Effective

EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES FOR EXAMINATIONS

For Succeeding in Examinations, you don’t need much luck as everybody has the same chance of doing well in examination. You need Efforts, Perseverance, Time Management, Motivation, & Proper Revision Techniques

Guidelines: Study Habits

• Stay on reasonably regular schedule of reviewing, eating, sleeping, relaxing & recreation etc.
• Devote at least two weeks of preparation per subject.
• Don’t attempt to study for 24 hours every day. This way your efficiency & capacity to retain will decrease rapidly.
•  If your normal concentration limit is one hour, take a short break after reading for one hour.
• Short & regular study periods are more productive than single long session.
• Eat well balanced diet & drink lot of fluids. Don’t take excessive tea/coffee.
• Be conservative & reasonable about the demands you place on yourself.

Effective Preparation Strategies for Examinations

It begins the moment Examinations are announced. Your preparation schedule should include following:

• Know when & where your examination will be held.

• Time for domestic chores like eating, sleeping, travelling. Time allotted for recreation & relaxation.
• Study time allotted  for examination preparation
• Know if you are you an am person or pm person.
• Make your preparation time table keeping in mind the examination time table. 

• Study papers scheduled later earlier. This will minimize your review time for early papers.

• Devote equal time for all the papers.  However, the subject you find difficult may be given more time,
• Ensure that study time is interruption free time. Advise your family members accordingly.

• Ensure that you have all the material needed to study before you begin to study.

Learning & Remembering Strategies

• Identify your weak areas early;  if necessary  get outside help
• Understanding is most vital aid to learning & remembering
•  Focus your learning. Remember only what you will need
• Review your progress systematically
• Use SQ3R Technique for better learning. SQ3R stands for:

Survey (Scan through your notes & text)

Question (What was the topic about)

Read (Try to answer your questions, make notes)

Recite (Answer the question without your notes)

Review (Re-read your notes whenever you can)

§  Revise by writing summaries & doing problems. Try to revise material in small chunks

• Don’t try to take in too much at one sitting. Take regular breaks & use this time to recite & review.
• A short burst of 15 minutes followed by a 5 minutes review is better than one hour slog & review.
• Test yourself regularly.
• Don’t study similar subjects one after the other.
• Talk to other students.
• Old exam papers can be of good help to simulate actual test. Use them to simulate test.

Attempting the Paper Strategies

• Planning your time to answer each question is very important
• Don’t get carried away by a few questions. Attempt all the questions
• Read through the entire question paper first. Get the feel of the questions you have to answer. Choose the ones you know most about. You must attempt the easier ones first.
•  Be sure to answer all the expected questions.
• After scanning the Question Paper, first prepare outline of the answer.
• Pay attention to the key words like: describe, list, explain, compare & contrast, outline etc. Write your answer as per the key words.

& AS THE DAY APPROACHES

• Try not to study excessively the day before the exam

• Do some relaxing. Have a good night sleep
• Prepare & pack your material the night before
• Don’t take your notes to the Test Center. Further revision will only make you more anxious.

• Immediately prior to the exam, don’t discuss your preparations with your friends

• Devise a strategy for the paper. Consider how you will spend your time. Where you will get maximum marks
• How you will deal with memory blocks
• Use 20:70:10 formula for answering questions

20% time for planning

70% time for writing

10% time for checking & revising

Examination Room strategies

• Read each question carefully. Make sure that you understand what answer is expected.
• Prepare your strategy based on the questions you can answer & the marks available
• Jot down planning notes for each question.  Do all your planning before you actually start writing the answers.
• Allot time to each question depending upon the marks but attempt each question using 20:70:10 formula
• Leave harder questions to the last
• Keep a watch on the watch
• Write neatly & quickly
• Start new question from new page.
• Don’t spend more than allotted time on any question.
• Don’t panic if you haven’t answered the question fully. Try is to answer all the questions, you will score better.
• Leave enough time for revision
• Aim to answer all the questions. If you are stumped by a particular question, move on.  Attempt another question. 

 It is likely that the answer will occur to you later.

• Un attempted questions get no marks. Do not spend extra time on any question trying to get perfect score. Instead, attempt all the questions.
• Don’t get involved with exam post-mortem. This can cause panic for remaining papers.
• Don’t reflect on the exam performance too much. Assume that you have done well & focus on next paper.
• Avoid negative thoughts
• Unless you have a good reason, leave exam site.
• If you can afford the time, reward yourself by spending rest of the day by doing something relaxing

How to Overcome Fear

Fear Can Be Of Many Types

• Fear of failure in exams
• Fear of rejection
• Fear of illness
• Fear of losing job
• Fear of failure in relationship etc. etc.

Symptoms of Fear

• Tightness in chest/mouth
• Dry mouth
• Sweating palms.
• Breathlessness
• Lack of energy
• Sleep disturbance
• Loss of appetite
• Absentmindedness
• Social withdrawal etc., etc

If You Get Sudden Attack of Panic

• For Immediate relief take deep breaths clench & unclench your hands. Have some water
• Imagine yourself inhaling relaxation & exhaling tension
•  Maintain good body posture & breathe deeply
• Reassure yourself that you have  succeeded in all your previous exams to come up to this level; & that This exam is just another exam & no different from the previous ones
• Practice Auto Suggestion Technique

§  Believe in Yourself You are as good as anybody else

However, there is no substitute                                                                            to thorough preparation to overcome your fears