Writing the Exam:

Set up a time schedule. If six questions are to be answered in sixty minutes, allow yourself only seven minutes for each. When the time is up for one question, stop writing and begin the next one. There will be 15 to 18 minutes remaining when the last question is completed. The incomplete answers can be completed in that time. Six incomplete answers will usually recieve more credit than three complete ones.


Read through the questions once. Answers will come to mind immediately for some questions. Write down key words, listings, etc., when they are fresh in your mind. Otherwise these ideas may be blocked (or unavailable) when the time comes to write the later questions. This will reduce anxiety and panic.


Before attempting to answer a question, be sure you understand the question. What is the basic question being asked? Is it clear to you? If it is not, get clarification from your instructor.


Outline the answer before writing. Whether the teacher realizes it or not, he or she is greatly influenced by the compactness, completeness, and clarity of an organized answer.


Include an introduction and a summary. The introduction may be a rewording of the question into a statement containing the main answer to the question. Following the body of the answer should be a compact conclusion to the entire answer highlighting the main points made, and tieing the ideas into a neat bundle. Both the introduction and the summary should be short and concise.


Take time at the end to reread the paper. When writing in haste we tend to:
Misspell words
Omit words and parts of sentences
Omit parts of questions
Miswrite dates and figures


Qualify answers when in doubt. It is better to say "toward the end of the 19th century" than it is to say "in 1894" when you can't remember the exact date. In many cases, the approximate time is all that is wanted.


After the Exam:

Go over it.See what you did wrong and why. Also note what you did right. This may save you hours of worry after the next test because you are making yourself consciously aware of your weaknesses while at the same time reassuring yourself about your strengths. If you don't understand what you have done wrong, talk to your instructor. This is the fastest way to become effective in the class.