The Day surely cometh: Exam Day

Owned by Stuart J
Dec 13, 2023
4 min read

So StuVac is underway, the clock is ticking, and Exam Day cometh. And none can avoid it. So how will you endure the day? For preparation, see my previous posts here (the Big Three) and here (The Little Three) and here (Exam Essays). But since you have digested all that and are now steadily revising, I finish with a few final gleanings:

Before exam day:

  • A bit of exercise or recreation every day will keep your blood circulating and your brain more vigorous. It’s an investment, as we are created holistic beings, and not merely brains with souls.

  • Practise, practise, practise. And if this is your first online exam, then practise writing a couple exam answers under online exam conditions – say, an unmarked Bible, a timer, and nothing else. By the time you sit that first exam, you want the process to be familiar and unobtrusive.

  • Vary your study throughout the day, and avoid cramming. Develop your own understanding of each topic, so you understand it and explain it clearly if you write on it.

The night before:

  • Finish your revision with a smooth landing, not heavy study and panic. And finish your revision the night before; Exam Day is not the time to cram.

  • Do something to relax.

  • Make sure everything you need is in place for the Day.

  • Get a decent sleep. You need your brain firing on all synapses for these exams.

  • And plan to do your exam in the morning – set a fixed time of 8.30 or 9.00 am. Most of us work best in the morning. It is a rare person who works with a sharp mind in the afternoon. Do the exam when you are mentally at your sharpest.

The day of:

The morning of:

  • Wake up at your regular time, take a walk (or run, if that is your style. . .), have a decent breakky, and have a cuppa if you like.

  • ‘Gently revise’, and don’t discuss the exam before the exam. (Thank you, Michael Jensen.)

  • For the exam, pick a location that suits you and your working style. (I got this from a gap year student last week – she said she likes to do exams in the buzz and bustle of a café. Just be polite and keep paying rent on your space.) But you might prefer quiet, or a study lounge with others, or being away in your room. Make sure your wifi and battery charge are adequate, and take a battery charger and power cord just in case.

  • Check your checklist and take everything you need to your exam location. Don’t forget your unmarked Bible if you are allowed one, and your water bottle. And I advise pen and paper as well.

In your exam location:

  • Set up, log on, download, and get started.

  • Note and record the time.

  • Use your reading time (usually ten minutes) well. Pick the questions you can best answer. This is the time to be strategic, even mercenary. Marks are what you are after, so pick your best.

  • During reading time, start deconstructing your questions. See my email last week: Most essay questions will have a general topic and a specific focus. Write a clear answer to the specific focus.

  • When reading time is up, do not start writing right away. I advise making pen and paper outlines for each question you choose. Five minutes each is not lost time but a strategic and wise investment. Calm your head, collect your thoughts, and organise your answer. Again, as Jensen said, ‘Exam essays are not about what you don’t know. They are about what you do know.’ So organise what you do know to make a good answer.

  • Brainstorm, come up with three or four great points that answer the question, and plan each of them. (A well-organised answer is almost always worth another letter grade.) Ensure every paragraph helps answer the question directly. Avoid mere description; argue for your answer.

  • To argue, state a clear reason for your position at the start of each body paragraph. Then follow that with reasons supporting your position. Point, then arguments for that point. Not data, data, data, and then conclusion.

  • As a student said, ‘So don’t say everything!’ Exactly. Write only what answers the specific question.

  • Use your copy of the Bible sparingly in the exam. And don’t copy Bible verses – just refer to them or reference them. Your marker knows their Bible, so don’t write out whole verses for them. Besides, the more you copy the Bible, the less of your own voice and answer you are giving.

  • When your outlines are ready, note the time. Divide the time remaining so each question has time proportional to its value. Start writing. Keep writing. And stay within the time. Your goal is a complete answer for every question.

  • Watch the time: The clock is your best friend. Don’t go overtime on any question – it kills your other answers. And don’t go far under time – it means you did not do justice to the question.

Afterwards:

  • Take a break. Relax. Go for a walk. You can resume your studies in the late afternoon or evening, but take a break – even if you have two exams on the same day. Clear your head. You’ve worked hard; your body and mind need a break.

Finally, if anyone wants to chat this week or next, contact me. And if you or a group want to discuss, say, answering Doctrine 2 and 3 questions better, then I am available.