Study - Preparing for Assessment

On this page you will find some advice and resources on how to prepare for your assessments. As the majority of assessments are online this year, the tips focus on these types of exams however the tips may be helpful for all types of exams.

Online assessments - A guide for students

The How, What, When:

In the same way you would for a traditional exam, it is important to ensure that you know when your online assessment is taking place, how to access it, and what format it will take.

For each of your online assessments, use the following checklist to confirm you have the key information:

Details	Yes/No	Specifics (add details here)
Do I know when I will have access to my online assessment?
Do I know where to access my online assessment?
Do I know how long I will have access to my online assessment?
Do I know how long I will have to complete my online assessment?
Do I know how to submit my online assessment?
Do I know what type of questions I can expect in my online assessment? e.g. multiple choice, short answer questions, longer answer questions?

If you have answered ‘No’ to any of the questions above, please contact your Faculty as soon as possible. Your Faculty will be able to direct you to the relevant information.

Revision

• You may be able to access resources such as course materials, textbooks and your notes during your online assessment, however this will vary by assessment so check the guidance given by your Faculty.
• In cases where you can access resources during your online assessment, you want to avoid spending all your time scrolling back through notes or textbooks to find information.
• Additionally, it is important to study the course material to prepare because you may be asked to apply your knowledge in a more critical and discerning fashion than in most traditional exam types, where there may be a number of marks awarded simply for re-calling information.
• You can revise, in a very similar way to how you would for a traditional exam, by re-reading your lecture materials, course notes and textbook, and by practising mock questions.

If you do not feel confident with your revision process, you may like to try the following:

Step 1:

Go back through your module outlines and highlight key topics. You will find your module outlines on Blackboard .

Step 2:

Within each topic, identify what you already know and what needs to be revisited. You may like to use a KWL grid to help with this process.

K now	W ant to know	L earnt
For each topic, make a list of the key content you already know	Make a list of the key content you need to re-visit	Each time you revise, add a summary of what you have learnt
Topic 1	Topic 1	Topic 1
Topic 2	Topic 2	Topic 2
Topic 3	Topic 3	Topic 3
Topic 4	Topic 4	Topic 4

Step 3:

Plan your time

You may like to create a revision plan to make the most effective use of your time.

Top tips:

• It can be helpful to prioritise the topic(s) you find most challenging, as, in order to understand the information thoroughly, you may require more time.
• Carry out an ‘Energy Audit’- reflect on the times of the day you feel most energetic and use this to your advantage; it is during these times when you are likely to be most productive. For example, if you are a ‘morning person’, use this time to go over your most challenging topics.
• Remember that it is important to schedule regular breaks! Working without breaks can impact your productivity, focus and wellbeing. You may like to try the Pomodoro Technique .
• Think carefully about how you will spend your breaks - try to write onto your planner the ‘fun’ things you are going to do. There are your rewards and will act as motivation.
• As you are revising, reflect on your progress and adjust your plan/schedule as required.

Visit the links below to access free digital revision planners:

• Microsoft Planner
• Get Revising
• Goconqr

Step 4:

Embrace Simple Tools

• Make flash cards to help you remember everything from math formulas to historic facts to vocabulary words. You can create flashcards online by using websites such as Quizlet . Flashcards can also be retained for reference in open book assessments.
• Break down content into to smaller chunks rather than trying to tackle everything on an entire sheet or in a book chapter.
• Give yourself visuals and models to work from. Examples: use diagrams for capturing the structure of a story or process; use highlighters or color-coding to bring out the main ideas in your notes, drafts or worksheets; create symbols, initials or doodles to help you remember concepts.  A format that requires less reading and searching for information.
• Create graphic organisers such as diagrams and concept maps that use visual symbols to represent ideas and information.
• When trying to remember information, close your eyes and visualize the information.
• Include illustrations as you take notes.
• Make a chart or table of contents for quick reference to big concepts, key systems, or other forms of organisation. Annotate your chart or table of contents with summaries of main ideas for each unit, topic, category of information.
• Mark important pages in your readings or textbooks. Use labelled sticky notes to help you quickly find key information.
• If you are using digital notes, make use of highlighter tools, or insert comments in key areas so that you jump to sections. Use a digital table of contents with links to headings.

Step 5:

Manage your distractions

• Work in a quiet place with few distractions. Ear plugs or noise-cancelling headphones can help to block out noises that compete for your attention.
• There are certain apps you can use to help you block out these distracting websites, such as FocusMe , Freedom and Forest .
• Try not to have food or drink on the desk. Take care to ensure there are no spills if you choose to have a drink.