MIDTERMS: TIPS FOR NEWBIES

/in /by

Next week is when most midterms start to be scheduled. For those of you in your frosh term, it’s a good idea to think of what you can find out before you’re sitting there facing question one on the screen, and how you can prepare for the actual process of writing the test.

Let’s assume that you are following my recommendations from earlier blogs on reviewing notes and other material. Some pointers in this blog seem so obvious–until you overlook them.

Checklist: What to know ahead of time:

  1. Review the syllabus. Know how much the exam is worth. After the first exam, know whether each exam is cumulative, or only on material since the last exam.
  2. If you have accommodations, make sure you have booked what you need to book, and your instructor is aware of what they need to do.
  3. Ask the instructor, “What’s going to be on the exam?” Sure, sometimes they will say “Everything!” but sometimes they will actually tell you more about what to pay particular attention to.
  4. Know the format of the exam: multiple choice, short answer, essay?
  5. Check to see if there is a rubric.
  6. Ask about format for short answer or essay questions. Are full answers required? Is APA style required? Are you required to show steps in arriving at an answer?
  7. Will the exam be marked on a curve?
  8. For multiple choice or True or False questions, is there a right-minus-wrong algorithm?
  9. How much detail is required for short answer and essay questions?
  10. How long do you have to submit the exam? One hour? Three days?
  11. What material, if any, are you allowed to refer to–none, two sheets of formulae, open book?

The open-book exam trap:

I’m going to mention a special alert for the easiest exam type to underestimate: the open-book exam. The problem with this exam is because you know you can refer to all the material, you have skimped on learning much of the material. Then you sit down, open the exam, and . . . you know the answer, or remember reading about it, but you have to take more time than you had planned finding just where the detail is. This happens several times as you work through the exam, and you run out of time.

With an open-book exam

  1. Open the book and your notes 3 or 4 days ahead of time.
  2. Outline the structure of the course thus far so that you know you can quickly access any material covered for confirmation or detail.
  3. Jot down key points for each section.
  4. Take the approach that the less time you spend hunting for material, the more time you have for answering the questions.

Giving your brain what it needs so it will give back when you need it:

It is easy during exam week to spend all of your time studying, or thinking about studying, and ignore self-care until after midterms. That’s how lack of sleep, dehydration, and skipped meals or high sugar loads can take a hit on your brain so that you remember less or make just plain head-slapping mistakes. 

So

  1. End each day this week and during midterms with positive sleep hygiene practice.
  2. Take stretch breaks. Take walking breaks.
  3. Stock up on water and food that works for you.

Reward!

Plan your reward now for when you write the last midterm. This should be something you look forward to just for writing the last midterm—maybe reading a novel, maybe coffee with a friend, maybe taking your child to the zoo, maybe biking a new route—something to look forward to as you head into midterms.

Let me know how it goes! [email protected]

The information in this blog cannot take the place of support from your own mental health professional or community health resources. Reach out to them. And IF YOU ARE IN CRISIS PLEASE DIAL 911.