Top Ten Common Mistakes Made While Taking Exams
Exams can be daunting so if you've got one coming up, take these tips from me about the most common mistakes and how to avoid them. I've been through this as well so I know about these mistakes. I haven't made them all, but that doesn't mean that I don't know them.I've done this before... You see a question that looks so easy, you blaze through it, thinking you'll get all the marks. Then, when you check your answers, you think, What the heck have I done here? That's not what the question said at all!
My math teacher gave out M&Ms to the two highest scorers and the two most improved since our last exam. I would have been the second-highest scorer if I had noticed that, on one of the probability questions, the spinner had two red segments.
This is the number one no-no of an exam. NEVER leave a question blank. If you do, you're throwing away those marks. At least if you try, you might earn one of those marks. Leaving the question blank guarantees nothing.
I once forgot to complete an entire page. The teacher marked everything wrong, but honestly, I probably would have gotten it wrong anyway, so it felt like a win!
One time, I skipped a question, but my teacher still gave me points because she said she knew I could have answered it. Lucky me!
Make sure to leave time at the end of the exam to review your answers. Avoid spending too much time on any one question. Utilize the time given during the exam to come up with the most efficient method for answering the questions.
Keep a balance between speed and attention to detail.
The best approach is to skip questions you can't answer right away. You can return to them at the end. Otherwise, you risk wasting too much time on something you don't know and may not finish the rest of the exam.
Make sure to check which answer you're selecting to avoid mistakes, like choosing "C" instead of "B." Double-checking your answers afterward can help you catch these small but costly errors.
Then you try to erase the mark, but it either smudges everywhere or leaves a permanent mark that won't come off.
You look at a question, answer it, and then feel like something doesn't seem right. Sometimes, you might not have read the question properly, so in that case, read it again and answer accordingly.
Other times, it may be exam panic making you second-guess yourself, leading you to change correct answers to incorrect ones.
If you have a clear mind, are absolutely sure of what to do after reading the question thoroughly, have made sensible calculations, and gotten a reasonable answer, don't start overthinking it.
Move on, and briefly check the question again after you finish. 99% of the time, you will only get the answer wrong after overthinking.
It's just foolish to have extra time and not check your answers before turning in your test. For one thing, you'll immediately start regretting your answers afterward, thinking, "Maybe I should have selected C instead of B," or "Should I have written 38 instead of 37?"
Reviewing your answers will relieve all this stress. And believe me, IT DOES HELP. I started getting much better scores and overall grades in the respective subjects when I began checking my work. I caught several mistakes, and it has really improved my grades.
Too much revision is just as bad as not revising at all. If you revise for too long, it may turn you into a procrastinator or perfectionist. While you're spending so much time perfecting your answers to the first two questions, you may have only completed 2 out of 15 questions and used up half the time.
Overloading your brain with too much information can cause it to replay that information in your head, making it hard to focus on the actual exam questions.
I really struggle with doing too much revision.
By this, I mean the "Explain" questions in particular. Many people just describe for an "Explain" question, only picking up 1 or 2 marks when there are 6 available. For an "Explain" question, use PEE. (I have no idea why it's called that.) Make a point, provide evidence to support the point, and then add an explanation for why this is the case.
It's that simple, but we all fall into the trap of misinterpreting key words.
Often, the issue isn't understanding the meaning but finding the right words to explain it.
Some questions, especially those worth more marks, require proper English. This means no spelling mistakes or grammatical errors. If these are present, the chances of getting full marks on those questions become very slim.
I can't stand this. I almost never make mistakes with grammar or spelling because it's my biggest pet peeve, and it's so annoying.
I don't understand how people make spelling mistakes. I always double-check my work.
And finally, we have this oversight. If you do this, all the effort you've put into the exam is probably going to waste because the invigilator marking the papers won't know who you are just by your handwriting. Even if your handwriting is as bad as mine, the invigilator still won't know, and you will fail because you made this careless mistake.
It's the biggest disaster in an exam, but thankfully not a common one.
Imagine not putting your name on the exam. It's literally the easiest part.
The Newcomers
Because 1 times 1 is 1, this is a really common mistake.
Freaking out is the worst thing you can do during an exam. It prevents clear thinking, leading to a lower score than you would get if you took a few deep breaths and stayed calm.
Teachers: If you don't show your work, it's wrong!
Also teachers: Provide barely any space to show your work.
At my school, if you don't show your work, you get no points!
Teacher: If you don't show your work, it's wrong.
Me: *Spends the entire exam time showing work on one question.*
This is the worst. You're stuck on a question, so you look up and the stressful environment around you just makes it harder to think.