Sitting the exam

There are practical considerations that you must take care of before the day of the exam to give you the best chance of being in a good frame of mind for sitting the exam. These might include ensuring your travel arrangements to the exam center, timing your arrival, deciding whether or not to meet with others before the exam, checking that you have everything you need to sit the exam, and organising (if allowed) something to drink during the exam.

If you are unable to sit the exam you will need to present a medical certificate or similar documentation when you apply for a deferred assessment. It is important that you inform the relevant staff about your situation. You will need to refer to the advice given in the Course Outline and the relevant assessment policy. 

As you enter the exam room you want to feel confident that you have everything you could do to prepare for this exam. This exam is your chance to demonstrate the depth and clarity of your understanding of the content area.

Stage 1: Getting comfortable

In the exam room you should consider the area in which you want to sit. Make yourself comfortable. If you suspect you are likely to experience exam anxiety to the extent that it will interfere with rather than enhance your performance, you can deal with this before the exam. Refer to the online workshop Dealing with exam anxiety.

Stage 2: Getting started and choosing questions

1. Read the directions carefully. 

Take note of:

• the time allowed for the exam and any special directions.
• whether you have to answer all the questions or have choices.
• whether the paper is divided into sections or parts and you have to answer a certain number of questions from each part.
• which exam questions/sections are worth the most marks.

2. Use the reading time to work out what is required and plan your approach to the exam.

• The quality of your question analysis will be essential to your success. Avoid writing on the basis of the content words only: if you don't follow the directive words you might fail to answer the question. If you need to improve your ability in question analysis see the relevant page in the online workshop on  Essay writing or see the Learning Guide on Writing essays. 
• If you have a choice of questions make the selection early and carefully.

Stage 3. Plan your use of time in the exam.

• In an essay type exam or one where you must include specific information note the essential points that you must cover in your answers. It's helpful to do this at the start of the exam, when you are most alert.
• Calculate how much time you can spend on each question, allowing some revision time at the end of the exam. Your  personal exam schedule should be written down and put in a prominent place so that you can monitor your progress during the exam.

Stage 4. Write your answers.

• Aim for answers that will demonstrate clearly and concisely that you have a good grasp of the content area.
• Aim for well-constructed and grammatically correct answers.
• Avoid spending too much time on any one part of the paper. 
• Attempt all sections of the paper. You cannot afford to throw marks away by not attempting questions that carry a lot of value.

Stage 5. Revise and refine your answers.

Try to read your answers with the eyes of a stranger. You should not presume that the reader will understand that you know and understand what you are writing about unless your meaning is very clear.

Next: After the exam.