GUIDANCEPLUS
Apply your mind at every stage
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How to marshal your resources optimally and bring out the best in you during an examination.
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MIND GAME: Exorcise your fear of exam. - Photo: K. Gopinathan
Last week we discussed certain aspects of objective questions. Now let us look at a few more aspects. In multiple-choice questions, different answers with truth in varying degrees would be given against the common stem. In such cases, we should select the `most' correct answer.
For example, if the question is whether a thermometer is used to measure heat, temperature, pressure, or humidity, a candidate in a hurry is likely to choose heat. That strikes him/her first as the answer, since temperature has some relation to heat. Only if you have the patience to read the rest of the question also, would you come across temperature, which certainly is a better answer. In other words, you have to choose the only correct answer or the `most' correct answer from the options provided in the question.
If there is the system of penalising candidates through negative marks for erroneous answers, never go for guesswork while choosing the answers. Mark an answer only if you are confident of its accuracy. However, you may speculate if there is no penalty for errors. Sometimes you will be able to eliminate certain wrong options, since the stem may not match grammatically with them.
Open-book exams
There are open-book examinations. Candidates are likely to think that things are easy with a book in hand. But you should remember that the examiner sets the questions with the clear understanding that the candidates have access to the permitted books, during the course of answering.
In the first place you should be thorough with the content, layout, and organisation of the books, so as to save time searching for the answers in the examination hall. It may further be noted that there would not be questions requiring you to copy something directly from the text.
You will have to apply your mind and analyse a given situation using the information provided in the books. In other words, the requirement would be one of application of a principle, and not the repetition of statements given in the books. You may have to gather bits of information from different parts of the book, combine the bits, analyse, interpret, and apply them suitably.
Time constraint is yet another factor. The moment you know that you can refer books, you tend to relax under the impression that you are free from the ordeal of memorising a lot of information. But that does not make your tasks easy, since you may have to trace and coalesce information from different points, develop arguments, and arrive at conclusions.
Facing school/college examinations -
Long-range perceptions:
Discard examination phobia.
Keep your confidence
at the highest level.
Improve your vocabulary.
Study the lessons well,
following the right styles of
learning.
Use the syllabus and the
previous question papers
to guide you.
Write out some of the answers
to confirm your skills,
including speed of thinking
and writing.
Prepare a data sheet
containing the vital points of
all essays, make suitable
mnemonics of the points, and
write all of them in one single
place.
Note formulae and definitions
in a single place.
Just before the exam:
Confirm date, time, and venue
of the examination.
Confine your studies to
the syllabus.
Revise the lessons using
summaries, points, and
mnemonics you have made.
If you find that you do not
have sufficient time to study
the entire syllabus area, you
have two options - either
skim through the entire
portions mastering none of
the portions, or choose
certain specific areas that are
the favourites of the question
setters and study thoroughly.
If you go for the former, you
may not be able to answer any
question satisfactorily. So the
latter is preferable in such a
situation. The right course
is to study all the
lessons well using the whole of
the academic year/semester.
Arrange a watch, pens, pencil,
eraser, instruments,
calculator, all documents such
as hall tickets, etc. on the
previous day. It is better to use
a watch with moving needles;
the digital type may require
calculations to know the
remaining time at any
moment during the test. Your
pen should give a fine flow of
ink. Keep a spare pen
with you.
Avoid using knives or other
sharp instruments, and
participating in games that
could possibly cause physical
injury some days prior to the
examination.
Avoid quarrels, fights, and
arguments that may
create stress.
Do not sacrifice your time for
sleep. If you stay up all night
you will not be able to perform
well in the examination.
If you are in the habit of
studying early in the morning,
do not forget to keep an alarm
clock to wake you up. If you
oversleep, you will miss the
opportunity to give final
touches to your preparation.
Reach the examination centre
at least half-an-hour before
the scheduled time of
commencement. If you make
a hurried entry to the
examination hall, you are
likely to forget many things.
Further, in certain
examinations latecomers are
denied admittance.
Avoid too much of discussion
with fellow candidates who
may bring forward topics you
have not studied. At a stage
when you cannot take up new
lessons, such talk would only
make you tense
Before entering the
examination hall, make sure
you do not have any slip or
paper with you that may
contain lesson notes. Also,
visit the toilet/washroom.
Enter the examination hall
with confidence. Think about
what you know and not what
you do not know.
B.S. WARRIER
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