revision tips for a seen exam?

brians_daughter

I have poor recall skills at the best of times, but esp under pressure! I have a seen exam on monday.

The questions were released on Thursday. Its only 20 questions and each answer only has to be 2 sentances long but i just cant seem to remember the info!

The questions seem to be very off topic (imo) to the course, not what i would consider 'major points' which i found quite strange. I have been reading/revising major points for weeks, but none of it will help given the questions we have been given to answer

So , can anyone offer any tips on how to retain this info! Its not much to remember at all, but i am having difficulty.

My course has all been written handed in portfolios and essays upto now and it is my only exam, so i guess i should be thankful!

TIA

dibblersan

I've only ever had one seen exam.

it was an essay where you saw the question rather than the answers, so I wrote my essay and then picked a key word (it was on the shift in the paeleolithic from HG to Agriculture) so my first was intro and scene set - key words mapping so "M", then on to changes in environment "E" and animal migration "A". then on to the change the environment had on the plant life - (aneomophily and entomorphily distributed pollon) "A" "E"

and so on,

then all I had to remember was maeae (then tist) and that helped me with my flow and regurgitating the whole essay of 6 a4 pages.

Mrs_Arcanum

Read all your revision stuff as close to the exam time as you can to have it fresh in your mind.

Oldernotwiser

Do you actually mean that the answers have been released or do you mean the questions?

pandora205

Assuming that just the questions have been 'seen' (otherwise this is just a memory test really), I'd suggest

1. Writing out each question and jotting down a couple of key points to include in the answer in bullet point form, e.g.

What is photosynthesis?

• green plants - chlorophyll
• produces air

Do this initially from your understanding/memory of the content.

2. Then go away and read your notes/course materials and amend your bullet points.

• green plants - chlorophyll = catalyst for photosynthesis
• produces [STRIKE]air[/STRIKE] oxygen
• uses carbon dioxide

3. Go through the questions again and answer them from memory, preferably in whole sentences.

If you have specific lists, dates or other 'facts' to recall, try to devise some mnemonics, e.g. spell out a word with the initial letter from the key words.

Make yourself flash cards to remember definitions, etc. ei.e. write a key word on one side and the definition on another.

(Sorry but I haven't done biology for years so please excuse any inaccuracies in my examples).

brians_daughter

oh goodness, sorry! No, just the questions. what on earth was i thinking? lol

However, the questions are very direct and only require a very short answer. The paper actually states we must answer in 1 or 2 sentances, anythng over this will be penalised.

Some great helpful hints there, thank you.

I think i have set myself at a disadvantage by revising and cramming what (imo) are key points for many weeks. Now that the questions have been released they almost seem random 'by the way' kinda questions? Does that make any sense?

I'm not the only one in the group who feels this way, or i would be questioning if i had missed the whole point of the module.

We have been directed to use our lecture notes and handout ONLY and advised not to use anything else, so thats easy enough in itself.

The_One_Who

Maybe they are questions that aren't as obvious because you are getting the luxury of actually seeing what the questions are beforehand? Major points might (should?) be taken for granted knowledge. Exams with seen questions should be a bit harder than those with unseen.

brians_daughter

Thanks all for the tips, exam went (imo) really well! I think i amswered all questions in depth.