Revising for an exam is no undemanding task, especially if you do not have the pertinent materials required. It can be quite hectic especially if you do not like the topic or subject you are revising on. Poetry is one such subject that many students find difficult understanding. It can prove to be quite a challenge especially if you do not understand the various important aspects of poetry to revise on, such as mood, tone, alliteration, and theme (Childs, 15). A wise student therefore has to come up with smart study methods to ensure that they understand the content of a poem thoroughly before sitting for any exam. The first part of the essay is meant to show how one can apply different revising techniques while revising for an exam for maximum understanding.
An exam room can prove to be a torturous place for any student. The anxiety of what may be presented in the paper, how the paper should be handled, and also whether the time will be enough can be very destructive to a student’s confidence. Many students fail in exams not because they are stupid, but because they failed to allocate appropriate time for all the questions, and therefore they ended up not completing the paper (Hopkins, 35). It is therefore important for every student to know how to divide the time allocated for the exam so that they end up finishing the test. The second part will therefore explore the various skills that can be employed in the exam room to ensure that one completes all the necessary questions in the allocated time in a smart manner.
Part one
For starters, a revision timetable is an important tool for revision. Allocating time for every item you are supposed to tackle is an invaluable asset in revising. Provided that you are disciplined enough to stick to the routine you have planned, you will definitely cover everything you plan on covering. A determined student should list down everything they intend to accomplish within a specific time period before the exam, split it into small, manageable parts, and allocate time for tackling each section. These sections should include everything covered in the course to ensure that nothing is left out (Childs, 70). After tackling all the small parts, the student can then combine all of them and deal with them as a whole, and this will ensure that the student has covered everything in the syllabus and they are now ready for the exam.
The second important technique that one can use is the revision of all the poems given in class. It is quite helpful to read the poems out loud to listen out for effects such as rhythm, alliteration, rhyme, and onomatopoeia. Having someone else read the poem out to you can also help in grasping some aspects that you may have missed earlier. When you identify where these key aspects lie in a poem, you are able to visualize them even when you have never seen the poem before. Moreover, making notes during revision helps you to jot down the key points, while at the same time providing a clearer idea on what the poem is all about (Childs, 48). A lot of practice is required to completely understand all the key aspects, and thus one has to be really focused so as to move forward.
Thirdly, it is quite helpful to visit resource centres offering materials on past poetry papers. Libraries and websites carrying these materials are a good place to start. Here, you can find past papers on poetry which can prove to be of great assistance. When you refer to these past exams, you are able to decipher what examiners look for in the exams that they set. Going through the papers can also give on an idea of commonly asked questions and how they should be answered. Attempting to answer the questions provided also gives one an extra advantage. In addition to that, going through the various reviews of the literature works enables one to be acquainted with the ways in which to tackle different questions during the exam (Childs, 65). A student can even increase their ability to tackle the different kinds of questions by timing themselves so that they can improve their time allocation skills, which can assist them in completing all the questions in good time during the exam.
Part two
The first imperative thing to do the moment you step into the exam room is to relax. This will help you gain the composure that is needed to tackle the exam. The moment you receive the question paper, quickly go through all the questions to get the general concept of the paper. After that, go through it again to decide on which questions to tackle first. Even if nothing seems to make sense at first, do not panic. Starting with the easiest questions will give you the confidence to move on to the more complex ones. Read the question again and again and once you grasp what the examiner wants, answer it and quickly move to the next one.
Time is usually on the essence during exams. Therefore, it is usually wise to note down all the main points to all the questions first before going at length to explain them (Hopkins, 73). This comes in handy especially if time were to run out before you are through with everything. Having noted down the major points, you can at least get marks for every section instead of missing out on them entirely. Once you have noted down all the important points, it is easier to expound on them depending on the details required. Should the examiner state that time is almost over, it is important to quickly go through all the unfinished questions and add a few points to increase your chances of scoring higher marks.
Most tests contain multiple choice questions. These can prove to be the most confusing. When one is pressed for time, choosing the right answer can turn out to be almost impossible. In such an instance the best formula to use is elimination. However, it is always helpful to guess what the answer could be even before looking at the choices. After that, you can eliminate what seem to be the least possible answers (Hopkins, 99). This leaves you with at most two choices to pick from. Since there is very minimal time to settle on the correct answer, you can only rely on your instinct to tell you what to choose. Consequently, the choice made is the one closest to your preliminary guess. This method has helped most students in exams, and they end up scoring very high grades.
Proper revision and time management are imperative for every student. Proper revision really helps one up their probability of scoring high marks and also increases their confidence to tackle the test. This is quite important, as it gives the student of what to anticipate in the paper, and also how much time to allocate to every question. Therefore, the student is able to manage their time during the exam to their advantage, attempt all the questions, and consequently, score very good marks.
Works cited
Childs, Tony. Revise the English and English literature anthology for AQA A. New
Hampshire: Heinemann, 2002 .
Hopkins, Debra R. You can pass the CPA exam: get motivated. New Jersey: John Wiley and
Sons, 2005.
