Taking exams
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Taking examinations is a skill that must be developed. Each type of exam, essay, multiple choice, short answer, matching, or lab practical, requires a different approach to achieve the maximum score. On campus, there are special short courses you can take to improve your skills at taking exams, and it is highly recommended that you find out from your counselor what would be the best course for you.

Multiple choice exams. These are often given in various classes on campus and elsewhere. Some guidlines to consider are as follows:

• Read the question very carefully before choosing one of the possible answers. Make sure you know what the questions is asking. Does it ask for a process, structure, name of an organism or a complex concept? Know precisely what the question is asking for, not just some vague idea of its intent.

• Don't hesitate to go to your intructor and ask to clarify a question. Perhaps the question can be reworded. However, if the instructor has a special design in mind, you may be expected to figure out what the question is asking for on your own. Whatever you do, do NOT ask an instructor to tell you if the answer you have chosen is the correct one.

• Be especially careful on making a choice especially when 'e.' says "all of the above", "one of the above", "a and c above" or any other such possible variations. For those questions, read them several times before making a choice.

• Don't be distracted by those who leave early. Just think that they may have given up, rather than they knew it all; or that the exam is actually very simple, and of course you are a dummy. People who leave early may very well be fooling themselves into a false sense of achievement. Pride yourself in being one of the LAST to finish, and consider that it is not "cool" to be one of the first to finish.

• When finished with the last question, go over the entire exam yet again very thoroughly and make sure the answers you have chosen are the ones you have given considerable thought. Do not believe the saying "choose the very first answer that comes to your mind."  If you know the material very well (as you should), then careful and thoughtful consideration of the choices will give the best results.

Essay Exams.  Here are some suggestions you should keep in mind when writing essay exams:

• Read the entire examination thoroughly and carefully (including instructions) before beginning.  If anything about the questions is unclear, ask the instructor for clarification. Start with the question you like best.

• Make a brief outline of your projected answer on scratch paper before you begin to write.

• Where appropriate, divide your answer into three distinct sections:

  1. A beginning in which you state the purpose of the paper.

  2. A middle section in which you present your position or arguments with supporting evidence (factual material and/or examples drawn from text or lecture).

  3. A conclusion with analysis and evaluation based upon the evidence.

• Get immediately to the point of your essay.  Do not begin with a long verbal introduction that is only indirectly related to, but does not directly address the topic.  Excess verbage is a distraction, uses up space on your examination, and gives the inpression that you really don't know the subject.

• The essay should be  written in plain, every-day English.   Be as precise as possible so there is no misunderstanding of the meaning of any of your statements.  Use simple declarative sentences and avoid rhetoric and/or slang.   Use correct spellings of terms and proper English.

• Try to finish a few minutes ahead of time so you can review your essay.  Budget the alloted time according to the point values given to each part of the essay exam.