Exam Preparation

Remember that you are writing an argument. An argument influences the reader using evidence and reasoning to express a point of view and uncover a truth for the reader.

Steps for creating an argument 

1. Underline the keywords of the question to aid in your understanding
2. Define your position in your mind, making certain that your point of view is clear. Don’t argue both sides. Pick one!
3. Use your position on the topic to write a thesis. A successful thesis statement:
   1. is usually one sentence
   2. is a statement, not a question
   3. identifies the subject of the paper
   4. takes a stand rather than simply announcing a subject

Make a rough plan or outline of your paragraphs. Even if no marks are assigned for the outline, this is a very worthwhile exercise.

Write a good introductory paragraph. 

Steps for writing a good introduction 

1. Do not recopy or restate the question. You can use keywords from the question in your answer/thesis. This will help you to be sure you have addressed exactly what the question asks.
2. Use the introductory paragraph to state your position, alert the reader to your argument and to indicate your plan of attack. Turn the point form notes from the plan into sentences, and you’ll have covered all the bases.
3. Avoid the use of “I” statements in the introductory paragraph. Writing in 3rd person is more formal, and more authoritative.

Steps for the body paragraphs 

1. One paragraph will be written to develop each point of evidence in support of the argument or idea.
2. Each paragraph will contain a topic sentence and its supporting evidence. This is where you demonstrate to your teacher that you have learned the course content so be specific with your evidence

Use precise evidence and be certain that it supports your argument. 

Steps for including precise evidence 

1. Use factual evidence (names of people, important events and dates etc.)
2. Select evidence that is most suitable to your argument. Do not just write whatever comes into your mind. Just because the information was covered in class does not mean it answers the question that was asked on the exam.

Write a brief conclusion. Steps for a strong conclusion 

1. Do not repeat your exact argument from the introduction.
2. Try to state your position in a different way in order to pull together the major threads of your argument.
3. Conclude your essay with a brief summary of your argument.

Proofreading is an essential part of essay writing. 

Steps for proofreading your essay 

1. Slowly re-read your work. Be sure that what is on the page is what you meant to say.
2. If changes need to be made, cross out errors. Do not worry about “liquid paper”.
3. If you need to add details, use an arrow and the blank line above or below to add the additional information.

To prepare for a multiple choice exam, consider the following steps: 

• Begin studying early. Multiple choice exams tend to focus on details, and you cannot retain many details effectively in short-term memory. If you learn a little bit each day and allow plenty of time for repeated reviews, you will build a much more reliable long-term memory.
• Make sure that you identify and understand everything that your teacher emphasized in class. Pay particular attention to fundamental terms and concepts that describe important events or features, or that tie related ideas and observations together. These are the items that most commonly appear on multiple choice exams.
• If your textbook highlights new vocabulary or key definitions, be sure that you understand them. Do not simply memorize the book's definitions. Most teachers will rephrase things in their own words as they write exam questions, so you must be sure that you really know what the definitions mean.
• Brainstorm possible questions with several other students who are also taking the course.
• Practice sample questions on a study guide or quizzes/tests you wrote earlier in the course.

There are many strategies for maximizing your success on multiple choice exams, but the best way to improve your chances is to study carefully before the exam. Here are a few tips in case you get stuck:

• Before you begin taking the exam, enter all pieces of required information on your Scantron sheet. If you are so eager to start that you forget to enter your name, your results may never be scored. Remember: your teacher will not be able to identify you by handwriting.
• Read each question carefully. Multiple-choice tests examine your ability to read carefully and thoughtfully, as much as they test your ability to recall and reason.
• Always cover up the possible responses with a piece of paper or with your hand while you read the stem, or body of the question. Try to anticipate the correct response before you are distracted by seeing the possible answers. Then, uncover the responses. If you see the response that you anticipated, circle it and then check to be sure that none of the other responses is better.
• Identify the subject area. Identifying what lesson, reading, or lab the question is from might help you narrow the choice of possible responses.
• Read each of the responses. Don’t just stop when you come to one that seems likely.
• Don’t dismiss a response because it seems too obvious. When you are prepared for the test, some of the questions may appear very straight forward.
• Don’t be persuaded by fancy terms in the answers. Just because it sounds impressive doesn’t mean it is correct

If you do not see a response that you expected, then consider some of the following strategies to eliminate responses that are probably wrong. None of these strategies is fool-proof, but using them together can increase your chances of success.

• Eliminate options you know to be incorrect. Underline or highlight the words in questions that eliminate the option.
• Question options that are totally unfamiliar to you. When you have studied well, the correct answer should be familiar.
• Identify key words. Circle or underline key words such as “all”, “always”, “never”, “none”, “not”, “few”, “many”, “some”, and “sometimes”. Responses that use absolute words, such as “always” or “never” are less likely to be correct than ones that use conditional words like “usually” or “probably”.
• "All of the above" is often a correct response. If you can verify that more than one of the responses is probably correct, then choose "all of the above."
• "None of the above" is usually an incorrect response, but this is less reliable than the "all of the above" rule.
• Be careful not to be trapped by double negatives. E.g. “Toronto is not unlike New York.” Two ‘negatives’ equal a ‘positive’, so this means Toronto and New York are alike.
• Look for grammatical clues. If the stem ends with the indefinite article "an," for example, then the correct response probably begins with a vowel. A response that repeats key words that are in the stem is likely to be correct. Question options that grammatically don't fit with the stem.
• The longest response is often the correct one, because of the need to load it with qualifying adjectives or phrases. This makes the answer either more specific or more inclusive.
• Give each option the "true-false test". If you are asked to determine the “best” answer, you will be able to eliminate some potential answers by asking yourself whether the statement is true or false. If it is true, it is a candidate for the being the “best” answer. If it is false, eliminate it.
• Beware of "look alike options". Sometimes answers look very similar. Probably one of them is correct; choose the best one, and then eliminate choices that mean basically the same thing, and therefore cancel each other out.
• If two alternatives seem correct, compare them for differences, and then refer to the stem to find your best answer.

If you cannot answer a question within a minute or less, skip it and plan to come back later. 

Transfer all responses to the answer sheet at the same time, once you have marked all questions on your exam. This reduces the possibility of a bubbling error on the Scantron card. You must be mindful to leave time to complete this task. 

Take the time to check your work before you hand in the answer sheet.

Be sure that you have filled the appropriate bubbles carefully in pencil. The Scantron machine cannot recognize ink. 

Colour the entire bubble. Do not simply ‘X’ or check-mark the circle.

Thoroughly erase any accidental marks or changed answers.