EXAMINATION TECHNIQUES

 DON’T PANIC! – Panic pushes extra blood to the brain and makes it harder for you to think logically – none of you have anything to panic about!

Before the exams make sure you have:

  1. 3 pen
  2. 2 pencils
  3. Coloured pens/pencils
  4. An eraser
  5. A ruler
  6. Tissues and water

Think about what you would not want to be asked – revise that!!

Visualise yourself in the exam room feeling confident, knowing the answers and finishing with enough time to check through expression and accuracy.

Know how many minutes you should spend on each question, set yourself a question and answer it in the time allowed.

When you get in the room:

  1. Listen to the invigilator
  2. Spend 10 minutes Reading the paper through when you are told
  3. Read the questions through first

Read the material or text with the questions in mind

Highlight ANYTHING which will be of use to you

Note down any IDEAS as you think of them - DON’T rely on being able to remember them later!

  1. Highlight the important words in the question.
  2. Choose the question you know most about to answer first – you don’t have answer in order, although you should answer each question on a new piece of paper. Find out how marks are allocated to each question and if they are unequal then decide a priority for answering.
  3. Spend 2 minutes jotting down the structure and plan with timings of each response – make sure it follows a logical order.
  4. Start writing and enjoy it!! For many of you this will be the last time you EVER have to do English! The rest of you love the subject SO much you have been waiting for this moment for 2 years!!!!

TIME PLAN

Here's an example of a time plan that someone might follow in his or her exam:

Exam length: 2 hours; number of essays to write: 3

exam starts at 9.30 am

Time to read the paper & choose 3 questions: 8 minutes 9.38 am
Planning answer 1: 4 mins 9.42 am
Writing answer 1: 30 mins 10.12 am
Planning answer 2: 4 mins 10.16 am
Writing answer 2: 30 mins 10.46 am
Planning answer 3: 4 mins 10.50 am
Writing answer 3: 30 mins 11.20 am
Time to reread answers: 10 mins 11.30 am

When you are writing:

  1. Avoid rehashing what is in the article/ poem or novel
  2. Comment on language and the way it effects the reader
  3. The structure of the text (be it poem, novel, non fiction) there is always a purpose of the structure.
  4. Focus on Imagery and explain its effect
  5. Keep referring to the points in the question. Do not to be tempted to write everything you know about a topic
  6. Stick to your timings - it’s better to have something for each than one stunning answer and the rest blank. Your priority may be influenced by how much you know for each subject. If you run out of time on a question, go onto the next question.
  7. USE QUOTATIONS, USE QUOTATIONS, USE QUOTATIONS
  8. Introduce an idea, support with quotation then explain the language, purpose and effect of quotation. HAMBERGER METHOD
  9. USE TECHNICAL VOCABULARY ONLY IF YOU ARE CERTAIN YOU KNOW WHAT IT MEANS
  10. If you’re stuck for recall it’s a good idea to look up and to the left - don’t ask me why, try it and know it works!
  11. Occasionally take a deep breath or two in order to keep fresh oxygen flooding your brain!