Putting yourself in a situation

If you have to sit MCQs, train yourself without delay on this specific assessment method; if you have to write an essay, train yourself to draw up detailed plans; if you have to take part in oral exams, practise orally!

Too often the reasons for failure are not a lack of knowledge of the subject matter but insufficient preparation for the specific assessment methods used in examinations.

Find below some advice for the main types of exam:

Multiple-choice questions (MCQs)

• Get your time right by calculating your "time per question" ratio (no. of questions/exam time)
• Review all the questions, first answer those on which you are clear
• Examine and take the remaining time for those that require reflection
• If wrong answers count: fail to answer when in doubt
• Mindally answer the question and then look at the proposed solutions
• First eliminate the items that are clearly wrong
• Make sure the item is relevant to the question asked
• Remember the key words: none, do…not, never, always, only…
• Consider the sentence as a whole (ALL of the proposition must be correct)

Dissertation/Oral

Read the question carefully: 

• What are you being asked to do:  Analyse, compare, comment, criticise, explain, illustrate…
• Please take time to fully understand the question (10% of the exam time)

Make a response plan

• Structure (intro, development, conclusion), arguments…
• Structure is at least as important as content
• Take time to make a detailed plan (60%)

Go straight to the point (30%)

Save some time for proofreading (5%)

In order to give a precise answer to the question posed, you need to understand the terms that make up the question. The number of these terms is not unlimited. They are found in similar forms in all disciplines:

• Analyse, discuss, evaluate
  Give the pros and cons of the issue, mention the limits and advantages of each factor; give your opinion or the opinion of’experts in the field. Find the main ideas and show how they fit together.
• Finish
  Give the meaning, the precise meaning of a concept or word, and if possible, add an example.
• Describe
  To enumerate the characteristics of something; to sketch or relate events in a logical order, chronologically or in the form of a quotation (depending on the branch of study).
• Comparing
  Finding similarities and differences between two or more things; highlighting similarities and differences.
• Comment
  Making remarks and observations, interpreting, criticising, deciphering the many possible meanings of a question.
• Criticise
  To examine (a text, a theory, etc.) in order to bring out its qualities and faults.
• Enumerating
  Make a list of names, facts, characteristics, some following the others, usually by numbering them.
• Explain
  Clearly state and interpret the facts relating to an incident. To show logically how a concept or notion developed. This type of question is answered using the following words: who or what, how and why.
• Illustrate
  Clarify by giving an example, drawing a picture or making a graph. It is also possible to use comparison or analogy (« it's like »).
• Prove
  Establish the truth of the proposition by providing evidence, facts, clear and logical arguments.