In Ballymena and throughout the UK lots of school pupils and university students are facing exams. As always Ballymena Today are here to help you with your exam panic.
We have shared lots of exam and coursework advice in the past but we couldn’t resist sharing this excellent article which appeared in The Guardian and was written with University students in mind. Please click here to read all ten tips in the article by Claire Shaw. Here are our top four.
Panic and procrastination
Sometimes a task can feel so overwhelming that it’s difficult to begin, says Amber Regis, lecturer in 19th century literature at the University of Sheffield. Procrastination takes over and you just can’t seem to get anything done. The bare white page is a formidable foe when it stares back at you, untouched, from the library desk. Try not to panic, protect and manage your preparation time, and don’t put off getting started.
Not reading the question properly
When revising, students often rehearse answers in their head. says Roy Jackson, course leader in religion, philosophy and ethics at the University of Gloucestershire. “Although we don’t deliberately intend to catch them out in exams, we do set questions that requires them to think and reflect under timed conditions. But instead students will often pick up key words in the question and write out a rehearsed response.”This can be avoided by taking some time to reflect upon the question, rather than seeing that as wasted time and rushing to fill the pages.
Focusing on word count
In both exam responses and coursework, students are often more concerned with quantity rather than quality. The best essays are those that demonstrate evidence of personal reflection and are not just trying to achieve a word limit.Regurgitating in-class or lecture material
In English we are looking for excitement and originality of thought backed up by evidence and we don’t want you to take our formulations as gospel truth, says Martin Eve, lecturer in English literature at the University of Lincoln. Challenge – and think for yourself.Carelessness
Getting characters’ names or other basic factual details wrong just smacks of not caring. If you don’t care enough to do this correctly when you’re paying to be at university, what will an employer think when he or she is paying you?
If you know someone who is struggling with university exams or finals at the moment then be sure to share this advice. One thing which is good about reading this is that students realise that they aren’t the only person who is feeling the way they are. For more information about exams from Ballymena Today please click here.