Exam Hacks

Different exams - different ways to prepare

At the IT University, you can experience a number of different exam forms, either oral, written or a combination. Depending on the type of exam, you need to prepare in different ways. 

The overall goal with an exam is to test the boundaries of your knowledge and your newly acquired competences in order to grade you. 

We have gathered some advice to help you stay motivated and to support you in preparing for your different exams.

How are you evaluated

During an exam, you are evaluated on your ability to fulfill the course goals, and to what extent you are able to meet them in a satisfactory way.

The examiners will base the assessment on an overall evaluation, where your performance is looked upon in its entirety.

Your examiner and the external examiner will do this based on the Intended Learning Outcomes of the course. 

You can see what the intended leaning outcome is in your course description in learnIT

5 tips before the exam

Books

Be clear about what is expected of you

Exams are rarely just about being able to reproduce the course literature; they are also about what you can do with it.

The Intended Learning Outcomes can be a useful way to understand what is expected of you in an exam. Check the course description in LearnIT.

Strenght

Know your strengths and weaknesses

Reflect on which parts of the course you feel confident about and where you are less secure.

Focus especially on working with your weaknesses, as this often gives the greatest benefit of learning.

Plan

Plan your exam preparation

Make a realistic study plan so you know what to work on each day and have a clear overview of what needs to be completed before the exam.

Find an example by following the link below.

Plan for exams
anxiety

Accept your nervousness

Feeling nervous before an exam is completely normal.

Nervousness can help sharpen your focus and improve your performance, as long as it does not become too overwhelming.

Try to see it as a sign that the exam matters to you.

Communication

Practice your communication skills

Regardless of the exam format, it is important to be able to explain your ideas clearly and in a structured way.

Practice formulating answers - both orally and in writing—preferably together with other students.

Oral exam and presentation

During your studies, you will have to prepare oral presentations, either as part of a course or in an oral exam.

The more you train your oral presentation skills, the more calm and experienced you will become.

Just as being a good presenter can be useful during your studies, it can also be necessary in your student job or future career.

Three steps to consider when preparing for an oral exam

Planning

Plan your presentation

- What are your main points?
- How do you structure it?
- How much time do you have?
- Who are you talking to?
- Who is your audience?
- Introduce your presentation
- Make your argumentation
- Show your findings
- Conclude your presentation (summarizing)

Practice

Practice your presentation

- Talk in short sentences
- Divide your presentation into parts
- Be specific
- Speaking your presentation out loud
(for instance to a friend or someone else)
- Saying it out loud helps
(it makes you aware of what it is you really want to say during your presentation)

Evaluate

Evaluate your presentation

- What went well?
- How can you improve next time?
- Get feedback from your audience
(what did they think?)

Next steps

Jump back to Study Skills or look into Support and Wellbeing.
Also check out Exam nervousness if this can be an issue.