Which 12 tips are best for passing academic exams?

Tip 1: Prepare, Prepare, Prepare

Our first tip on the list is probably the most important – and that’s to prepare as much as you can before sitting your exam. During the semester, such preparation will usually involve attending all lectures and seminars and doing any readings or homework that your tutor sets – remembering to make notes and pay careful attention at all times. Closer to the final exam, students should create a revision plan and stick firmly to achieving their goals. Try using flashcards to help your memory, gather your notes together into one place, and look over any examples or structures you have that may help you to organise your answers. This advice is particularly true for group discussions, open-book exams, presentations and timed-writings.

Tip 2: Practice, Practice, Practice

Another useful tip, particularly when delivering performances such as group discussions, interviews and presentations, is to practice as much as you can before the final exam. Whether this means rehearsing in front of a mirror, completing multiple mock exams or completing self-study activities on Academic Marker for example, the more practice you can get, the more likely it is that you’ll walk into that exam confident and well-prepared.

Tip 3: Check the Rubrics

One aspect that students often forget about is remembering to check the rubrics that are associated with their exams. A rubric is a document that your assessor will use in an attempt to consistently and fairly grade your paper. Such rubrics are particularly necessary for tutors when grading subjective examinations, such as open-book exams, takeaway papers and timed-writings. These documents should detail what the assessor is looking for in terms of content, delivery, topic knowledge, grammar and lexis, and coherence and cohesion. Find a copy of your relevant marking rubric, read it very carefully, and try to make sure that you’re precisely fulfilling those criteria so that your assessor can grade you as highly as possible.

Tip 4: Make Predictions

The fourth tip is a difficult one, but if a student can be successful in this area then they’ll greatly increase their likelihood of passing with an impressive grade. Especially true for computational exams, interviews, multiple-choice exams, takeaway papers and timed-writings is that a learner should do their best to make predictions about the kinds of questions, topics and concepts that are likely to be included. If students can do this with accuracy, they’ll potentially save themselves valuable time and energy during the exam – and will likely walk out with more confidence and a more impressive final grade.

Tip 5: Follow the Rules

While it might go without saying, students often break the rules in university examinations which can be disruptive for both them and for other students. Whether it’s accidental or purposeful, a student that brings notes into an exam when they shouldn’t, or that brings items of clothing or stationary that are prohibited, may find themselves negatively affecting the outcome of their exam. In winter, for example, we’ve seen students shivering because they had to remove prohibited jackets and coats and weren’t wearing sufficient clothing underneath. More seriously, by not following the rules of your exam, you may even be accused by the examiners of cheating – potentially resulting in a failing grade.