POSSIBLE EXAM TECHNIQUES
Some of the following points may be useful. If you have a method which works for you, use it.
Don’t panic! Look at how long you have to do the paper (90 minutes for the mid-semester, 120
minutes for the final). This is a long time, so expect things to take a while
Use perusal carefully. It’s 10 very important, bonus minutes. You might like to:
o Write down, on the blank page, some things which you have committed to memory;
o Quickly look through the paper, to see which bits you can or cannot do, and to work out where
you are going to start;
o If you have time, you could start working out some answers, on the blank sheet, not on the
exam paper. Do questions which you are good at and which are worth lots of marks.
I think the first two of these perusal actions are more important than the third. Use perusal to collect
your thoughts, relax, work out where you’re going to start, and write down facts you’re likely to
forget.
Always start with the easy bits (those bits you can do). This ‘guarantees’ you marks, boosts your
confidence, and doesn’t run the risk of spending too long on a hard question.
You don’t have to start at Question 1. If you like forces, start there. If you like trigonometry, start
there. You don’t have to start with the multiple choice questions either.
Do the easy bits of each question first. If you get to a hard part of a question, then stop and come back
to it. Don’t waste lots of time getting nowhere.
Show all working! Part marks are given for correct working. A correct answer with no working will
receive hardly any marks.
Don’t cross out your answer and replace it with nothing.
Do not use liquid paper – it’s a waste of time.
Don’t panic if people are leaving early. They might not be able to do some questions.
Check any answers you can, given time.