This article is based on literature reviews and personal experiences. The author is a lecturer and a Registered Nurse who has appeared for many examinations in the UK, Canada, USA and Australia.
The most important thing about preparing for examinations is how desperately you want to do them and pass them. If you are not motivated to succeed no amount of learning and preparing will help. So, if you not motivated do not waste your time or other people's time. Do not enroll, call it quit now because you have not wasted anything.
Failing examinations or withdrawing from them at the last minute will have consequences for the rest of your life. Further, there may be adverse academic performance consequences, a fail may be recorded in your academic record. This will hound you for the rest of your life. So, make up your mind before you enroll, be clear that you really want to do this.
Motivated people always succeed. They find ways to succeed even in very adverse circumstances. Unmotivated people look for excuses to fail. There are plenty to these too. So, the first step to success is to deciding to succeed. Once you have decided to succeed you will be able to make an action plan to succeed and you will succeed.
Studying for examinations is often seen as “difficult” because of the notion that examinations are difficult. Further, students feel that because the questions are unknown therefore the examiners have a large area to choose questions from. The truth is that even in large topics only certain topics are suitable for examination. Knowing the topic will help you narrow down the likely questions.
Predicting questions is one way of effectively preparing for the examination. It is true that you cannot predict with 100% accuracy but you will do really well even if you can predict with 50% accuracy. If you predicted 50% of the questions you have stacked up your chances of winning the examinations game.
Remember, what you are being taught is not always new subject matter all the time. You already know some of the background materials. So if a question which was not predicted shows up you should attempt it anyway and do your best. Give it your best shot. There is a good possibility that you will pick up about 50% or more marks.
Some students feel that the “teachers” expect the students to know “everything”. Teachers are human beings and they do not expect students to know everything because even teachers do not know everything. Honestly, now that I am a teacher, I realize more than ever before that I know very little. The reason for this is that I get asked lots of questions and when I research the answer I find that each answer raises more questions to be answered. As far as I am concerned it is only a myth that the teacher knows all the answers. So take heart, your efforts will be rewarded if you can demonstrate that you have put in the “effort”.
When answering a question you need to answer the question only, there is no need to know everything. References are useful but they are not everything. Marks are awarded for presentation, content, and relevance. Grammar and layout are also important and add to overall marks.
Do not be discouraged by large, complex, difficult to study subjects. Tackle these topics one at a time. Break the large topics into simpler ones and soon you will find that the task is achievable with reasonable ease. When you take this small task on for the first time make sure you do a good job of it. It will be very motivating to know that you have learned a difficult topic or part of a difficult topic. This is likely to get you fired up to take on the more difficult challenges.
Reward yourself when you have achieved a goal. After you have tackled a difficult topic feel free to reward yourself with something which you like. This can include a longer that usual break, a chocolate bar, a drink or simply a pat on your back. Make sure that the reward is in proportion to your achievement. Small achievements should be rewarded with small rewards. Passing a major examination deserves a big reward. Holidays and big gifts are appropriate rewards for end of degree programs etc. Rewards serve to reinforce acceptable behaviors.
Support and motivate others who are studying for examinations. Others include your colleagues, family members and friends. Positive comments are addictive. If you have motivated someone else you can one day hope to get that support maybe from someone else. In my lifetime I have been supported by my classmates my teachers, my parents and my church. A culture of support will have beneficial effects for all concerned.
