4. “You think you can win on talent
alone? Gentlemen, YOU DON'T
HAVE ENOUGH TALENT TO WIN
ON TALENT ALONE!” Herb
Brooks, Coach, 1980 USA
Olympics Hockey Team
Preparing for an exam is much
like an athlete training for a
sporting event . . . It involves
exercising, eating the right
foods, and getting a good night's
sleep! And yes, you also have
to study!
5. Learn preparation and test taking techniques
for various types of exams
Understand the keys to successful exam
preparation
Cope with exam anxiety
6. When classes begin, exams represent
a distant event . . . “I have plenty of
time to prepare for exams.”
But beware of that enemy of
preparation . . . Procrastination
Time is going to advance much faster
than you think and before you know
it, preparing for the exam becomes
less about learning and
understanding the material and more
about cramming . . . And then you’re
in Danger!
Don’t let procrastination endanger
your academic success
7. Preparation
Form a study group with other
students
◦ Study groups bring together a diversity of
knowledge
◦ You might know things they don’t and they might
know things you don’t . . . So you will all learn
◦ Also, by helping others you will better
learn the material . . . “If you can't teach
it, you don't know it!”
8. Expect the Unexpected
This scenario will happen, be ready
◦ The professor spends a lot time emphasizing certain types of
problems will be on the exam, both in class and in homework
◦ But when the exam is handed out, the problem looks nothing
like what you worked on in class or the homework
Don’t panic!
– The professor has modified the variables, what was known
is now unknown and what was unknown is now known
– The professor is teaching you how think like an engineer
9. Taking the Exam
◦ Before starting, scan the exam . . . Get a feel for the types of
questions and problems
◦ Quickly review the number of questions and note your level of
knowledge for each
Start with the questions that you are confident of and/or for which
you will not need much time using your references
◦ Read the questions carefully to understand what is expected
◦ If you organized your references well, you should be able to
target the right location to assist you with each question
10. Preparation
It can’t be emphasized enough! Being
prepared will build your confidence:
◦ Develop good study habits
◦ Learn how to manage your time
◦ Develop an exam preparation strategy and plan
– Examine your outside pressures and see what
can be addressed so you are not overwhelmed
– Get plenty of exercise
– Take breaks and don’t over study
– Get plenty of sleep, especially the night before
– Don’t go into the exam with an empty stomach
11. Taking the Exam
Take a few deep breaths before you start to help you relax
Read the directions carefully
Start with the questions you know to build your confidence
If you go blank, skip the question and go on next one,
then come back
Budget your test taking time
Change your seating position to
help energize you
Periodically close your eyes and just
decompress for a few seconds
12. Before the Exam During the Exam After the Exam
• Stay current with all of your course
work
• Create an overall study plan and
stick to it (7 Day Plan)
• Don’t over study the night before
• Before you look at the exam, jot
down the information you don't
want to forget
• Don’t second guess yourself
following the exam, especially if you
compare answers with other
students
• It will only cause you to panic and
you can’t go back and change the
answers . . . And there’s no
guarantee they had the right
answers
• Take the evening before the exam
just to conduct a simple review
• Exercise the day before
• Read all of the directions carefully
• Ask your professor if you are
unclear of anything
• Review the exam to determine how
to schedule your time
• Divide the time you have by the
number of questions
• If this was the first quiz or exam
you had with this professor, use the
exam has a guide to how the
professor thinks
• You can gain insights that will help
you prepare for the next exam
• Get a good night's sleep
• Eat something before the exam
• Arrive early and check to make sure
you have everything you need
• Scan the questions and start with
the questions you know how to
answer or solve
• If you come to a question you don't
know, mark it and move on. Come
back to it later
• Answering other questions may
trigger your memory to retrieve the
correct answer
• When you get the exam back,
conduct a thorough analysis
• Review the questions that you got
wrong and try to understand the
reasons
• Practice relaxation techniques while
waiting: deep breathing, muscle
relaxers
• Allow for a few minutes to review
your exam and double check your
answers
• You don’t get extra points for
finishing first, so use of your time
• Start preparing the
next exam immediately
