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Exam room tips
Before you go into the exam
- Stay calm. Do some deep breathing exercises to help you relax
- Avoid talking to others if you know this makes you anxious. Last minute discussion about what may or may not be on the exam paper will not be helpful
First steps in the exam
- Approach the exam with energy, determined to do your best
- Then read the directions carefully. If you do not understand anything ask a supervisor
- Skim over the whole exam paper to see how it is organised and what questions are asked
- Note the marks you could get for each question and plan the time you will spend on each one
- Set your priorities. It is usually best to do the easy questions first to give you confidence
- Depending on the length of the exam, it might be helpful to spend 15 minutes making quick notes (key words or phrases) on each question before you start
Working through the questions
- Accept the questions at face value
- Give your full attention to the question at hand
- Think before you write
- Note key points on scrap paper before writing your answers
- Re-read your answers and make any changes needed
- Tick off the questions on the exam paper as you answer them
- Keep an eye on the clock to make sure you leave time to answer compulsory or high value questions
Staying calm during the exam
- Focus on the exam, not what other people are doing. Ignore people who finish early
- Don't worry about what you don't know or what you should have reviewed. Instead, focus on what you do know
- If you go blank, move on to another question and come back to it later. If it's an essay question, jot down what you can remember on scrap paper. This might help you remember other things
- If you feel tense or tight, put your pen down for a moment and try to relax. Take some slow, deep breaths. Concentrate on your breathing, then go back to the exam paper
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