m a Ex ss e c c u s
ADVICE
INFORMATION TIPS
RECIPES 1
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CONTENTS
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Do you need any help with anything else this exam season? Drop into the TCDSU Education Officer or Welfare Officer for further assistance.
education
EMAIL: EDUCATION@TCDSU.ORG TEL: (01) 646 8439
Welfare
EMAIL: WELFARE@TCDSU.ORG TEL: (01) 646 8437
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y d u st ips t STUDENT COUNSELLING SERVICE REVISION STRATEGIES The thought of examinations can cause students anxiety. If this is true for you, one of the best ways to cope is to feel in control, which can be achieved through preparation. Think about how you prepare for an exam. Look for areas where you think you can improve and reflect on the possible strategies you might try. Use the same process for how you take an examination. Make use of self-management, especially planning, and support strategies in conjunction with revision and exam-taking strategies. The first thing you need to check is your Course Handbook. Your Handbook may have a section about examinations for your course. Secondly, locate and become familiar with the past examination papers for your subjects. These are on The TCD website at Local Home Page > For Students > Examination Papers. 5
The following are some strategies and suggestions to be aware of when examining your own method.
REVISION STRATEGIES
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You will want to be prepared intellectually for an examination and the key is revision. If you have been studying regularly and effectively, your job will be easier. As your exam approaches make a revision timetable listing the topics to be revised, what aspects, and how long you think it will take. Schedule it! You will not be able to do the whole course so use goal setting and timemanagement skills to be selective. Avoid re-reading texts. You took good notes so use them. View your notes critically, try to condense them, using this as a means to restructure your knowledge, this aids recall at a later date. Try to become familiar with the exam’s purpose and format. If the purpose of revision is for understanding, try to process the information on a deep level by making it meaningful: • Impose organisation via categories, diagrams, mind maps, etc. • Make associations to information already known. • Identify relationships between material. • Develop imagery that links material together. • Try to find general rules, patterns, or principles. • Analyse past examination papers – understanding questions is a skill. If the purpose of revision is for memory recall, use strategies that emphasise rote memorisation of facts: • Over learning - read same chapter several times, index cards, etc. • Practice answers to possible questions and repeatedly review material. • Use past questions and plan answers in outline form,
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i.e. introduction, main points, summary. • Practice doing past examination questions in full within time. Work with other students - they might think of something you didn’t and vice versa and they may provide different perspectives on a topic. There are other ways to revise, ask friends, tutors, etc. what they do.
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It is also important to be emotionally prepared for your examination. Develop a positive attitude. Think of them as a special event in which you are trying to do your “personal best”. Exams are useful because they let you measure your knowledge. Relax - too much anxiety interferes with performance, too little can also hinder. If you are very anxious, practice stress management techniques like deep breathing and positive self-talk. Use concentration and motivation strategies as necessary. Get plenty of exercise a good night’s sleep every night.
EXAM-TAKING STRATEGIES
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Read instructions carefully. Underline what you are to do. A common error for students under pressure is to answer more questions than required. Make sure your name and number are on all sheets. Read over whole examination before you start to answer.
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Use time wisely. Be aware of time limit. Plan your time accordingly, making sure to proportion time per question based on marks and that you allot time for all questions required. PLAN! Allow time for review.
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Start with the question you feel most comfortable with, it will give you confidence. 7
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If the examination is subjective give main points and important details clearly and precisely. Do not write everything you know on the topic (a common error). You want to show you understand. Display the “breadth and depth� of your knowledge. Provide structure and organisation to your answer and use headings. When you have decided on a question, jot down a brief outline. This provides you with a framework to keep you on track, it lets the reader know where you are going, it alleviates a little pressure as you can note down facts, quotes, examples etc. before you need them. Look for key words like discuss, compare, and define. Do only what you are asked. Remember, someone has to read your essay (and probably hundreds of others) so be legible and use good spelling. Answer all questions, even if the last one is not as elaborate, you will still get points.
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If the examination is problem-solving make sure you understand what is being asked. What is required, what is the unknown? Pay attention to key terms. Draw a sketch if appropriate. Identify a method to find what is unknown. Write down all knowns, use good and consistent notation, try to estimate the answer first if appropriate, do neat and careful calculations so the reader can follow, write down relevant formulae, try to recall other problems with a similar set up, actively check your answer - Does it make sense? Check for simple errors.
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Use Support Strategies if you experience distractions or anxiety.
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At some point after the exam (give yourself time), try to evaluate how effective your revision and examination strategies were. Learn from your exam.
TIPS FROM YOUR EDUCATION OFFICER
• Check you exam timetable right now! • Note your exam number and remember your student card. • Arrive at the venue 15 minutes early – just in case. • Do not sit your exam if you are not fit do so. Contact your tutor and make them aware. • If you get the heebie-jeebies, practice relaxation exercises; focus on your breathing or take a short break in the exam. • If you feel unwell during an exam, tell the invigilator. • A good night’s sleep is likely to be more beneficial than a night spent cramming. • The results will be published on your portal (my.tcd.ie) or on MyModule (Blackboard). • Remember you have a tutor who is there to help you with academic and personal problems. • No problem is too big or too small. • Finally – you got this, give ‘em socks.
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SETTING GOALS Being able to set goals is an important part of planning where and what to study. Effective goals are SMART goals. SMART stands for: • • • • •
Simple Measurable Action orientated Realistic Time limited
Use the following steps to set a goal. Make sure you write it down! SIMPLE A goal should be concrete and specific. Example: “I will do x number of maths problems this week”, “I will read pages 1 - 4”. MEASURABLE Monitor and evaluate so you know whether you are achieving your goal or not. If it is not going well, maybe you need to alter your goal or your action plan. When you achieve the goal, reward yourself by doing something you enjoy and congratulate yourself on a job well done.
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ACTION ORIENTATED Use action verbs in your goal statement. “By Friday (date), I will have completed the history assignment, aiming at a mark higher than the average of my previous three assignments, have it proof read and handed in one time.� REALISTIC A goal should be realistic, that means manageable and achievable. Your motivation my drop if your goal is unrealistic and you set yourself up for failure. TIME LIMITED A large or long-term goal can be broken into smaller, more manageable steps. Then it becomes possible to give a timeframe for achieving the goal. If it is a larger goal, list the benefits if you accomplish your goal and list any obstacles to overcome, for instance your own procrastination, getting time to go to the library, etc. Come up with a specific action plan and time table for each step in accomplishing your goal and for overcoming obstacles. Short-term goals can be incorporated into your timetable. Setting SMART goals is the key to becoming a smart student. Working smarter as well as harder is the key to academic success. 11
S S E STR
G A N A M
Stress is a common part of everyone’s life, however, it can be managed and reduced. We respond to stress physically, mentally, emotionally and in the way we behave. Some of the most common causes of stress for students in colleges and universities include a death in the family, poor exam preparation, exam failure, parental separation, relationship problems, family difficulties, unexpected or unwanted pregnancy, financial difficulties, becoming a victim of crime or assault, adjustment to college, sexual harassment, poor time management, the transition from school to college to work and leaving home. How do you know if you are suffering from stress? • Usually we show combinations of symptoms, but each of us responds predominately in one of the following areas: • Physically through muscle tension, sweaty palms, chest palpitations, restlessness and nausea. 12
T N E M E G • Emotionally through periods of anxiety, crying or weeping, feelings of hopelessness, panic attacks and irritability. • Behaviourally through changes in our sleeping and eating patterns, increased smoking or alcohol consumption, nail biting and absenteeism from work. • Mentally or cognitively we react to stress through loss of self-confidence, muddled thinking, undue tiredness and memory lapses. Some of the long-term conditions in which prolonged and continued stress can play a part are chronic backache, allergies, migraine headaches, high blood pressure, heart attacks, depression and irritable bowel syndrome. Becoming aware of the specific events or situations in which you become stressed allows you to develop methods of coping with those situations, e.g. knowing that you become stressed before and during exams allows you to prepare for this and use coping mechanisms that will alleviate the stress. 13
The most commonly used coping mechanisms in the alleviation of stress are:
RELAXATION & BREATHING EXERCISES Many people find the use of mini-relaxation exercises several times a day can slow them down and give them a sense of calmness. These exercises can prevent tension from building up. Try these: • Hunch up both shoulders so they almost touch your ears and hold for 20 seconds before relaxing. • Bring both elbows into your sides, bending arms upwards so that your hands touch your shoulders. Again hold for 20 seconds and relax. • Tighten your stomach muscles, holding and then relaxing. Focus on your breathing - take a deep breath in, hold it and let it out slowly. As you let it out, loosen your forehead so thatyour eyes and eyelids feel heavy. • Continue breathing slowly and evenly until you feel quiet, heavy and warm.
KEEP WORRYING THOUGHTS UNDER CONTROL Refocus on what is happening around you, e.g. concentrate on lines in a book or other people’s conversations. Engage in other mental activities, perhaps some mental arithmetic or reciting a poem. Recreation activities and interests let you think about other things for a while so that you can come back to problems with a fresh mind.
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CHALLENGING YOUR THOUGHTS This involves replacing the worrying, negative thoughts with constructive, positive statements. Some of the more common thinking errors that produce stress fall into the following categories. • Exaggerating – magnifying your bad points and weaknesses. • Catastrophising – anticipating total disaster if something minor goes wrong • Overgeneralization – expecting anything to go wrong all the time. • Ignoring the positive – overlooking personal strengths and characteristics. Interrupting those negative automatic thoughts and replacing them with more positive self-accepting thoughts will help to control and alleviate the stress. Positive reframing of events and situations will help you to get through the difficult situations.
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY Walking is good stress relief. So is taking the dog for a walk, gardening, playing with friends, children and pets. In addition to keeping you fit and physically able to cope with stress, more active sport helps to use up the adrenalin that otherwise make you feel tense. Being physically tired can help you sleep. As well as exercise programs the Department of Sport and Recreation at College runs stress management and relaxation programs for students and staff. Contact them at the Sports Centre on campus.
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Regular sleep and a balanced diet are very important in stress management. Rest even if you find sleeping difficult. Avoid excessive use of alcohol, tobacco or other drugs. Maintain the use of medication prescribed for you by your doctor. Keep in contact with family and friends. Rewarding yourself with gifts or treats or doing something you enjoy is also a good way to beat stress. Now de-stress with some mindfulness colouring-in on the adjacent page!
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o t i t a e N b OCRASTI PR
Procrastination refers to putting tasks off regularly even when we know it would be beneficial to complete them. Not all procrastination is bad, but when it affects your academic work or other areas of your life it’s time to work on it. Some strategies are especially useful for overwhelming tasks that you tend to put off. Other strategies work for unpleasant tasks that you tend to avoid. Examine the reason you are putting off the task; this may help you decide how to start working on overcoming the procrastination habit. See what might work for you! 20
on Make commitments – A common excuse is ‘I work better under pressure’, so create pressure. Create deadlines, put them in your diary, tell people you plan to get something done, and then they’ll ask if you got it done. ‘Salami’ Technique: • Slice, chop or divide the task into smaller parts (by function or by time) then; • Make a plan and schedule when you’ll do the smaller task or; • If you have some time, check the list and see what you can do. • Cross things off the list as you complete them. • Check out the Planning Assignments sheet for essays and projects. Do difficult tasks when you are freshest. Take Action – sometimes just doing something creates the mood and builds momentum to continue, so decide to just do something, anything to get going – just do it! Five minutes – spend five minutes on a task; once started you may find you’ll keep going. 21
Related tasks – Do something related; also known as the back door approach! For example, if you have to start a project or essay maybe decide to just go talk to someone about it; this in turn may lead you to the library because they suggest a reference. Often it can be easier to talk to someone than having to sit down and write. Keep yourself motivated by writing down your personal goals and posting them around the place where you can see them on a regular basis. Take advantage of your moods. Do something on your list of activities you are in the mood to do. Give yourself a pep talk. Remind yourself of the benefits of getting the task done and the consequences of failing to do it now. Remind yourself of the emotional and physical consequences of procrastination. Surround yourself physically with items associated with the task. Keep your study space organised. Make sure your environment encourages you to study (limited distractions, things you need to hand). Make your tasks visible – set up reminders, signs, lists, notes all around you. Leave something definite to go back to when you finish studying – this helps to avoid pre-study fidgeting and things to distract you. Use contingencies and rewards – something you enjoy after doing a task you’ve been putting off. For example, 20 minutes on statistics then going for a cup of coffee instead of the other way around. Also reward yourself at milestones along the way. Avoid self-defeating, avoidance generating beliefs and statements that tend to encourage procrastination. Such as thinking you’re not good enough or that everyone else is doing a better job or that you’ll never get it all done. Instead, use enabling and positive beliefs and attitudes.
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DON’T WORRY ABOUT MAKING MISTAKES. Get help from other people and use your friends. Visualise / rehearse in your imagination completing the task. Worst First – that particularly boring or difficult task is easy to put off, in fact you’ll do anything not to get it done but better to get it out of the way first thing. Don’t worry about making mistakes. You only find out what works by trying things. Start early so you have time to procrastinate! Finally, don’t allow yourself to make a split-second decision to put if off yet again. Slow down the decision-making process to consider the importance of the task and the consequences of delay. Working under last minute pressuremay sacrifice accuracy, damage relationships, and put your body under stress. If you would like further assistance dealing with procrastination, please contact Learning Support @ Student Counselling Service 608-1407 for an individual appointment.
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. . . f i t a h w “I’m late for my exam.”
Contact your tutor or the Senior Tutor’s office immediately. If nobody has left the examination room you may be allowed to sit the exam.
“I failed an exam.”
If you fail you may be able to pass by compensation depending on the rules of your department. Contact your tutor immediately, and the TCDSU Education Officer who can also provide support. There will be a short window between the publication of results and the deadline for appeals, so make sure you act quickly!
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“I’m too sick to take this exam”
Contact your tutor immediately, and get a medical certificate for the appropriate period. This must include the date, length of incapacitation and a clear statement that you are unable to sit exams. This must be then given to your tutor within a 72 hour period. Remember that medical certificates are not accepted in explanation of or excuse for poor performances, so if you’re unwell do not sit the exam.
“I feel ill during the exam”
Inform an invigilator who will then take you to College Health where your illness will be assessed. Depending on the outcome you may be allowed to continue with the examination within the exam period.
“I’ve missed an exam”
Contact your tutor, head of school or the Senior Tutor immediately. If you don’t attend an examination without a valid reason, you are unlikely to be accommodated.
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for
s e c c Su
s e p i c e R SMART SMOOTHIE The perfect to jump-start your day!
INGREDIENTS 2 bananas 1 bag of frozen fruit (1.50 eur in Tesco) 1 pot of natural yoghurt Handful of spinach/ kale Splash of orange/cranberry juice
METHOD Just wash, peel, blend! Makes 3 delicious smoothies which can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.
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ss PERFORMANCE PITTA POCKETS Great for lunch or for a snack, these pitta pockets give you all the nutrients you need while filling you up!
INGREDIENTS 1/2 wholemeal pitta bread 25g cooked skinless chicken breast 1/4 cucumber, cut into chunks 4 cherry tomatoes, halved
METHOD Fill the pitta half with the cooked chicken, cucumber and tomatoes. Add a little mayo or sweet chilli to your taste! 27
TUNA PASTA SALAD A simple way to get your protein and vitamins!
INGREDIENTS 2 cups penne pasta 1 tin of tuna 1 bag of iceberg lettuce 1 bell pepper Mayonnaise or salad dressing Salt & Pepper
METHOD Boil the kettle and place the pasta into a pot on the hob. Pour boiling water into the pot until it is about two thirds full, and simmer on a medium heat. While the pasta is cooking, wash and chop the bell pepper and get your other ingredients ready. Once the pasta has cooked, strain it and leave it to cool. Mix the lettuce, tuna, pasta and chopped peppers in with the dressing and a pinch of salt and pepper in a big bowl, and place into ziplock bags or food storage boxes for lunch for a few days!
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EASY-PEASY OMLETTE INGREDIENTS 2-4 eggs Grated cheese (preferably cheddar) Butter Chives A pinch of salt & pepper
METHOD Melt some butter on a heated frying pan. Break the eggs into a bowl, mix up with a fork, add salt/pepper, and pour this mixture into the frying pan. Using a wooden spoon draw lines in the egg from side to side across the pan to make sure it cooks through. When one side looks like it’s cooking but still gooey, sprinkle cheese and chives on top and then fold in half, like a calzone. Leave on the pan for a minute or two to settle then flip onto a plate and enjoy.
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YOGHURT & GRANOLA Does what it says on the tin! Yoghurt and granola are really handy things to have stocked up on for exams, for breakfasts and midnight feasts.
INGREDIENTS 1 bag of granola (can be bought in most stores, or use a replacement such as porridge oats with nuts!) 1 pot of natural yoghurt 1 box of raspberries (1.79 eur in Tesco)
METHOD Sprinkle a few spoons of granola over a bowl of natural yoghurt – try to use 1 part granola to 3 parts yoghurt. Rinse the raspberries, and pop some on top. Now dig in!
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WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER INGREDIENTS 1 chicken breast Veg of choice: bell peppers, asparagus, sweet potatoes/normal potatoes, carrots... Garlic, sliced 1 onion, sliced Gravy Olive oil A pinch of salt & pepper Spices: cumin / paprika / cayenne
METHOD Preheat oven to 220C on normal convection. Chop vegetables and place in an oven dish. Sprinkle spices, salt, and pepper on to taste, and drizzle with olive oil. Toss together with your hands. Separate the veg to two sides of the dish leaving a space in the middle. Season the chicken breast with spices, salt, and pepper, and drizzle in olive oil. Place the chicken in the space in the dish, place the dish in the oven and cook for 30-45 mins checking every 15 mins to flip the vegetables. When it’s time to take the dish out, let it cool for about 5 minutes. Remove chicken and slice on cutting board, and add gravy to taste.
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BRAIN-POWER BANANA PANCAKES A quick-fix to get your stomach to where your brain wants it to be!
INGREDIENTS 1 banana 2 eggs 3-4 spoons of plain flour (Optional: vanilla essence)
METHOD Peel and mash the banana, mix well with the eggs and flour in a bowl until smooth, butter your frying pan and pour the mixture on. Fry for 2-3 minutes on a medium heat, and once it starts to bubble and solidify, flip the pancake over and cook for a further 1-2 minutes. Once cooked, add nutella or fresh fruit to your taste, and enjoy!
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Remember! It’s always better to have a full belly and clear head going into exams season – not only will it help you feel good, it’ll help you work better too!
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o h w ontact c to
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STUDENT LEARNING DEVELOPMENT Visit the SLD website at student-learning. tcd.ie undergraduate for a range of study and exam strategies and for details of upcoming academic skills development workshops. Alternatively contact (01) 896 1407 or student.learning@tcd.ie to book an individual consultation. You can also check out the SLD Academic Skills for Success Learning module on TCD Blackboard. YOUR COLLEGE TUTOR Get in touch with your own college tutor if you have any problems throughout the exam period as they are your main academic representative and should be able to guide you through any problems you’re having. TCDSU EDUCATION OFFICER Pop an email to the Education officer at education@tcdsu.org or contact them on (083) 8473725 / (01) 646 8439 if you have any academic queries. HEAD OF DEPARTMENT / SENIOR TUTOR If you cannot get in touch with your college tutor, then you may get in touch with the Senior Tutor or Head of Department to solve any urgent queries. Information on Head of Department can be found on School websites, and contact details for the senior tutor’s office can be found on this link: https://www.tcd.ie/ Senior_Tutor/contact/ 35
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