Exam technique
“Chance favours only the prepared mind.” - Louis Pasteur
Approaching Exams Without Panic
When it comes to exams, knowing the content is only half the battle. The rest is the managing pressure. Exam halls aren’t ideal environments for calm, not with the bright lights, the silence, the supervision, so it’s completely normal to struggle with nerves. The good news: exam technique is a skill, and skills can be practised.
So, what do you practise?
don’t just study hard, study well
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Slow right down
Time pressure is a natural part of exams, but rushing leads to mistakes. Make sure you’re reading the questions carefully, taking time to understand them. Underline key terms, and pay particular attention to the command words (especially important in the HSC!) and to mark allocations, using them to guide your response. You don’t want to waste 20 minutes writing a 2-mark question, or adding extra detail when the question only says “identify”.
Work strategically
You don’t have to do the questions in order. Make the most of your reading time to figure out which questions you can answer the most easily and then start with those. It’s always okay to skip over a question and come back to it later. The most important thing is to maintain momentum, so don’t let a tough question derail your progress. When it comes to finishing off the hard ones, if you’re really stuck, it is always better to write something. Statistically, you’re far more likely to get marks for writing anything down than writing nothing! (And for tricky multiple choice, just guess. You have a 25% chance of getting it right.)
how to Manage stress
Stress is physical. Once you’re in that state, it’s not often something that you can think your way out of, so taking a minute to settle your body is worth the time, even in the thick of an exam.
Breathing exercises can help to bring your body back under control. A good (and easy to remember) technique is “box breathing”: inhale for four (seconds), hold for four, exhale for four, and hold for four again. It’s a simple rhythm to follow that can help settle your nerves. Grounding techniques can also be very useful, such as noticing 5 things you can see, 4 things you can feel, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell and 1 thing you can taste. Or, just try to unclench your jaw, drop your shoulders down away from your ears, and take a deep breath. Whatever works for you, it’s always good to take a pause.
What to do before the exam (besides study)
Aside from reviewing your notes over and over again, it can be very helpful to do practice papers under exam conditions. Practising a real paper, with a timer, and without your notes handy, helps to get your mind and body used to recalling information and writing under pressure. Familiarity reduces anxiety, so the more you get accustomed to these conditions, the more relaxed you can feel going into the exam. Visualisation is a good companion to this. That is, close your eyes, and picture yourself in the exam room, steadily and calmly working through it. Picture completing the exam, and walking out, knowing you’ve done your best. It may feel a bit silly in the moment, but it really can help set your mind in the right place.
Ultimately, try to keep it all in perspective. Each exam is just one small part of your life, and your performance in them does not define your worth as a person.
