5 Tips on Effective Test Taking
According to statistics from universities, 15-20% of students drop out after their first exam. If you passed it, you passed your baptism of fire: you will probably make it to your diploma. But it’s easy to say, “I passed”. But you try! We tried, we know: it’s not easy. So here is advice from experienced first-year students.
Be prepared!
It’s trite but true: at university (university, college) you should not be lazy, but study. Even if you don’t understand anything at all, you should at least responsibly imitate the process:
Attend all lectures and seminars
During classes more often “shine” in front of teachers. But only for business: to specify something, nodding with a clever look, raising your hand, and answering questions.
Then there is a high probability that during the test or exam the teacher will “click”: “Oh, this is the same responsible student who behaved so responsibly all the academic year,” and he sincerely wants to give a good grade.
And, of course, on the exam itself you need to come fully armed:
- With a stack of notes, textbooks, and additional materials. Some teachers allow you to use all of this on the exam.
- Cheat sheets – yes, yes, you need them too.
- First, while you make them, you involuntarily memorize the material.
- Secondly, they are somehow calmer, even if they do not get to use as intended.
- Third, what the hell… They can help if you use them skillfully – quickly and discreetly.
- Knowing the name of the examiner. Ridiculous? And teachers are constantly faced with students addressing them with mistakes.
If, however, from the first pairs, you forgot about the study and plunged into adult life (a little sorry, if we are talking about work, not the endless parties, but the exam is still no help), then “congratulations”: joy may not last long. Just until the first exam. With coursework and tests, EssayAssistant can help, but the tests and examinations will have to come in person. So… move on to the following tips for passing.
Politeness and modesty are a student’s secret weapons
At the native university always first say hello to the teaching staff, do not be late for lectures, and at the X-day – passing exams and tests – come on time, modestly and neatly dressed.
We understand how it can be hard for Tumblr girls, goths, and other young people who express themselves with non-standard appearances… But! Good advice: Show your personality to the teacher at the exam only when you know his subject with a solid “A”. Otherwise there is a risk to run into a conservative, who “fails” solely because of appearance and challenges, in his opinion, behavior.
The golden mean, or the best time to answer
Only very risky guys and girls can afford to enter the exam, as a pioneer, immediately pull the ticket and are the first to answer! Or the top achievers who know everything. It is more effective to wait until the student vanguard comes out of the audience and tell how it was all arranged there: whether the teacher is kind today, whether there is an opportunity to use spurs, etc.
But also to drag up to the last it is possible only if exactly know, that by the end of the examination the teacher is tired and even at the most thorough failures is ready quickly to accept any answer. Many teachers, on the contrary, are saving their strength, knowing that by the last ten in the hall there will be only “ignoramuses” and “phoners”. And certainly, they will not be let off the hook!
Therefore a piece of advice to first-year students: At the first examination exam, it is better to enter the classroom in the middle of the flow.
Calm, only calm
A student who radiates inner calmness and confidence during exams behaves accordingly. He transmits his optimistic mood to the teacher, and the latter may imperceptibly take the side of the student, softer treatment of the answer, give more time to prepare, etc.
Stresses can make even solid knowledge fly out of your head. What to do in this case? May help:
Soothing breathing, simple and quick meditative techniques (like closing your eyes, turning off the internal dialogue, and staying in this state for a minute or two, clearing the mind).
Soft drugs like glycine, and herbal gatherings “from nerves”. But you need to start taking them in advance, at least a week before the test, and strictly according to the instructions.
Promise yourself a forbidden, but desirable reward. For example, “Here’s a quick answer – I’ll go eat cake (order three pizzas at once, buy a new smartphone).
How to answer the tickets
Pulling exam tickets is a lottery. After seeing the cherished two or three questions, the main thing is to decide on the logic of the answers. Even for humanities disciplines it is better to make a plan, and already on it to develop thought.
Do you understand that “float”? Then write down everything you know, what comes to mind on your own, and related subjects. At least you’ll have something. And on that basis, move on to a plan anyway, and develop it into at least a coherent text.
We strongly advise against
Use parasitic words. This is annoying.
Repeating the title of the topic and additional questions. This makes you even more nervous.
Behave like an argumentative know-it-all – answer the ticket with condescension, criticizing the official point of view (even if there are alternative arguments and facts). After all, your goal now is not to get to the truth, but to get “credit” or a positive grade.
So.
- If in the first minutes of the exam you show yourself to be a humble and responsible student – consider this half done: the sympathy of the examiner will be on your side.
- If you remember at least something for your answer and write it down in a coherent text, you can probably scrape together a “C”. Or even a B.
- Well, if you are objectively ready, all you have to do is not be nervous. By the next exams, you’ll be able to advise freshmen.
