business study tips

Study Tips and Exam Strategies

Preparation Before the Exam

  • Eliminate Distractions:

    • Remove unnecessary digital distractions (like unused apps or devices) to focus better.

  • Create an Exclusion List:

    • Identify and acknowledge reasons for not studying enough. Question yourself with 'why?' five times to dig deeper into the root causes.

Mobile Phone Policy

  • Power Your Phone Down:

    • Phones must be powered up and placed in your bag before entering the exam room to avoid distractions.

Exam Room Conduct

  • Bathroom Breaks:

    • Make sure to use the washroom before the exam, as help will not be available during the first 30 minutes.

  • Exiting the Room:

    • Leave one at a time, respectfully, and face forward to avoid distractions.

    • Ensure to hand in your test paper before leaving.

Test-Taking Strategies

  • Initial Strategy:

    • Quickly read through questions and mark the ones you are at least 80% sure about by circling them and writing "OK" beside them.

  • Managing Time:

    • If time runs out, return later to the questions you circled that did not have an "OK" next to them.

  • Short Answer Connections:

    • Be aware that the answer for a short answer question may relate to questions asked earlier on the test.

  • Avoiding Early Exits:

    • Students leaving early can indicate a lack of thoroughness; some may fail despite leaving quickly.

Learning and Memory Techniques

  • Understanding Over Memorizing:

    • Memorization is important, but understanding concepts helps in grasping material deeply and contributes to learning.

  • Trusting Patterns:

    • Don't be discouraged by patterns in multiple-choice tests; it's normal for answers to appear in sequences.

  • Clarifying Questions:

    • If you don't understand a question, ask for clarification rather than guessing. It shows your engagement and can lead to better understanding.

Additional Memory Tricks

  • Mnemonic Devices:

    • Create mnemonic phrases by using the first letter of the items you need to memorize (like the order of the planets). This enhances memorization through association.

  • Associative Memory Technique:

    • Use visual and vivid imagery when memorizing lists of words. For example, create graphic, perhaps even exaggerated, mental images for each word in a list to aid recall.

    • Example list to memorize: radio, airplane, lamp, cigarette, picture, telephone, chair, horse, egg, teacup, dress, flower, window, perfume, book, bread, pencil, curtain, hat.

  • Visualization:

    • Associate images with words in a sequence, which helps recall when prompted with the first word.