
Customer Service and Marketing
Elite Editing