Penstripe Student Planner Catalogue 24-25 - Flipbook - Page 155
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EXAM SKILLS (PAGE 1)
EXAM SKILLS (PAGE 2)
Exam skills
Exam skills
Record yourself
This is a tried and tested way of revising but it will only work for some people. Record yourself
(audio or video) or somebody else reading out the information you need to know and replay it
when you are about to go to sleep. The information will be absorbed into your subconscious.
Summary Statement
I am mainly a
Visual
Auditory
Kinaesthetic
learner.
This means I learn best by:
What should I do before an exam?
Don’t rush – Allow yourself plenty of time for all that you have to do.
Get a good night’s sleep – If you are not well rested you will have a short attention span and
will not focus on the task in hand. Remember: don’t PANIC.
Get up early – Go to bed early and get up early. Avoid late night revision and allow yourself
plenty of time in the morning to check that you have everything that you need for the exam.
Get your equipment ready – Make sure you know what you need and carry all your equipment in
a clear plastic wallet or pencil case.
Exercise – This will help to stimulate your brain.
I am going to use the following activities to learn and to revise:
Drink water – Your brain is 80% water and needs to be hydrated to work properly.
How do I organise my exam?
Plan your time – Before you write anything, read through the whole paper and look to see how
many marks are allocated to each question. Use this to plan your time and don’t rush.
Understand the question – Read each question carefully, check the instructions and underline
any keywords that indicate how you should answer. If you understand the question, the answer
is much easier!
As well as developing your techniques, you can enrich your learning by taking advantage of the
mass of extra study material that is available from traditional printed sources and the internet.
It is important to focus your research; you need to establish what you know and what you need
to find out and then be able to select and apply it. In the run-up to your exams it is very useful
to practise questions from past exam papers and get used to the ‘feel’ of them.
Useful websites
Where should I study?
It is best to study in the same place each day. Try to ensure that the area is quiet and well lit
and that you have a firm, comfortable chair. Be systematic and organise your workspace so
that you have all the materials you need readily to hand. This includes your timetable!
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How should I revise?
It is essential to plan revision and you should usually start 12 weeks before the date of your
first exam. Make sure that you have covered the specification for each of your subjects, that
you know what form the exam will take (written, oral or practical) and what sort of questions
will be asked (essays, short answers, multiple choice, etc). Find out the dates and times of
each exam and record these in your planner.
You need to plan backwards from the dates of each exam and prepare a revision timetable over
the previous 12 weeks. Try to make more time available in the morning when your mind is fresh
and aim to work in 20 - 30 minute blocks, taking 10 minute breaks for recall and relaxation.
Don’t forget to include some longer quality breaks and incentives or rewards, especially after
working on a subject which you find difficult.
Description
Exam Skills (page 1)
155
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Page Ref.
Y3-7
Understand the keywords – The following keywords are commonly used in exams to set the
level of the question and you must know their meaning to answer successfully:
Analyse
Argument
Compare
Contrast
Criticise
Define
Describe
– examine and explain the main parts.
– develop a line of argument to make an assertion and support it.
– point out both similarities and differences.
– show how things are different.
– examine and judge the value of something.
– give a short statement of the specific meaning of a term or word.
– say or write in detail what someone or something is like, e.g. colour, size,
quantity, feel, appearance, smell, etc.
Discuss
– debate advantages and disadvantages.
Evaluate – show how well something has been done or how important it is by giving
reasons and evidence.
Explain
– make something clear or easy to understand by describing or giving
information about it and supporting this with reasons.
Explore
– look at something in a careful way to learn more about it.
Illustrate – give clear examples which help to describe, explain or confirm.
Outline
– give an overview of the main facts or ideas.
Prove
– support with facts, figures, evidence and examples, giving references where
applicable.
State
– present something in clear, short form.
Summarise – give a brief account of the main points together with a conclusion.
Trace
– describe the development of something or the order in which events happened.
After the exam - BE POSITIVE!
Don’t worry about the exam you’ve just taken; think positively; give yourself a short break for
relaxation then start preparing for the next time.
Description
Exam Skills (page 2)
Page Ref.
Y3-8
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Extra information
