Steps to success in exams
A student’s marks in
examination are directly proportional to one’s hard work. However, we forget
that the result also depends on how you write answers to the questions in
examination. The modus operandi of writing answers is an immaculate art, which
you can master by putting in efforts and practicing daily. Here are a few ways
to write your answers in examination, which will help you score better. So here are the Steps to success in Exams:
Write question
number correctly and Legibly:
Students
are usually careless while writing the question number. If the examiner is not
able to make out the question number, the student will lose marks.
A. Always write correct
number of the question you are attempting. Incorrect question number doesn’t
help even if the answer is correct.
B. Numerals must be
written in standard notation. Do not write them carelessly, lest they should be
difficult to decipher. The way you write a figure must not be mistaken for some
other number.
C. Write the question
numbers in bold. Encircle the question number, so that the examiner may easily
find out which question they are evaluating.
D. If a particular
question has a few sub-parts, those too must be written correctly, boldly,
clearly and legibly.
Here are the question patterns and suggestions on how to
answer these:
Objective-type
questions:
These are also called the multiple-choice questions. The
questions are high scoring because these test memory retention of students. The
answers to these questions are usually simple, and for these high level of
intelligence and understanding is not required.
ü Objective-type
questions may be asked in multiple ways. The answers to such questions must be
written in full sentence or in a few words.
ü Sometimes,
for the objective-type questions, where alternative answers are not given,
correct answers need to be filled in the space or gap provided. In this case,
the correct way of answering the question is to write the answer with the
question number and underline it.
ü Some
questions have a yes or no option given. You must clearly write yes or no with
their question numbers.
Long-answer questions
Long-answer
type questions are based on the holistic and intensive study of the entire
syllabi of subjects. The questions carry six to eight marks and that is why
they substantially affect the final score and results of students. These
questions have also the word limit of around 300 to 350 words. But here too, it
is not any hard and fast rule. As long as your answer focuses on contents and
is relevant to the question asked, going beyond word limit is not an
aberration.
Start answering these questions with the brief introduction
of the topic concerned or the definitions of the related topics.
ü Laws,
rules, theories, theorems, principles must be stated wherever necessary.
ü Answers
must be divided in smaller paragraphs. Each paragraph must contain important
contents and points not discussed earlier.
ü Use
diagrams and graphs wherever essentially required. If these have not been
demanded in the question, avoid wasting time on them.
ü Formulae
and their derivations must be written clearly and step-wise.
ü Keep
answers clean and do your best not to make any overwriting and cuts. If you
commit any mistake, do not spoil the page to correct it.
Numerical
questions
Numerical questions carry various denominations of marks,
such as 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8... and so on. Keep in mind the following points:
ü Proceed
step-wise to solve these questions.
ü Formulae
must be written very clearly. Also explain the various symbols and notation
used in the formula. It shows good attitude and culture of the students.
ü Overwriting
in calculation must be avoided at all costs.
ü Write
figures or numerals exactly correct and in their standard notation. Here again
do not write the figures hurriedly and carelessly.
ü You
must do rough work either at the margins of the same page or on the pages
before the last page. At the top of these pages you must write rough or
miscellaneous.
Work On your Performance Tips
§
You
may start writing answers preferably from the third page of the answer copy.
However, even if you begin answering from the second page, it would not be an
issue.
§
Answering
questions in sequence or in serial order gives you an edge over others who
answer haphazardly. But, here too, again it is not any rule. You may answer any
question first you feel confident about.
§
You
must leave a few lines’ gap between two consecutive answers. The bottom line is
answers of any two questions must not overlap each other, otherwise you may
lose marks of one of the answers mistaken by the examiner for the answer of a
single question.
§
Always
write the entire answer on the same page or pages in sequence. Spreading your
answers in different pages is not considered wise.
Disclaimer: We took this information from "the Tribune" Newspaper published on 2nd Jan. 2019. So all the rights of above information goes to that newspaper only.
