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Exam Technique

blog@eurocollege.org.uk (Alexandra Uhr) — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 09:53:21 CEST

Exam Technique

Many people think exams test your knowledge. Although this is of course the underlying concept of an exam, passing an exam is not only down to knowing your subject. Exam technique plays a vital role for success. Here some tips:

1) Answer the question

This sounds too easy to be a serious tip, but I have seen numerous exam answers which are not answering the question.

Students tend to write everything they now about a related subject in order to show what they have learned. I am afraid that does not work. Although these answers might include a lot of good and true points only elements relevant to answering the question are actually scoring marks.

If the question is �Draw a tree� and you draw a house. Even though the house may be absolutely beautiful, you failed that question. That makes sense, doesn�t it?

Sometimes a question can be subdivided in two parts. For example: �Calculate the following ratios for 2009 and 2010 and comment on possible reasons for the change. �

An answer merely calculating the ratios is incomplete. You are missing out on easy marks when you are omitting the comments altogether.

2) Time management

Time management is of course absolutely crucial for exams, because you do not have unlimited time.

Allocate the time you have in proportion to the question you are answering. See for example the table below:

Example: Exam duration: 3 hours (=180 minutes => 1.8 minutes per question)

Question	Marks allocated for that question	Approximate time you should spend on that question
Question 1	40	72 minutes
Question 2	30	54 minutes
Question 3	20	36 minutes
Question 4	10	18 minutes

3) Attempt all questions

If you have now started with question 1 in the above example, which is 40 marks, and you have already spent about 72 minutes on that question, but you have more to say about that question, which would occupy you for approximately another 5 minutes, consider your options carefully evaluating the following factors:

� Taking this additional time, will reduce the time available for other questions.

� Are the additional points you want to make relevant for the question and will they score additional marks for you?

It is generally easier to score a few marks on each question, then to score full marks on one question.

My tip in this situation would be to move on to the next question and to come back to this question after having at least attempted all of the other questions.

4) Deciding on optional question

Sometimes exams include optional questions of which you have to choose one question to answer.

Two tips for this situation:

� Decide quickly

Do not spend too much time deciding on the question, as exam time is valuable time. If they contain a lot of text, I would not even read both options completely. Just scroll down to the tasks and identify the general topic and base your choice on that and focus on the question you have chosen.

� Never answer both questions

This is completely pointless as only one answer will be taken into account for the overall mark. Even if you have time left at the end of the exam, this time is better spent refining and proofreading your given answers.

5) Use reading time efficiently

Often you are given 15 minutes reading time at the beginning of the exam. This time does not form part of the 2 or 3 hours (depends on the exam) allocated to the exam. During this time you are allowed to read the questions and take notes on the question sheet. You are not allowed to start answering questions or writing anything in your exam books.

An inefficient way of using this time is to simply start answering the first question and then copying the answer in the exam book ones you are allowed to write.

I would recommend to use this time to look at all the requirements and to identify the questions you feel most comfortable with. These should be the questions you should answer first.

If there are optional questions to choose from the selection could also be done during reading time.

If there is still reading time left, start reading the question you chose to answer first and make notes next to it, that will help you for your answer.

6) Don�t panic

Panic is completely contra productive during an exam. Try to avoid panicking. After all it is just an exam and you are attempting to give your best given the circumstances.

Remember this:

� Partly answered questions will score marks

� There are marks available for simple things like the proforma of the income statement or the balance sheet (depends on the question)

� Many hints of what to comment on can sometimes be found in the text that accompanies the question.

� Balance sheets do not usually balance in exams. That is absolutely normal and there is no point in looking for the error, which may be one mark lost. Rather move on to the next question.

� Sometimes a solution is given. For example the question is divided in two parts: one part asks you to calculate the NPV of two projects and the second part asks you to choose the better investment and justify the selection. For you to be able to answer only the second part of the question, the result of the NPV calculation could be given in the answer.

If you now do the calculation and do not arrive at the same result, just answer the second part based on the given figure. Again, don�t spend too much time looking for your mistake which might be insignificant.

At first I wanted to finish this blog post with the words �Good luck�, but then again I thought, if you know your stuff and get the exam technique right, you do not need luck.

However, a little bit of luck maybe useful and if not it is not destructive either, so why not?

Good luck!

Failed an exam � what now?

blog@eurocollege.org.uk (Alexandra Uhr) — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 09:50:55 CEST

Failed an exam � what now?

Failing an exam happens. In fact, at least one person per day probably fails an exam somewhere in this world. Think of all the driving licence tests that are failed every day.

Do not let this demoralise you! Stay confident! Remember that you are studying on a high academic level and that many people envy you for your skills and success. So it is nothing to be ashamed of and there is no need to hide this from your friends, your family or your employer.

Think forward! Think about getting the resit exam right!

What to do:

1) Problem analysis: what went wrong?

a. Make sure you understand why you failed this exam

b. Get exam feedback from your tutor

c. Contact your tutor and get his or her views and tips

d. Contact your course mates, your study group and exchange experiences.

2) Work on your weaknesses

a. If the problem was that you had gaps in the subject knowledge or that you did not understand areas of the syllabus correctly, get out your books and notes again. Don�t hesitate to contact your tutor or your course mates with questions.

b. Sometimes the problem is that you had the wrong approach in the exam. Maybe your questions were too short or too long or contained too much theory or not enough theory�.

c. Did you have the right exam technique? Was time an issue? Did you answer the questions? (See blog post on exam techniques)

d. Whatever your weakness was, try to overcome it and get it right for the resit.

3) Do not loose motivation!

a. When you learn the stuff for the second time, it becomes easier!

b. With the right preparation and exam technique, this exam will be very easy!

University of Newport: QAA (Quality Assurance Agency)

blog@eurocollege.org.uk (Lorraine Wilkins) — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 14:52:24 CEST

Our partner university for the BA (University of Wales, Newport � awarding institution) will shortly be subject to a QAA inspection. ECBM will be supporting, and possibly participating in, Newport in the review.

QAA (Quality Assurance Agency)

Who are they?

- Independent body, funded by subscriptions from universities, colleges and higher education funding bodies that safeguards academic standards

- The QAA works closely with the higher education sector's 'stakeholders'

- Responsible for:

conducting independent quality assurance reviews through audits to ensure that universities are fulfilling their responsibilities
dentifying and promoting good practice
Making recommendations for improvement where necessary
Publishing guidelines and Codes of Practice

Further info: http://www.qaa.ac.uk/aboutus/WhatWeDo.asp

The base of the institutional reviews is the Academic Infrastructure. This is comprises of four components:

The Academic Infrastructure is a set of nationally agreed reference points and is used by HE institutions as the base for policies and procedures that ensure standards and quality are maintained and enhanced.

For further information on the above components please follow the links below:

Frameworks for Higher Education Qualifications (FEHQ)

http://www.qaa.ac.uk/academicinfrastructure/FHEQ/EWNI08/default.asp#p1

Code of Practice

http://www.qaa.ac.uk/academicinfrastructure/codeOfPractice/default.asp

Subject Bench Mark Statements

http://www.qaa.ac.uk/academicinfrastructure/benchmark/default.asp

Programme Specifications

http://www.qaa.ac.uk/academicinfrastructure/programSpec/default.asp

ECBM Info Update May 2010

blog@eurocollege.org.uk (Richard Bills) — Wed, 19 May 2010 15:38:12 CEST

The weather is getting better and it is Summer, even in England. This time of year is exam time for some of our students, so it�s a time for hard work as well as sunbathing (that�s a reminder to everyone on the Bachelor programme � but I am sure they don�t need reminding!). It also means the semester will be drawing to a close before long.

At ECBM we finish at the end of July, but many of our students continue to study over the summer months working on their dissertations and projects. Hard work brings its own reward though, and we all look forward to our graduation in November at the Honourable Artillery Company (in London) and the BA graduation in Wales in September. Not long to go!

I would like to take the opportunity to say all the very best of luck to all our students at this time of year, and especially those taking their exams. Be confident, you will do well, I am sure.

ECBM Info Update March 2010

blog@eurocollege.org.uk (Richard Bills) — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 12:20:50 CET

The new semester is now fully under way at ECBM, and we will soon be in a position to launch the timetables for 2010-11. Richard Bills is due to go to Berlin on the 23 March to present the Bachelor programme to potential students, and we have been doing marketing in Munich and Stuttgart, and Heilbronn in the past couple of months.

Richard went to Heilbronn two weeks ago and had an excellent visit to partner institutions. We are hoping for many new students in the coming months, and enquiries are already looking good. On another positive note, we have just started a new CMS (Certificate in Management Studies) programme in Stuttgart, and this looks like another successful group that will be going on to complete their studies with the Bachelor in 2010-11.