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Galway Advertiser 1993/1993_05_27/GA_27051993_E1_016.pdf
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In the second of her three part series on preparing for the Leaving Certificate, Mary O'Connor shares some teacher's tips for successful studying.
- Under Pressure " H e l p , I ' v e so m u c h to d o a n d t h e r e is so little time l e f t , " is a c o m m o n complaint from exam s t u d e n t s at this time of year. Many are by now fran tically thumbing through notes and trying desperate ly to cram reams of informa tion into their already weary brains. But the most crucial thing is not to worry. Easier said than done, you might say. If you have chapters of revi sion, still untouched and acres of material not remote ly committed to memory, there is every chance that you are at this minute yank ing your hair out in great handfuls and cursing the sun, your over helpful parents and the people who invented exams. Not to mention this writer who has the star defying audacity to tell you to take it easy! Worry achieves nothing. It won't help you pass the exam, if anything it will sap your energy and encourage the growth of millions of other worry thoughts. These will just gnaw away at your self confidence. So forget worry. If you are going to take part in a time consum ing pastime that yields little, then why not unravel your jumper or paint your toe nails fire-engine red or iron your underwear. At least you'll have more fun! Remember that your ex ams are not a matter of life and death, even though they may appear so now. They are an important test but not the most important test in your lifetime. Good grades are not the ultimate success in life. Find out exactly how much time you have left for constructive study, then knuckle down. You will be surprised how much you can achieve if you put your mind to it. plicated issue by just scann ing it once. We need to study it again, preferably from different angles and in different contexts before it becomes imprinted onto our brains. Step one in your revision plan is to read your notes and seek answers to ques tions, e.g. what? when? why? how? where? and who? Patricia Maloney of Park College advises students to be as active in their reading as possible, e.g. talk to yourself, walk around the room (even though people may give you funny looks!). Speak into a tape recorder. When you feel you have understood and can remember what you have read, close your notes. Now actively recall what you've been reading, advises Ms Maloney. Ask yourself the same questions without looking at your notes, until you have exhausted your recall of the whole topic you have been revising. While doing so, write down what you've recalled in brief notes on a c a r d or a sheet of paper. It may help you to have the questions written down to refer to in the recalling process. Says Ms Maloney:"Check the original notes with the new ones. Have you recalled all the answers to the questions you were asking? If yes, you have created a m a s t e r c a r d which you can use to rerevise without having to consult the original lengthier notes." It is important to make out a daily list of the subjects you plan to revise and decide in which order you will tackle them. Weekends and indeed all study periods should be structured, say teachers. That will give you a sense of control. Patricia Maloney recom mends that students study a minimum of three hours on Friday nights, begin at 9am on Saturday and do a further few hours and top that up with 3-4 hours on Saturday afternoon. Decide if you should revise more than one topic each day as this will ensure variety and will retain your interest. Wear warm, comfortable clothing. A r r a n g e good lighting, ventilation and ade quate heating. Have a clock or watch nearby so you can time your study periods. It is important to have regular breaks for food and exercise. You will feel refreshed after a break away from your desk. Exercise will sharpen your brain and reduce your tension levels. Teachers advise that students take two or three minutes relaxation between each 40/45 minutes subject study session. Limit study sessions to an hour, then get up and walk around. Have a drink or snack and then resume work. You'll feel refreshed after the break. Reward yourself for your efforts. After a successful day's study, pamper yourself with a long soak in the bath, an interesting book o r c a t c h u p on y o u r favourite television serial. The antics of Reg and his amour Maureen in Corona tion Street are sure to take your mind off your book work for a while! By reviewing past ex amination papers you will familiarise yourself with their formats and also get an idea of the type of questions that appear. It is wise to then choose questions and plan answers in outline form. Then write down the complete answers. Be sure to write the com pleted answers within the time limit you would have set yourself for the exam. Sit mock exams at home under conditions as near to the real thing as possible. This will prepare you for the actual exam. If you mood is down, start studying high interest sub jects. Don't tackle your weakest subject. If you are in high spirits, choose the low interest subject. You are in such good form, everything will come easily to you. Always be aware of your peak effectiveness periods. Some students study better early in the morning while others perform better at night. It is essential that you get regular sleep and exercise in the build up to the exams, and especially when you are doing them. Aim for an average of eight hours sleep nightly. If you study long into the night and try to survive on the ab solute minimum of sleep, you may cover a lot of material but lose valuable concentration next day. Fatigue can impair your judgment and blunt your thinking. Reams of waffle are out of place. What you must aim for is an answer which shows that you know your subject and can express your views succinctly. Be business like in your approach. Plan your answer paper as a whole, and plan your time carefully. Be sure to read the instructions on the paper. A n s w e r the correct n u m b e r of questions neither more nor less. You gain no marks for answering extra questions. And you put yourself at a distinct disad vantage by not answering enough questions. C h o o s e the questions carefully - read the whole question paper through. Strike out questions you cannot answer. But do not strike them out too quickly. Sometimes a question that looks formidable appears easier after a little thought. Answer the easiest ques tion first. This will boost your confidence. When you come to the question you find most difficult, remember that it is not too hard to gain the first 50 per cent of the marks, however shaky your knowledge. Avoid the "prepared answer". Never try to recall the answer you did for homework a week or two ago. Answer the question set, not the question you would have liked to be set. The "prepared question" is one of the major bugbears of examiners.
REVISION
Many will be concen trating mainly on revision by now. Revision literally means " t o see a g a i n . " Few of us can grasp a com-
EXAM DAY
Park College offers the following last minute advice to students:Examinations are not ex ercises in free expression.
STUDY ROOM
Choose somewhere quiet in which to study where you will not be disturbed. Avoid distractions like the radio, stereo or television. It is very difficult to study with one eye on the television. Have a good work surface with plenty of space for books, notes, biros and writing paper. Specify to your family that you do not want anyone moving your materials or you could end up wasting valuable time trying to locate them.
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