Exams are meant to provide you a with a practical and periodic assessment to check what you have learned and what is missing, and as such it is designed to take the best out of you - your potential - your creative abilities and the way you present them with pen and paper. In short, it is designed to challenge! It's also common knowledge that you will not be able to write as much as you know. So, how to give your best in an exam? Just try some or all of these points below:
1. Begin early: You, dear student, are the central element in your education (no matter who you may be). If this is the night before your exam, what follows may be too late. In future, make every effort to stick with the program. Read the syllabus; attend lecture; keep up with the reading; ask questions. If you need help, ask: See your Professor during Office Hours or before or after class. If you have a disability, inform your instructor early in the semester and make appropriate arrangements well in advance of Exam Day. But in any case, prepare yourself for the exam now. Work on your reading, writing, and study skills. Don't wait for the next exam. Do it now. You are the principal player in your education. Accept your responsibility. Please don't say no one told you.
2. Remember: It takes two to learn and it is likely your professor is not an ogre! A good question from you during class would be welcome. If you have any other kind of problem or concern, discuss it with your instructor before or after class or during office hours. Communicate your concern. In the meantime, do your job. Learn to listen critically, develop skills in taking notes, develop good study habits.
3. Importance of Study Sheets: Have a study sheet always! If you have a study sheet in hand and you have reviewed your lecture notes, the next job is to review them again focusing on what the question asks you to do. To be sure, you will have to write something. But what? First, as a rule, the more intelligent prose you write the better. Quality is always the key. So, think before you write. Good writing is succinct(brief). As a rule it is re-written writing. But you have only one shot with an in-class essay! To be on target aim to be prepared.
4. Going to War: That means getting your thoughts organized in order to write clearly. Your essay should have good organization. As Aristotle suggested: A Beginning; A Middle; An end. If 'The Philosopher' and 'Master of Those Who Know' does not impress you, then recall the standard issue of the United States Army:
i. Tell 'em what you're gonna tell 'em;
ii. Tell 'em;
iii. Tell 'em what you told 'em.
Writing a CIA Test is the academic equivalent of going to war, well, anyway, defending something worthwhile. Boy Scout or NCC Cadet..! Be Prepared.
5. What to include?: If your thoughts are organized, what do you include in your essay? In general be specific. A good essay has a thesis: It says in simple sinewy prose: I will argue that.... A good essay uses carefully selected examples. Like a good poem or a good piece of science or a good historical argument, memorable essays make a general claim supported by specific examples.
6. Time is short: Because time is short your essay should show economy of expression. Make it lean and to the point. Truth is simple. Writers kid themselves more often than they fool their readers.
Be simple, direct, detailed. With Democritus 'Don't speak at length, speak the truth.' Fifty minutes is short, thirty minutes is twenty minutes shorter. So you must select in advance what you judge worthy of your time.
7. Finally, number all your pages: (they're worth the time spent!). Try not to over-write (especially question numbers!), and always see to it that you make your presentations memorable.
["Show me your answer sheet and i'll tell you who you are!" goes the adage! Indeed, your Answer sheet reflects you!]
Write a good and concise introduction to the essay lasting ½ to 2/3 of the first page. Why is this crucial? Examiners are human (oh yes!) and they will form an impression, willy nilly, of whether yours is a 1st class, second class or a weak answer before they turn from the first page. Your intro, therefore is a chance for you to show that you have all the knowledge and skills they are looking for and the rest of the essay will simply confirm it. Bring the essay to a close neatly but don't write a long and fatuous closing paragraph ("thus it can be seen that...") unless you really do have a number of threads left to tie together.
These skills are not natural and, to a great extent, the hope is that there's nothing like a bit of intensive practice to hone these skills to perfection.
Wish you all the very best!
[Thanks a ton to Prof.Robert Hatch. Well, you're words are a real shot in the arm, Professor!]
