308 Part V: What Kind of Class Will I Have?
Some general tips to offer students taking exams include:
✓ During the exam, the student has to transfer answers accurately to the
official answer sheet. It would be a shame for them to know the correct
answer, but lose marks because of failing to do this properly. Towards
the end of your course, introduce the answer sheet and get students to
practice using it. They should include this in their timing too.
✓ Check whether students need to write in pencil or pen on the mark
sheet. It sounds basic but examining boards have different requirements
and students need to make sure they have all the right equipment.
Correction fluid is usually banned too.
✓ Remind them not to offer alternatives answers in questions where a
short answer is required, unless the question invites them to do so. If
they’re offered two options and choose a third, that answer is automatically
wrong, whereas if they guess at the right answer, they have a 50 per cent
chance of its being correct. So if a question calls for one word, don’t
choose two and if it asks for two words, don’t choose three.
Tell them to take note of the grammar in the question as it often
indicates singular or plural and other clues. Here is an example:
Which person is responsible for the situation?
Answer: Person A or Person B
The question asks about one person but the student has suggested two
people. Therefore the answer is automatically marked wrong.
✓ Tell them to pay attention to the word count in short answers too. In
some exercises, the student has to write just three or four words per
question. If the answer is in good English but contains five words, it’s
wrong.
✓ Spelling is notoriously difficult in English but there is no excuse for
messing up on words which are actually in the exam paper, so advise
your students to pay attention to the text. Sloppiness loses marks.
✓ Recommend that they think of their own answer before using multiple
choice options. This is an excellent measure of accuracy.
✓ Warn them not to leave blank spaces. Always guess.
Writing especially for exams
The two main things that examiners want to see are good structure and a
composition that answers the question in its entirety.
