Study tips: on the day of an assessment

On this page you will find practical advice and resources to help you prepare for the day of your assessment. The page focusses on study tips for the day of an assessment. As the majority of assessments are online, the focus is on those types of exams, however the tips may be helpful for other types of exams.

Online assessment - A guide for students

A few hours before your assessment, you may like to:

Create your own assessment conditions and prepare your environment

Ensure, where possible, that you have access to a desk or flat surface and a comfortable chair. Make sure that the area is adequately lit.
Have a watch or clock around to help you keep track of time. Make sure the clock is set to the current time.
Set a reminder before the assessment is to begin so you can start on time.
Ensure your computer is fully charged and connected to a reliable source of electricity.
Turn on your computer at least half an hour prior to the scheduled start of your assessment.
Ensure your Wi-Fi is working. If not, connect manually to the router.
Try to find a spot where you will not be disturbed by others. Let those who live with you know that you will be writing an online assessment and you need peace and quiet for the duration.
For Maths and Sciences, be sure your calculator has new batteries and is working.
Have some water and healthy snacks available and plan when you will have your mealtimes and snacks.
If, and as you are able, save your responses. This way, should you encounter technical issues, you will have a back-up.
If you are permitted to use other websites to search information during the assessment, use a completely different browser. Too many open browsers and windows will only slow you down.
If you have any technical issues, connect with your Student Office and IT support immediately. Take a screenshot of your work. Trouble-shoot as you are able.
Make sure you have a system in place for finding the information you need quickly. Have your notes in a binder so that you aren’t shuffling through loose pages. Make use of physical dividers, sticky notes, etc. so that you can quickly jump to the section you need.
Have pens, writing papers etc to hand, you will need this even if your assessments are online.

During your assessment:

Turn off your mobile phone and close any other digital distractions.
Don’t rely on grammar and spell checker functions - leave time at the end of your assessment to go back through and edit your writing in the same way you would in a traditional exam.
At no time should you leave the assessment or close the browser.

Time management:

Plan the time you have per question based on grade/weighting and total time allocated. Check your pace and skip ahead if you need to. For example: 75 multiple choice questions in 2 hours = 1.5 minutes per question – 20 questions should take 30 min max. Check your pace!
Read the question carefully – understand what the question is asking; identify key words in the question.
For multiple choice questions, review all responses before selecting – analyse your options.
For questions that you aren’t sure about, take time to refer to your notes. Use your study charts or table of contents (or the search function for digital notes) to find relevant content for the question quickly.
For free response questions, write full and complete answers with appropriate detail to demonstrate your understanding of course concepts.
If you must select which questions to answer from a range, read all questions and note question number of the ones you will definitely or possibly answer, ie Q1 P and Q3 U.
For free response questions, divide time equally for each question, allowing for time to skim read questions initially and check answers at the end. Calculate how long you have for each question and note down the time you start each question. Manage your time effectively and try not to spend more than the allocated time on each question. Remember you are stealing time and marks from another question.