Office of Academic Support

How Should I Prepare for Exams?

By Matt McCluskey, Coordinator of Academic Support

      mmccluskey@stlawu.edu; x5964 or x5678; Whitman 161

 

The Pre-Game:  Good Study Habits

  1. Keep up with your work.  If you keep up with the reading and take notes conscientiously every day, studying can be a relatively pain-free process. You may wish to use the Cornell Method to enhance your notes.
  2. Don’t cram at the last second.  Try studying for 2 hours a day for at least a week leading up to the exam.  ALL-NIGHTERS DON’T WORK!  (If you don’t believe me, check out SLU Professor Thacher’s research)
  3. Complete a mock test.  So many social science, natural science, and foreign language text books contain hundreds of questions at the end of chapters that never get answered.   Why not set aside an hour or two, and try to answer these questions on paper without using your notes.  If you complete a mock test 3-4 days before an exam, you’ll then know where to focus your studying.  You may also combat some pre-test jitters by completing a mock test.   For the humanities try answering a couple of potential essay questions on a timed, closed book basis and see how you do. 
  4. Do not multi-task while studying.  Set aside time to study in advance and then follow through.  For most people, that means leaving your dorm room and turning off visual/auditory distractions (e.g., your I-Pod, the TV)
  5. If you have outstanding questions, go see your professor, tutor, and/or mentor at least 4 days before the exam.
  6. Think about what written questions might be on the exam.  Go ahead and outline each potential essay.
  7. Make sure to eat a moderate and nutritious breakfast before the test.  Get some rest the night before, too.
  8. Get to the exam 5 minutes early so that you can clear your head of other concerns and focus on the exam.  Make sure that you have all of the materials you will need for the exam.   Also, avoid negative people before an exam.   Tests are nerve-wracking enough without extra negativity. 
  9. Find a group of dedicated students to study with.  A group study session is an ideal time to review notes, ask each other questions, explain ideas to one another, and discuss the upcoming exam and difficult concepts.
  10. Keep your ears open in class.  Your professor will sometimes come right out and tell you about the exam (or sometimes she may give hints).   You need to be in class every day to receive such help.
  11. Review your class notes every day.  Add keywords, summaries, idea maps, graphs, charts, discussion points, and questions where applicable.
  12. Take notes on the course readings.   You should also review these notes on a regular basis.  Again, create visual enhancements when possible (e.g., compare/contrast charts, timelines, etc.)

 Game-Day: Performing Well on the Exam

 

  1. When you first receive the exam, be sure to glance over the entire test before you start.    Create a plan of attack.  Write down any key terms or formulas that you’ll need before starting. 
  2. Read the directions carefully.  If something doesn’t make sense to you, ask the professor.
  3. Write out a brief outline before beginning essay questions.
  4. Use the process of elimination on multiple-choice and matching questions.   Also, for multiple choice questions, you may wish to cover the options first and try to answer the question on your own.   That way, you’ll find the answer options less confusing.
  5. Leave the most time-consuming problems for the end.
  6. Focus on the question at hand.   If you complete the test one step at a time, you are much less likely to find it to be overwhelming.
  7. If you are stuck on a question, bypass it.  Mark the question off, so you can return to it at the end of the exam.
  8. Show as much work as possible.   This is particularly important for math exams.
  9. If you have time at the end of the exam, go back and proofread your work and look over multiple-choice questions again.  Check to see that you have answered every question before you turn in the exam.  But remember, your first answer is usually your best answer.   Be extremely cautious about changing answers later on.

 Post-Game: Reviewing Your Performance

 

  1. If there was a part of the exam on which you struggled, go see your professor.   This is likely not the last time you’ll see the concept covered.  
  2. Take a moment to review your test preparation strategies.  Take account of what worked and what needs improvement.  In particular, take a moment to gauge whether your study group was helpful.   If you feel like your test-preparation strategies need work, go see your professor or the Academic Advising Office.
  3. Reward yourself.   If you’ve studied conscientiously for a week or more, you should take a bit of time to have some fun.   Be safe.