Exam Technique Clinic
Exam Technique Clinic
Exam Technique Clinic
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Exam Technique Clinic
Exam Technique Clinic
Hello! Welcome to this lesson on 'Exam Technique Clinic'.
You could easily customise this if you want to make it suit your subject alone, the examples here are drawn from a variety of the subjects. The emphasis is on technique rather than content.
Lesson Objectives
By the end of the lesson you will:
Have identified strategies that help you in an exam
Have worked through some questions to work out how to answer exam questions
Thought about how this applies to different subjects.
Lesson Objectives page
How often do you lose marks for 'silly' mistakes (not reading the question, wrong units, etc.)?
Pretty much every time
Occasionally
Rarely
Never I am an exam MACHINE
This poll works as a starter.
What's the difference between 'technique' and 'knowledge'?
An open question to get learners to engage thoughtfully with what they actually need to do in their exams.
Match the Exam Instruction to the Definition
Write a short fact or name for something.
Say what you see (the "What").
Give reasons using the word "because" (the "Why")..
Give both sides of an argument and a conclusion.
State/Give
Explain
Describe
Evaluate
A drag and drop exercise drawing on the most common question types.
The Scenario: "The Bacteria Investigation"
An examiner has given you the table below. The question asks: 'Describe the effect of temperature on the growth of bacteria.'
A scenario taken from a Biology exam - this whole slide deck is intended to work for any subject though, so you do not need to change this for it to be effective - unless you want to!
The Scenario: "The Bacteria Investigation"
To get full marks, you can't just say 'it goes up then down.'.......
Continuing the activity.
Which are the three most important points to discuss in your answer?
This open question allows learners to think about technique rather than specific content.
The Scenario: "The Bacteria Investigation"
The hotspots reveal additional info you could turn into a class discussion. Why not add a spinner and a timer to make it more interactive? I've left it as an informative slide.
Write your best answer
This open question may not work so well if none of your learners are taking Biology. You could replace this and the prior slides to any subject/question.
The Golden Rule: "Show, Don't Just Tell"
In an exam, the person marking your paper knows the answer, but they need to see that you found it in the data provided.
Information slide.
The Golden Rule: "Show, Don't Just Tell"
The 3-Step Evidence Checklist
Before you move to the next question, check your answer for these three things:
The Specific Value: Did I use a number from the table/graph? (e.g., "54 colonies")
The Anchor Point: Did I mention where the change happened? (e.g., "at 40°")
The Unit Label: Did I include the measurement? (e.g., "°C", "mm", or "s")
This could be adjusted for a particular subject.
The Golden Rule: "Show, Don't Just Tell"
"What if the data is a text quote and not a number?"
Use 'Quotation Marks'! Even a three-word snippet from a text shows the examiner you aren't just guessing—you are proving it."
An extra note about 'non-numeric' data.
The Golden Rule: "Show, Don't Just Tell"
Think of yourself as a lawyer in a courtroom. You can't just say 'they did it'—you have to point at the evidence.
If the exam gives you a graph or a table, they are literally giving you the marks for free. You just have to pick them up and put them in your sentence!
A helpful analogy!
They aren't literally giving marks for free, it's hyperbole for effect to help the message get through!
Precision check: which is the best answer?
Calculate the percentage of offspring that will have blue eyes if the ratio is 1:1.
About half
0.5
50%
1 out of 2
This is about choosing the best answer - as in the most correct based on the lesson content.
Precision check: which is the best answer?
How does the writer show that the character is nervous?
They say he is shaking and scared.
The author uses words like 'trembling' to show his fear.
The writer uses the adjective 'trembling' (Line 14) to suggest a physical reaction to fear.
By using words that mean 'nervous'
An English based question, following the same principle.
Precision check: which is the best answer?
Describe the trend in coffee exports between 2020 and 2022.
It went up a lot.
There was a steady increase over the two years.
Exports increased steadily from £1.2 million tons in 2020 to £1.8 million tons in 2022.
Imports increased in that time.
Geography/Business style question following the same structure.
Your exam tips
5
m
00
s
Maths/Sciences
Essay based subjects
Practical subjects
In this word cloud with categories. draw on the learners' own knowldege and expereince. You can add your own adivce too of course!
Exam Clinic Essentials
Make sure you always read the question carefully.
Support your answer with evidence.
Proof read your responses for silly errors
Don't rush.
Don't worry about what other people are doing.
Make sure you are clear on what exactly the examiner wants.
Ensure you have everything you need to sit the exam.
A checklist - feel free to customise!
Do you know what to do in all of your exams?
A poll to check in with your learners
Do you know who can help you if you are unsure?
Yes
No
This is here so you can check for anyone who may be struggling.
For lessons on exam advice and more, please visit the
UK Spotlight Channel
Thank you for using this lesson and I hope you found it useful!