personal insights before the exam: revision strategies what type of learner are you? in the exam:...
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EXAM REVISION STRATEGIES Personal Insights Before the Exam: Revision Strategies
What type of learner are you? In the Exam:
What to do first Type of Questions Analysing Questions Time Allocation Review
Being prepared – overcoming nerves
WHERE WOULD YOU DRAW THE LINE?
The purpose of exams is to:
1. Terrify you?2. Test your ability to memorise information?3. Test how much you can write in a given time?4. Test how well you can cope with exam stress?5. Test whether you understand the requirements of the question?6. Test your understanding of key concepts and theories?7. Test your ability to apply knowledge?8. Test your ability to present a logical, well structured, complete answer
which uses the appropriate academic language of your discipline?--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ?
PERSONAL INSIGHTS
Discuss with another student:In what ways has your past approach to revision and your actual strategies helped or “hindered” your exam success?
WE REMEMBER: 20% of what we read 30% of what we hear 40% of what we see 50% of what we say 60% of what we do 90% of what we read, hear, see, say and do
Implications for revision? (Flanagan 1997, cited in Cottrell, 2003 p 254)
REVIEWING
WHAT DO EXAMINERS EXPECT YOU TO DEMONSTRATE?
Your understanding of key concepts and theories Your ability to apply knowledge Your understanding of the requirements of the
exam question Your ability to be critical and analytical Your ability to present a supported argument
With these objectives in mind…
APPROACH TO REVISION Set up a conducive work station: comfortable, well equipped
Plot dates: be sure of time and place of each exam
Draw up a revision timetable: more general to more focused
Organise notes: lectures, tuts, assignments…Choose systems Themes e.g. main ideas; concepts; topics Use colours for similar (e.g.) topics Reduce – notes to phrases to key words; cue cards; colours/highlight/etc Link similar ideas, etc…use mind maps Night before exam, revise mind maps and cue cards!!!
Prioritise: main concepts and theories – practical implications
Identify gaps: turn headings into questions – can you answer them?
Revisit course outline: basis for content to be assessed
Consult past exams: how are they usually formatted – typical Qs?
ORGANISING NOTES…CONT
Reduce your notes to make a set of revision notes; use your own words to summarise & represent content in a new way. Reflect Analyse Evaluate
Create concept maps, diagrams, use colour, post-it notes Look for connections – between & within topics, real examples Use mnemonics/flash cards/cue cards to assist with specifics Work with others – discuss, teach, test Rehearse responding to questions ** science confirms: answering ?
s is the most effective way of revising Orally & in writing With and without notes Analyse your responses
YOUR PREFERRED LEARNING STYLE
Are you a visual learner? Do you prefer to be verbal and talk about ideas? Are you more active – you like to do/write/etc? Do you prefer to be reflective and think? Are you more sensing – concrete examples/facts? Do you learn creatively/intuitively? Do you learn best in detail and in order i.e. sequentially? Do you like the big picture first i.e. you are global?
IN THE EXAM: NOW WHAT DO I DO? Don’t panic…You DO know the answers! How long is the exam…2 hours? 3 hours? Use the Reading Time wisely
make decisions…make a plan Questions
How many? What type? What are they worth? Approx time allocation for each? Where to start? Easiest? More heavily weighted?
SOME ‘TIPS’ ON QUESTIONS
Multiple Choice Read carefully Not always ‘C’ Does the answer read grammatically? Take note of particular words e.g. ‘not’
How many marks for the question? If there are 5 marks, make sure there is scope for 5 ‘ticks’ from
the marker. What is the format of the answer?
Is it a long or short answer? ‘Briefly explain…Argue with evidence’ Allocate time according to the mark
COMPONENTS OF AN EXAM QUESTION Content words:
Background, topic, scope Directive words:
What to do, how to answer Scope:
The boundaries of the question Content words tell you WHAT area to write about Directives tell you HOW to answer Scope tells you WHICH aspects to include
EXAMPLE QUESTIONS Accounting: Define the term “an asset” (2 marks)
Finance: Explain the relationship between the price of a
debenture and its rate of return (4 marks)
Business law: Compare and contrast a contractual and non-
contractual promise (4 marks)
Management: Outline the purpose of an organisational chart (3 marks)
EXAMPLE QUESTIONS
Accounting: Define the term “an asset” (2 marks)
Finance: Explain the relationship between the price of a debenture
and its rate of return (4 marks)
Business law: Compare and contrast a contractual and non-contractual
promise (4 marks)
Management: Outline the purpose of an organisational chart (3 marks)
STRUCTURE OF ANSWER
Discuss the conditions under which cash accounting provides useful financial information
Underlying questions: What is cash accounting? What is it used for? In what conditions is it limited in its usefulness? In what conditions does it give valuable information? – what characterises
this situation?Expectations of Answers: the question is fully and relevantly answered the answer shows how key concepts apply The answer is logical and concise
ANSWER: COMMUNICATION SKILLS GUIDE P 5INTRODUCTIONEstablishing sentence including Point of view.
Cash accounting provides useful financial information only under restrictive conditions.
ARGUMENT What(definition)
Pure cash accounting maintains records of an entities cash flow. It ignores all liabilities and recognises only one asset – cash. Modified cash accounting methods keep the daily records on a cash basis, but augment the end-of period results for a few significant non-cash items such as inventories or equipment.
What(explanation)
The main aim of accounting is to provide financial information for use in making economic decisions. The accountant normally presents this information in terms of an entity’s financial position and changes therein as represented by assets, liabilities and owner’s equity
ANSWER: COMMUNICATION SKILLS GUIDE P 5
Why(implications of the facts)
When non-cash assets and liabilities are a significant part of an entity’s operation, then the cash accounting method will not provide the information needed for economic decisions
Why(implications of the facts)
It follows that the cash accounting method will provide useful financial information when an entity’s operations are conducted mainly in cash terms, with relatively small or constant carry-overs of inventory and equipment from one period to the next.
CONCLUSION (restates argument given what has been presented)
Thus, under such conditions, cash accounting is an effective means of input information in economic decisions.
CRITIQUE YOUR ANSWER
Ensure A clear point is presented The content answers all parts of the question The ideas are organised logically with appropriate use
of signal words and phrases Both ‘what’ and ‘why’ are explained Terminology is used and spelled correctly
If you finish early, go back and critique all your answers
EXAM NERVES!
The better your revision – the less nervous you will be! Find out as much as you can about the exam format
beforehand Be sure about WHEN and WHERE…if needed, go to the
venue, do a ‘dry run’…better to be early than late Ensure you have everything you need: ample
pens/pencils/sharpeners/calculators/water/gum/etc No last minute ‘cramming’…you will only panic Final review of cue cards…Eat…Sleep…Relax
IN SUMMARY
I know what is expected of me in exams I know what topics will be covered and how they
relate to each other I can anticipate the kinds of questions on each topic I have devised a personally effective revision
timetable I approach exams as an opportunity to demonstrate
my knowledge ability to apply that knowledge
