Examination Techniques? (1 Viewer)

[Dash]

Hey pplz...

I was just wondering how you guys manage your time in english exams???
Since english is not my strong point I was hoping someone could give
me some pointers or hints?

I normally spend about 3 to 4 minutes at the beginning of each essay
planning and putting down the things i wanna talk about...
(depending on the amount of time that is allocated of course -normally 40 minz)
However my main problem is that I struggle to write fast

So yeh, sometimes i don't have time to write down all that
I planned to, which is costing me valuable marks!!!

Ne suggestions, thoughts, or whatever?

What are your exam techniques?

 

[ballerinabarbie]

well i generally spend more time planning, so that i have my whole essay prepared before i write it... i put down the point(s) and example that i will include in each paragraph so that basically i just have to put my points into sentences/paragraphs

it takes practise to work out how much you personally can write in an exam - for me i know it's about 5-6 paragraphs + intro and conclusion... and that's why you really need to practise doing essays in 40 mins!!

remember, the best essays won't have every single bit of info that the student know's crammed into them... it's about being able to pick out the parts that are relevant!

 

[PG5]

get a computer for the exam. it helps a lot!

 

[Beaky]

I second that...

cept for the cold fingers...

Hobo gloves are good

 

[Chand]

i learn main point abt the essay, and with that it reminds me of what else i put in the pnt. mainly i have the intro first, where i put in or my material, than my thesis of whatever, and then the point..all relating back to the thesis. good luck

 

[MiuMiu]

I just work out the time I will be able to spend on each essay to be able to get each one done (i.e. 40 mins for the modules), and don't let myself go over, when I see Ive only got 5 minutes left for an essay, I hit the accelerator to make sure I can stick some form of conclusion in there (my teacher is a Nazi when it comes to unfinished essays).
As for planning I tend to jump right into it rather than planning which I know is like the number 1 sin in English exams, but it works for me. If you need to plan, spend 5 minutes on that and 35 on the actual essay.
My tip is also to use a lot of paper. Space things out so your essay will be more appealing and easier to see structure.

 

[Dash]

lol yeh... the thing about spending 40 mins on each essay...

I tend to go 2 to 3 mins over for the first 2

By the time i get to the last one i'm left with 35 mins neways!

So im always fuxed on the last essay

 

[iambored]

i do the short answer first, to get ot over with, spend 40 mins.
then 40mins on the essay coz i wanna do that well, i'm warmed up, and can go a bit over time
then 40mins (or less coz i often go like 5 mins over time on the others but i dnt recommend it) on the last section. because on this section u can make it short and it still sounds like a story - an essay cant be cut short

i'd say planning is good, but plan in ur head during the 5mins reading time and scribble it down as soon as they say to pick up ur pens. then when u come back 2 the qs the plan will already be there and u can add if u remember anything else. also, things r still fresh in ur head from revising just before the exam.

write as fast as u can. like just write. sometimes i think i cant write fast so i sorta dordle, but then in 1 essay i put my head down and did ti and i wrote heaps! most ppl write 10mins per page

Originally posted by PG5
get a computer for the exam. it helps a lot!

u just ask 4 a computer??

 

[Minai]

I suggest u practice an exam before hand
Write 3 essays in 2 hrs constantly before the exam
u'll find that, surprisingly, if u can keep close to this time limit during ur practices, in the HSC exam, u'll actually have time to spare - because I believe that the stress/pressure of the real thing gets u writing faster than u've ever done b4 (I had around 5 mins spare in the HSC)

 

[truly-in-bliss]

Minai is always prepared....

 

[Dash]

Originally posted by iambored


i'd say planning is good, but plan in ur head during the 5mins reading time and scribble it down as soon as they say to pick up ur pens. then when u come back 2 the qs the plan will already be there and u can add if u remember anything else. also, things r still fresh in ur head from revising just before the exam.

Good idea!

Thanx for the tip

 

[Ragerunner]

http://www.smh.com.au/specials/hsc2003/index.html

not sure if they are that informative

 

[hipsta_jess]

try and gain time in the first part of the first paper (the creative writing and stuff) so you will have longer on the AoS essay because there is so many things to write about (your text/stimulus booklet/extra material). as for the other, as someone else said, plan all your points in your reading time and then scribble them as soon as reading time is over. apart from that, just relax as much as is possible

 

[tempco]

what do you mean computer? you use computers during the exam??

thats a bit shifty

 

[Dash]

na.. his handwriting is shit, thats why he can use it i think...

Hipsta_jess... I don't think its a good idea to do the creative writing
first in paper one! I mean, you can go on for agez n not know when is enough...

 

[hipsta_jess]

Originally posted by Dash

Hipsta_jess... I don't think its a good idea to do the creative writing
first in paper one! I mean, you can go on for agez n not know when is enough...

nah, not the creative writing bit, sorry, that was a bit ambiguous wasnt it..whatever the bit is called before the creative writing, i can save a fair bit of time on that, try to do that in 5-10 less than stated, and the creative writing in 5-10 less than stated, then on the essay you can get 10-20 extra. just make sure that when you save time you still write enough and it is still quality

 

[Dash]

Hmmmm true...

Buts its gonna be hard finishing the questions in about 15-20mins(depending on your reading time of course)
It will be hard to put all the detail in o course...

But not a bad idea

 

[Constip8edSkunk]

don't use the last 35 minutes of your exam time writing 1 and half pages of creative writing with spaced out lines...

 

[Dash]

Originally posted by Constip8edSkunk
don't use the last 35 minutes of your exam time writing 1 and half pages of creative writing with spaced out lines...

HUH? Then what should it be spent on???

 

[MiuMiu]

I do the AoS in order, 40 minutes each, no more no less, in modules I get the easiest/most fresh ones out of the way first and leave the hardest one till last because after youve had the whole exam to hink about it, you pretty much have worked it out anyway