Start early to reduce stress and increase your chance of success. Check out our resources on note taking and time management. Find a study strategy that works for you. If you listen in class, take good notes and manage your time, you will set yourself up for exam success!

Consider what is expected of you. Are exam questions going to be pulled from class material, assignments, readings or all of the above? Is the exam cumulative (does it cover everything since the first class)? If you're unsure, ask your teacher.

Consider what type of exam you are preparing for. The answer will impact how you study. Talk with your teacher to find out the type of questions that will be on the exam (multiple choice, short answer, essay, etc.). Prepare accordingly.

• Summarise your summaries and reduce information to keywords. You may find it helpful to write your keywords on coloured cue cards (packs of cards are available from Student Success Reception for $1 per pack).
• Go over your summaries regularly.
• Focus on understanding material as it is covered in class - ask your teacher or classmates if you need help. It is very difficult to learn material that you don’t understand.
  
• Turn course objectives into questions and try to answer them. Imagine you are setting the exam/test and predict possible questions. Make a note if the teacher emphasises a particular section/topic. If your course is based on Unit Standards, use the performance criteria to guide your revision.

• Record important dates on a wall planner (eg dates for assignments, tests and exams). OPSA provides free planners at the start of each year.
• Write weekly and daily plans. Include specific tasks to be completed and the time you expect each task to take (eg summarise Cell Biology notes, one hour). Prioritise tasks according to their urgency. Try to set precise, realistic, manageable goals for each study session (free weekly timetables and day planners are available from Student Success).
• Attempt to keep to deadlines but be flexible - revise your timetable if you find it’s not working. The time needed for each subject depends upon the relative proportion of marks allocated in the exam, your subject strengths and weaknesses, the amount of material you have to cover, and the time you can spare.

For example, time, place of study… as this will help you stick to your study plan. Use your best study times for the material you find the most difficult. 

Relax and reward yourself. 

Use memory strategies: Jot down the key points, recite material, draw a mindmap, or test yourself using cue cards etc. Take an active approach!

Adequate exercise, sleep, diet, and relaxation, as well as study will help.

• Find out as much as you can about the paper - e.g. its format, content, length, whether you can take reference books/notes etc. If possible, look at previous exam papers. Some Schools put past papers on Moodle. If you can’t find any there, ask your School administrator whether you can have access to them. Practise writing answers to previous questions under exam conditions.
• Plan how you will divide up your time in the exam or test. Try to allow for reading and checking time.
• Double-check details such as the venue, date and time.
• Get equipment organised: pens, calculator, water bottle.
• The night before - try to get enough sleep, eat well, briefly revise your summaries, mindmaps, cue cards etc.

• Skim through your summaries again on the morning of the exam or test to refresh your memory, but don't try to cram new material. If you feel a bit panicky try to reassure yourself by thinking about the preparation you have done.
• Get to the exam/test early. If you can choose your seat, find a place where you feel comfortable and will be able to concentrate.
• Make use of reading time, if available (exam papers usually allow 10 minutes for reading). Skim the paper and read instructions carefully. Jot down a quick plan of the approximate time you expect to spend on each question or section.
• If you are anxious, try the following relaxation exercise (Hinton & Casey, 1999).
  1. Take a deep breath in and a long breath out.
  2. Breathe in again and straighten your back as if someone is pulling a lever between your shoulder blades.
  3. Look straight ahead at something inanimate and focus your mind on a positive thought such as ‘I can do this exam’ as you breathe out.
  4. Take another deep breath in and a long breath out. Then breathe normally. Relax and lower your shoulders.
  
• Take short breaks during the exam to stretch and take a few deep breaths.
• Keep an eye on the clock – try to stick to your time plan.
• If you finish early, check your paper to ensure that you have answered all required questions, and proofread your answers for spelling and grammar. Ideally, you should leave 5-10 minutes for checking your exam paper – this is not generally possible with shorter tests.

• The best way to prepare for an essay exam is to write practice essays
• Check on Moodle or ask your teacher for practice essay questions
• Discussion questions at the end of chapters in text books or in Moodle forums make good essay questions
• Write your own essay questions from your notes and then answer them

Read each question carefully and analyse it in the same way as for short answer exams:

•  Divide the question into parts if needed
•  Underline the topic words (what you are to write about)
•  Circle the task words (how you are to write about it)

See example in short answers’ section.

Then select those that are most relevant to the topic. 

Structure your answer using an introduction, body and conclusion.

The length of your essay and the amount of time spent on it should be equivalent to the number of marks assigned to the question. Direct your efforts where they will reap the richest reward and stick to the time allocated for each question.

If the marker cannot read your writing you may lose marks.

If you have time. Ensure it makes sense. Correct any grammatical or spelling errors. 

Read the scenario carefully at least twice:

•  Once to get an overview

•  Again to clarify details

Reread the scenario each time to answer a question.

Answer the questions carefully:

•  Underline the topic words

•  Circle the task words

Use evidence from both your knowledge of the topic (eg. Explain a concept) and from the scenario (eg. Explain how it applies in this situation).

• Allocate time for each question
• Allocate more time for questions with more marks
• If you run out of time with a question, move onto the next one and finish it later
• Finish all questions even if it is only in note form
• Leave some time to reread your answers and edit if necessary