Essay exam format

Hi Guys,

I have a few uni exams approaching in the next 2 weeks. There are a few which are essay style exams where you get a question and you have to write alot of info. I am honestly studying pretty hard and doing many many hours but im finding the info isnt sticking like i would like it.

Ive never been particularly good at doing these exams. Depending on the exam writer, i sometimes find it hard to understand what they are asking for with their wording. Especially when they start mentioning critical evaluation and so on

I dont think this is helped with the nerves i get with exams too.

Has anyone got any tips on how to approach such questions? or any thing i can draw from your experiances? How do you deal with the wording of such questions?

I was hoping for a first class but i have a slight feeling one module in particular may bring may grade down and i would like to do everything i can to minimise such as thing!!!

Thanks

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Comments

bertieb

nel wrote:

I dont think this is helped with the nerves i get with exams too.

This is likely the biggest 'problem' mate, the calmer you are when you go in to do the exam the easier it will be to interpret the question and be able to answer it to the best of your ability. Practice some breathing exercises and do them before you go in to keep as calm as possible. I know, maybe sounds a bit silly and I thought so myself but tried this myself at Uni and it worked wonders.

nel wrote:

Has anyone got any tips on how to approach such questions? or any thing i can draw from your experiances? How do you deal with the wording of such questions?

Any chance of getting old exam papers from your tutors? Whilst the questions will be different the wording may be similar so you can get in the right mindset in you prep work and train yourself with regards to reading the question and identifying exactly what they are asking and looking for in your response.

Put these questions to your tutors too - you're paying for this at the end of the day and you're well within your rights to ask for advice and voice your concerns. They don't want you to score low or muck up an exam either

nel wrote:

I was hoping for a first class

I know how much effort you are putting into this so your knowledge won't be lacking - IMO tackle the nerve problem as best you can and it'll help on the day of the exam.

nel

bertieb wrote: »

This is likely the biggest 'problem' mate, the calmer you are when you go in to do the exam the easier it will be to interpret the question and be able to answer it to the best of your ability. Practice some breathing exercises and do them before you go in to keep as calm as possible. I know, maybe sounds a bit silly and I thought so myself but tried this myself at Uni and it worked wonders.

Hi Mate,

Doesnt sound silly at all. i used do do it alot when i played football...many moons ago now

what kind of breathing techniques? just slow deep breaths?

bertieb wrote: »

Any chance of getting old exam papers from your tutors? Whilst the questions will be different the wording may be similar so you can get in the right mindset in you prep work and train yourself with regards to reading the question and identifying exactly what they are asking and looking for in your response.

Put these questions to your tutors too - you're paying for this at the end of the day and you're well within your rights to ask for advice and voice your concerns. They don't want you to score low or muck up an exam either

They have given us one...sadly its a new module so theres only been one previous paper!! ive tried asking the lecturer but sadly he refuses to respond to my questions. The same happened when i asked a few stuff relating to coursework...got no reply back. Im going through it anyway as much as i can. Ive tried to bypass him but everyone points me back in his direction. You just get the response that "your a 4th year and i should know these things". Which i can understand but i think his just bein arsey.

Studying for certs has helped nerves, preperation etc but for some reason with this one exam i am pretty nervous. Not so bad the last few days because i am starting to pound away at the theory. I think its with the added incentive of trying to keep my average up. Hopefully my other modules will help tip the scales back in the right direction