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Exam preparation

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All year round

  • Revise well and test yourself as you go.
  • Precise revision timetable.
  • Work through past exam papers or questions in exam conditions.
  • Keep physically fit. Eat and sleep regularly. Take daily exercise. Learn how to relax. Cook.
  • Anticipate the format of different exams.
  • Learn material differently for different subjects and for different exam styles (short-answer, essay, multiple-choice, etc...)
  • Practice timing yourself in exams.

Six weeks before the exam

  • A new revision timetable, aimed at covering all topics in the time.
  • Look for gaps in knowledge.
  • Test yourself on topic summaries.
  • Concentrate on:
    • vocabulary, technical terms, definitions
    • summaries of points
    • formulae, rules, diagrams, charts, maps
    • ability to understand relationships.
  • Time yourself in writing essay-type answers.
  • Lengthen the revision periods slightly.

Two weeks before

  • Nervousness is common. Use a relaxation strategy to overcome it.
  • Devise another timetable, based on the order and spacing of your exams.
  • Recite and test (don't just read). Use your summaries actively, especially your "summaries of summaries."
  • Minimum of cramming because of prior preparation.

How to relax on exam day

  • Flip through and read the paper. Start with the easiest question and do it first as a confidence booster.
  • If you get a question that completely stumps you, get a piece of paper and write down any words that pop into your head which relate to the subject - one word may lead to another which could jog the memory.
  • If you are still stuck, move on and come back to the question after finishing everything else.
  • Do relaxation exercises before, during and after the exam. Be still, notice what you can hear and what you can smell, but let nothing disturb you. Notice your breathing and draw in fresh air to give your system more oxygen.
  • As you deepen your breathing you will become calm.
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Last reviewed 08 April 2019
Last updated 08 April 2019