Exam Technique

[Empired]

So I made a thread on revision techniques, but what are your strategies once you're actually in the exam hall?

I always read the question, then reread the question and highlight the important parts. And I ALWAYS make a plan before I start. I'll write down the points I want to make in any order, and then number them once I'm done so I know what order to write them in. As I'm going along I might decide to add little notes to my plan as well just to jog my memory when I get to a later point.

[Aiden]

Just jump into it if it's a writing exam. I don't plan at all, I just write what ever comes to my head first.

In like maths I start at front and as soon as I don't get a question I just skim read the rest of the questions as I probably won't get them either... bad really!

[Kyle]

Split question into parts and answer them systematically and explicitly e.g. (Analyse) how [consumer society] (seeks) to [control] (the unconscious) and then write a few mini qs like
Consumer society?
Unconscious?
Control?
Effective?
Issues?
Implications?

I always plan exams in advance but getting to grips with the question to fit all the knowledge in with the question being asked is always worth doing. Helps me organise my thoughts and consider what else I might be able to add.

[Kardan]

Maths exams: Start at front, answer questions.

If I don't get something, skip question, come back later.

If I'm still stuck later see if I can get marks for working out, see if I can fudge my way to an answer if it is given.

If possible, put in a wrong value for something and answer the question as if that was correct to get follow through marks.

If still stuck, guess the answer as 1.

[Empired]

Maths exams: Start at front, answer questions.

If I don't get something, skip question, come back later.

If I'm still stuck later see if I can get marks for working out, see if I can fudge my way to an answer if it is given.

If possible, put in a wrong value for something and answer the question as if that was correct to get follow through marks.

If still stuck, guess the answer as 1.
I used to put 1 for every answer I couldn't get on my GCSE maths papers and managed to get an extra mark which pushed me over the borderline from a B into an A yay

[Matt]

I don't tend to highlight or anything I just get into it whilst I'm still thinking straight :P It gets to a point where I'll just be writing without thinking and when I get to that point it can get a bit dangerous (as I'll stop and be like wow I have no idea what i've just written).

I tend to answer the questions in order of how they're listed/written at the front. Normally, if they have time allocations for each section I'll stick to that. If I go over or don't do it in the order it's listed at the start, I can't cope?? It's weird but that's how I am most comfortable answering exams.

[Cody]

I usually review the major parts of what I think will be on the final, luckily my professor makes slides and emails them to us and I highlight main important details and review them over and over again!


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[Empired]

Just jump into it if it's a writing exam. I don't plan at all, I just write what ever comes to my head first.

In like maths I start at front and as soon as I don't get a question I just skim read the rest of the questions as I probably won't get them either... bad really!
What year are you in now Aiden?

Just because I used to do that for GCSE but I tried that at A-Level and started drowning straight away. For History in particular I need to split my essays into structured paragraphs. For example last year if a question on Thomas Wolsey's domestic administration came up I would go Law, Finance, Economy, Parliament/Religion, Access to the King in that order. I couldn't afford to just jump between the five and that order gave me the opportunity to maximise my marks.

[Aiden]

What year are you in now Aiden?

Just because I used to do that for GCSE but I tried that at A-Level and started drowning straight away. For History in particular I need to split my essays into structured paragraphs. For example last year if a question on Thomas Wolsey's domestic administration came up I would go Law, Finance, Economy, Parliament/Religion, Access to the King in that order. I couldn't afford to just jump between the five and that order gave me the opportunity to maximise my marks.

Year 11, first exam is tomorrow. And yeah I know it's not great, after these exams I will try to change but there's not time really now. I think GCSEs are alright anyway and (im guessing) the difference from GCSE to A-Level will require new skills.

[Empired]

Year 11, first exam is tomorrow. And yeah I know it's not great, after these exams I will try to change but there's not time really now. I think GCSEs are alright anyway and (im guessing) the difference from GCSE to A-Level will require new skills.
Nah I got away with it just fine for GCSE so hopefully you'll be fine too :) Good luck with your first exam tomorrow xx

[Gina]

Year 11, first exam is tomorrow. And yeah I know it's not great, after these exams I will try to change but there's not time really now. I think GCSEs are alright anyway and (im guessing) the difference from GCSE to A-Level will require new skills.
yes same here! igcse english? igcse is great n so much easier yesss praise igcse
i dont have any techniques which is bad cos i havent even revised

if its biology i do some word association if i dont know the answer n write down jibberish so im POSITIVE that ive answered every question
physics if i cant remember the units for something just put in an N in the units somewhere

[James]

I literally make it all up as I go. (not literally make stuff up, but I mean I just write it down as it comes to me)

[Earthquake]

I use to start from the back to the front rather then the latter.

[Aiden]

yes same here! igcse english? igcse is great n so much easier yesss praise igcse
i dont have any techniques which is bad cos i havent even revised

if its biology i do some word association if i dont know the answer n write down jibberish so im POSITIVE that ive answered every question
physics if i cant remember the units for something just put in an N in the units somewhere

yeah haha. it is pretty easy. in all the mocks ive done alright so hopefully tomorrow will be no difference. good luck!

[Phil]

I always read the whole paper before starting and then just get stuck into it. If I don't know the answer or I'm unsure or stuck I'll skip it and come back to the end. I NEVER make plans for like essays and never will I'm just not able! Any time my gf does an assignment she spends like three hours doing a really elaborate planand stuff and it's like if you just spent that time doing the essay you'd be done ;ll

[Aiden]

How did it go Yuxin;? The common lands were quiet a controversy! (hope we did same paper otherwise that's embarrassing)

[Elegance]

I always make notes around the questions I will be answering and quickly jot down points I can make because usually when I read the question I will get ideas but when I come to writing them off the top of my head I begin to forget after writing the first few sentences.

In English Language exams I always start at the back because there are most marks available (like 36 marks I think for the final question) in the last 2 questions than anywhere else and I always spend way too much time on the questions that only have a very small amount of marks

In Maths, I start at the front and just work my way to the back, if I'm stuck or know for a fact I've never been taught how to do something I'll go back to it if I have time left at the end and make an attempt