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Preparing for Exams: A Survival Guide Presenter Name(s) Date E-mail

Preparing for Exams: A Survival Guide Presenter Name(s) Date E-mail. Exams: A Part of the University Experience. Advanced Learning Workshop – Status (14 June 2013).

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Preparing for Exams: A Survival Guide Presenter Name(s) Date E-mail

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  1. Preparing for Exams: A Survival GuidePresenter Name(s)DateE-mail

  2. Exams: A Part of the University Experience Advanced Learning Workshop – Status (14 June 2013) • “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes. Oh and exams in college.” With apologies to Benjamin Franklin • “Good luck on the final exams you’re complaining about on Facebook, instead of studying” • “Examinations – the only way to know something at least for a few days.”

  3. Exams: The Key to Success is Preparation Advanced Learning Workshop – Status (14 June 2013) • “You think you can win on talent alone? Gentlemen, YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TALENT TO WIN ON TALENT ALONE!” Herb Brooks, Coach, 1980 USA Olympics Hockey Team • Preparing for an exam is much like an athlete training for a sporting event . . . It involves exercising, eating the right foods, and getting a good night's sleep! And yes, you also have to study!

  4. Learning Objectives Advanced Learning Workshop – Status (14 June 2013) • Learn preparation and test taking techniques for various types of exams • Understand the keys to successful exam preparation • Cope with exam anxiety

  5. Danger Will Robinson Advanced Learning Workshop – Status (14 June 2013) • When classes begin, exams represent a distant event . . . “I have plenty of time to prepare for exams.” • But beware of that enemy of preparation . . . Procrastination • Time is going to advance much faster than you think and before you know it, preparing for the exam becomes less about learning and understanding the material and more about cramming . . . And then you’re in Danger! • Don’t let procrastination endanger your academic success

  6. Session Topic Agenda Advanced Learning Workshop – Status (14 June 2013) • Group Exercise • General Preparation • Exam Types • What to do before the exam • Taking the exam • Term-End Study Plan Exercise (Optional) • The Seven Day Study Plan (Optional) • Coping with Exam Anxiety • Exam Preparation Reference • For More Information

  7. Group Exercise Advanced Learning Workshop – Status (14 June 2013) • Recall an exam in which you really excelled: • Record the type of exam • List two or three characteristics of your preparation for that exam that were the key to your performance (What was special or different about your approach?) • We will divide into groups of 5 to 6 students: • Share your list with other students in the group • Look for the common themes and unique preparation approaches • Create a group list • We will sample some of the lists in a report back to the session

  8. Exam Preparation Starts Long Before the Exams Advanced Learning Workshop – Status (14 June 2013) • To do well on an exam you must understand the material • That means committing yourself to learning at the start of the academic session

  9. General Exam Preparation Tips Advanced Learning Workshop – Status (14 June 2013) In Class – Learning the Material • Be prepared by having your assignments completed • Take good notes during the lectures • Be an engaged student . . . Ask and answer questions After Class – Learning the Material • Prepare a study schedule for every class and stick to it • Review your notes soon after class • Do all of your homework assignments • *Organize your notes, texts, and assignments according the topics and problems that will be covered on the exam • Assess the topics and problems that are most difficult for you and schedule extra time to study these areas * It is acceptable to ask the professor about the topics to be covered on the exam

  10. Exam Types • Problem Based • Open Book Exams • Essay Exams • Multiple Choice Exams

  11. Problem Based Engineering Exams Advanced Learning Workshop – Status (14 June 2013) Preparation • The typical problem based engineering exam requires you to solve problems related to the subject matter • Learning how to solve these problems is a building process that starts from the first day of class • In order to understand the next step you must comprehend the current and previous steps • Don’t even try to cram for this type of exam!

  12. Problem Based Engineering Exams (2) Advanced Learning Workshop – Status (14 June 2013) Preparation • Do all of your assigned homework problems and in-class problems • Ask questions on methods and procedures that you are finding difficult • Solve unassigned homework problems • Simulate test conditions at home • Give yourself a time limit • Have on hand the materials you’re allowed to have during the exam • After you complete the simulated exam, focus future studying on the areas you found difficult

  13. Problem Based Engineering Exams (3) Advanced Learning Workshop – Status (14 June 2013) Preparation • Form a study group with other students • Study groups bring together a diversity of knowledge • You might know things they don’t and they might know things you don’t . . . So you will all learn • Also, by helping others you will better learn the material . . . “If you can't teach it, you don't know it!” • Use Previous Exams as a Study Guide • They are a great way to understand how the professor thinks and writes problems • They provide a good test of your knowledge and can point to areas that need additional study and work

  14. Problem Based Engineering Exams (4) Advanced Learning Workshop – Status (14 June 2013) Taking the Exam • Read through the exam and instructions • Make sure you are answering the question that is asked • Prioritize items on the test – answer the ones you know first • Show your work • Clearly write each step of the solution (professors often give credit even if the final answer is incorrect) • Be neat • Double check your math, especially your calculator entries • Don’t get bogged down, If you get stuck on a problem move on and come back to it later

  15. Problem Based Engineering Exams (5) Advanced Learning Workshop – Status (14 June 2013) Expect the Unexpected • This scenario will happen, be ready • The professor spends a lot time emphasizing certain types of problems will be on the exam, both in class and in homework • But when the exam is handed out, the problem looks nothing like what you worked on in class or the homework • Don’t panic! • The professor has modified the variables, what was known is now unknown and what was unknown is now known • The professor is teaching you how think like an engineer

  16. Open Book Exams • Open book exams are quite common in engineering courses • That eventually may lead you to the mistaken belief that you don’t have to study • Don’t fall into that trap • In order to succeed your best preparation is to stay current with the classwork: We’ve got an open book exam tomorrow, so we don’t have to study. • Participate in all in-class assignments • Do your homework assignments • Know how to solve the problems in the textbook . . . Without the text book in front of you 11/16/2014 16

  17. Open Book Exams (2) • Preparation • Confirm with the professor what “Open Book” means. Can you bring one text book? Multiple books? An 8.5 X 11 sheet? Note cards? • Make your reference materials as user-friendly as possible so that you don't lose time locating what you need • Develop a system of tabs/sticky notes, color coding, concept maps, etc. to mark important summaries, tables, formulas and problems • Familiarize yourself with the format, layout and structure of your text books and source materials • Write short, manageable summaries or steps for problem solving in the appropriate place • List out data and formulas separately for easy access 11/16/2014 17

  18. Open Book Exams (3) • Taking the Exam • Before starting, scan the exam . . . Get a feel for the types of questions and problems • Quickly review the number of questions and note your level of knowledge for each • Start with the questions that you are confident of and/or for which you will not need much time using your references Image from memegenerator.net • Read the questions carefully to understand what is expected • If you organized your references well, you should be able to target the right location to assist you with each question 11/16/2014 18

  19. Essay Exams • Purpose • Essay exams test not only your knowledge of the subject but also your ability to organize and present thoughts in a persuasive manner • Different test taking skills are definitely needed to do well on an essay exam: • Time management • The ability to organize thoughts on the fly • Good writing skills 11/16/2014 19

  20. Essay Exams (2) • Preparing • Identify and understand thoroughly everything that the professor has covered in class • Ask the professor how many questions will be on the exam (In some cases with essay exams you are given a choice, e.g. “answer 3 of the 6 questions”) • Begin your preparation by predicting what essay questions will be included on the exam: • Use the major boldface headings in your textbooks and turn them into questions • Check the course outline and study guides distributed by your professor • Read over the end-of-chapter discussion questions for possible essay questions 11/16/2014 20

  21. Essay Exams (3) • Preparing • Once you have formulated a list of potential essay questions, prepare a "study sheet" for each of the questions • Review your lecture notes, study guides, and textbook notes • Then record on each of the study sheets the relevant and important material from these sources that you would want to use when writing an essay responding to each question • After you have written all the important and relevant material, organize it • Decide on the best way to present this material in written form 11/16/2014 21

  22. Essay Exams (4) • Taking the Exam • Answer the questions you feel you have the strongest background • Analyze each question according to the following components: • TOPIC: The subject area the question focuses on • TASK: The specific job the essay response must perform, usually expressed in a key word (define) • HINTS: Suggestions or stipulations about what information the essay should contain or how it should be organized and developed • Think before you write . . . Gather the ideas and thoughts you will need to include in your essay. Then consider the most effective way to present that material to your reader • Write Strategically . . . Move immediately to answering the question; Order the points of your discussion and incorporate examples or facts that support your main statements. • Be legible. You could lose credit if the professor can't read your work 11/16/2014 22

  23. Multiple Choice Preparation • In a multiple choice exams, a student is asked to select the correct answer among 3 or 4 wrong answers (called distracters) • The difference is that the student is not asked to provide the correct answer entirely from his/her own knowledge of the subject • That leads students to the mistaken belief that a multiple choice exam is easier than other exams • Not true! Multiple choice exams expect students to have a greater familiarity with details such as specific dates, names, or vocabulary. Students cannot easily "bluff." • And because multiple choice exams focus on details, preparation is critical . . . Learning a little bit each day will allow you plenty of time for repeated reviews and help you build a more reliable long-term memory. 11/16/2014 23

  24. Multiple Choice (2) Preparation (continued) • Identify and understand thoroughly everything the professor emphasized in class • Fundamental terms and concepts that describe important events or features, or that tie related ideas and observations together should be your focus • Review the class syllabus to identify key topic areas and also review highlighted portions in the text • Study your class notes and your assigned readings • Then create your own table of key points • Using the table, look for similarities and differences that might be used to distinguish correct choices from distracters 11/16/2014 24

  25. Multiple Choice (3) Taking the Exam • Divide the number of questions into the amount of time you have so you can see how much time you have for each question • Start by covering the possible answers with a piece of paper while you read the question • Do you know the answer in your head? Then, uncover the responses and see if your answer is on the list. If so, circle it and then check to be sure that none of the other responses is better. • If you do not see a response that you expected, you can than use a series of strategies to identify the responses that are probably wrong • A few examples are: • Look for grammatical clues. If the question ends with the indefinite article "an," for example, then the correct response probably begins with a vowel. • The longest response is often the correct one, because the instructor tends to load it with qualifying adjectives or phrases. 11/16/2014 25

  26. Place Holder Slide for Organizers Remove from Deck Before Presentation The Following Slides are optional (You can skip both, use one of them or both) depending on your focus and how much time you have allocated. Be sure to plan according: Slide 27: Term End Study Plan – This is an individual exercise that will take about 10 -12 minutes Slides 28 to 31: Seven Day Study Plan – This section describes a plan to help students prepare the exams. It is just a presentation that will take about 5 – 6 minutes Both of these sections are available as handouts 11/16/2014 26

  27. Creating A Term-End Study Plan In-Session Exercise • We want to take some time now to have you sketch out a term-end study plan • Use the hand-out to: • Develop a "To Do" list of all the things you have to do between now and the end of the semester. The list should include academic work like papers, projects, finals, social obligations, etc. • Assign a priority to each item. • Record the due date. • Make your plan for accomplishing each task. Take about 5-7 minutes and we’ll discuss the results 11/16/2014 27

  28. The Seven Day Study Plan Day 1 • Review all of your class materials including notes, problems, homework, etc. and divide them into three categories based on your level of understanding of the subject matter: • A = Low Understanding . . . This category requires the most attention • B = Moderate Understanding . . . Requires targeted attention • C = High Understanding . . . Requires a review to stay current • Once you have completed your assessment, create a study schedule for the remaining days Disclaimer: This is not a cramming plan! It counts on the fact that you have been keeping up with each class. 11/16/2014 28

  29. The Seven Day Study Plan (2) Day 2 • Thoroughly review all the material in Category A • Identify the concepts that are most difficult for you and target those areas for specific action • View your material from as many angles as possible • Review the notes and practice problems • Use a sample test if available • Explore internet resources • Ask yourself questions about the material • If there are areas that still remain difficult, reach out the professor or a classmate the next day • Don’t stress if after this first day you don’t understand everything . . . You will be coming back to this material 11/16/2014 29

  30. The Seven Day Study Plan (3) Day 3 • Repeat the instructions for Day 2, this time reviewing your Category B material • You will likely need less time for this material so earmark about ¾ of your study time to Category B • Use the remaining time to address any Category A issues that remained from Day 2 Day 4 • Repeat instructions for Day 2, this time reviewing your Category C material • Again earmark about ¾ of your study time to Category C • Use the remaining time to address any Category B issues that remained from Day 3 11/16/2014 30

  31. The Seven Day Study Plan (4) Day 5 • Review thoroughly all of your material from Categories A, B and C • From your previous work you will know the areas to concentrate on, but don’t neglect the areas you feel are most comfortable • Record any areas that still remain difficult after the Day 5 Review Day 6 • Review all of your material from Categories A, B and C • Pay closest attention to any trouble areas • Also start to assemble any materials you will need for the exam (books, formula sheets, etc.) Day 7 (day before the exam) • Conduct a final quick review and run through some remaining problems in the trouble areas • But limit your studying so you can rest . . . If you followed the plan you are not going to learn new content the day before 11/16/2014 31

  32. Coping With Exam Anxiety Preparation • It can’t be emphasized enough! Being prepared will build your confidence: • Develop good study habits • Learn how to manage your time • Develop an exam preparation strategy and plan • Examine your outside pressures and see what can be addressed so you are not overwhelmed • Get plenty of exercise • Take breaks and don’t over study • Get plenty of sleep, especially the night before • Don’t go into the exam with an empty stomach 11/16/2014 32

  33. Coping With Exam Anxiety Taking the Exam • Take a few deep breaths before you start to help you relax • Read the directions carefully • Start with the questions you know to build your confidence • If you go blank, skip the question and go on next one, then come back • Budget your test taking time • Change your seating position to help energize you • Periodically close your eyes and just decompress for a few seconds 11/16/2014 33

  34. Exam Preparation Reference

  35. For More Information • Conquering Finals :http://scs.tamu.edu/?q=node/77 • Self Help Exam Planner: - http://scs.tamu.edu/?q=node/82 • Exams – Be Test Wise: http://www.uccs.umn.edu/oldsite/lasc/handouts/betestwise.html • Getting Ready for Finals: http://www.uccs.umn.edu/oldsite/lasc/handouts/gettingready.html • Don’t Change the Answer: http://www.uccs.umn.edu/oldsite/lasc/handouts/dontchange.html • Analyzing True and False Questions: http://www.uccs.umn.edu/oldsite/lasc/handouts/analizingtf.html • Reducing Anxiety: http://counselingcenter.gwu.edu/reducing-test-anxiety • Essay Exams: http://depts.washington.edu/pswrite/essayex.html • Open Book Exams: http://www.studygs.net/tsttak7.htm • Multiple Choice Exams: http://www.studygs.net/tsttak3.htm • General Preparation Tips: http://ualr.edu/blackboard/2013/12/02/tips-for-preparing-for-final-exams/ 11/16/2014 35

  36. For More Information (2) Place holder slide • List academic resources available through your university • If none are available – remove slide from deck 11/16/2014 36

  37. Questions 11/16/2014 37

  38. Contact Information Advanced Learning Workshop – Status (14 June 2013) Name E-mail Phone Campus Student Life contact(s): Ombudsman, Dean of Students, etc. 11/16/2014 38

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