Preparing for Exams

Preparing for exams is something that happens throughout our university life. Even though we know that it is going to happen, this preparation is often pushed to one side or even put on the long finger and it can appear to sneak up on us. Please join the Skills Centre tutors as they help you with some practical advice and tips you prepare for your examinations.

Exam Preparation Video Lesson

Organisation

Firstly, you should look at the Time Management PDF online. This advice will help you to organise the tasks that need to be completed in preparation for an exam. If you are preparing for a topic covered in a module, consider the following tasks:

Have you gathered all your extra reading material?
Have you reviewed and photocopied the relevant material?
Have you filed your notes for each topic?
Is there anything that you need to ask the lecturer or tutor about? You may need to send a query to your lecturer/ tutor, e.g.:
- Difficulty in understanding an element?
- Further sources for a specific term or topic.
- Advice regarding what you have already completed?
Have you organised a study space?
Have you arranged a study group to look at areas that you may be strong/ weak in?
Have you signed up for Skills Centre sessions/ Writing Clinics/ Advisor Appointment to improve your academic skills?

TOP TIP: You should break down tasks into smaller actions, in preparation for an exam. For example, simply getting extra material from the library:

1. Time travelling to college
2. Gathering and reviewing material
3. Photocopying material
4. Filing material

You need to acknowledge how long each task is taking even before you begin studying.

Time Management

One of the most important things is time management. It can be difficult at this time as you are staying at home much more that you are used to. It is important that you set up some sort of routine and remember that each task you complete, each concept you learn adds to your preparation for the exams. This schedule maps your main tasks of the week.

This shows how much of your time is taken up by only a small amount of the weekly tasks. It is not the same for all students but consider if anything stands out to you. For example, does your travel to college afford you time to study or can you free up time in the evening?

Time blocking is the practice of planning out every moment of your day in advance and dedicating specific time “blocks” for certain tasks and responsibilities. While a standard to-do list tells you what you need to do, time blocking tells you when you’re going to do it. You can also include the weekends or get a monthly overview; add in as many different “calendar” categories as you need.

Manage Your Time Well | Being a Student in the 21st Century

Past Exam Papers

Reviewing the past questions and marking scheme will let you know how much time you have for each section/ question in the exam paper. Past Exam Papers are available on the Boole Library Website. They may give you an indication of the subject and style of questions that could be asked. You should check with your examiner to ascertain their relevence to this years' exam. You should familiarise yourself with the material that the markers are looking for by looking at Canvas, lecture notes, reading lists, etc.

You can identify gaps in your knowledge by reviewing the marking scheme and reading previous year’s questions. You should check the content of the past papers and ask yourself:

Which topics have come up?
What is the style of question?
Look at the marking scheme
Compare exams papers to your tutorials/ lectures.

You should be able to list the number of topics that you need to cover through an analysis of the past papers and your lecture notes. This should allow you to create a checklist to ensure that you are well prepared for the exam.

Reviewing

When approaching revision, you should always begin by looking to identify and use study techniques that suit you. Recognise past successes and build upon them. To do this, ask yourself the following questions:

What has/has not worked for you in the past?
Which is the most successful method you have used to retain information before?
Could you combine a few techniques (that you know work for you) to create your personal success strategy?

In the lead up to an exam you should ensure that you understand how to read the question. In other words, do you know the difference between discuss, criticise, analyse, describe, etc. You should be aware of the use of the terms that are used in questions and what these terms are asking of you as the student.

You should be able to reduce any notes that you have made into flashcards and test yourself on a question from each area.

How to prepare for your Exams (Part 1/2) | GIMME TWO MINUTES

How to prepare for your exams (part 2/2) | GIMME TWO MINUTES

Check out the full page's to our approaches on study strategies and note taking through here.

Increase Your Brain Power

This goes without saying – you have to look after yourself! A healthy body equals a healthy mind and you will need your brain power to be in optimum condition in preparation for upcoming exams! It is important to balance study and life healthily and avoid any burnouts.

Get enough sleep
Eat properly
Giving yourself breaks
Exercise
Hydrate
Take vitamins if you need them

These activities should be scheduled into your timetable. They are just as important as studying! If your mind is in a good place, you can be more efficient with other tasks.

UCC'S Keep Well webpages have some excellent resources to help you look after yourself both physically and mentally.

Useful Links

UCC exam papers from previous years can be found online through the UCC library essentials here. The format might be different for open book exams but might give you a good idea about the subjects being tested
You might find the guide to Paraphrasing useful
Find out more about the UCC Plagiarism Policy

Relevant Online PDFs