Examination Preparation and Technique
Preparation Prior to the Day
Examinations (or tests) in any field of endeavour, are a performance and you perform
better if you practise the test. Many students seem to forget this aspect of study, they
study the topic but they neglect to practise answering questions under test or examination conditions.
In most subjects, there are many practice papers that can be obtained from your teachers or else can be brought on the open market. This web page has some papers which can be down-loaded at no cost whilst others may be bought.
If you want to practise tests in your own home make sure that you initiate real test
conditions. ie Select a paper or set of questions that you have not used before, time
yourself and answer the paper under proper test conditions.
In essay type subjects, examination practice could have at least two other forms
1. Time yourself in making mind maps on various topics. For example, in modern
history, you could make a quick mind map of the first world war. This mind map then
could be used to answer a whole range of questions relating to the first world war.
2. Take some of your practice mind maps, devise a question on the topic, and use the
mind map to write an essay answer to this question using this mind map. Remember,
mind mapping is a very powerful tool in essay writing skills and in devising logic
procedures in many aspects of life. Business people use this tool quite often.
Examination practice gives you one other big advantage, if you have practised and
perfected a skill then you have confidence in that skill when you have to perform. Going
into an examination with confidence will give you your best chance of achieving your
highest score.