How to pass exams 2: Using the Exam Axiom

I wrote last time about what I call the exam axiom –

To pass any exam, score more points than the pass mark

Of course it sounds obvious – that’s what an axiom is a statement of an indisputable starting point, like x = x in algebra. So how do you go on from there? Well to score more points than the pass mark, what do you have to do? I think that there are three main areas to address:

1. You need to know the exam. If you are taking an exam that matters to you and your career, you should know the exam like a sportsman knows their event. A rally driver knows what speed to enter each corner, which gear to be in, when to accelerate and when to brake, and the whole plan will have contingencies for rain, flat tyres or illness. So do you know your exam? What is the pass mark? How are marks awarded? What is the question structure? How do you need to pace your timing? What will you do if your mind blanks out, or your pencil breaks? What attributes are the exam setters trying to test, and what are the exam markers trying to measure?

2. You need to know the subject. Sorry to burst your bubble, but if you’re taking an exam in accountancy you need to know some accountancy! However, it’s not that straightforward. You need to know the subject in the context of the exam. This means knowing what the curriculum is, so that you don’t waste time and effort learning material that isn’t examined. But it also means knowing the approach to the subject which the exam is looking for – is it mainly a test of knowledge, or a demonstration of skills, a test of application of knowledge, or a test of sound judgement within the subject area?

3. You need to know yourself. There are two aspects of this. Firstly it’s really valuable to know about how people in general learn and perform. There is an expanding body of research and experience in educational psychology, much of which is ignored in practice. Secondly, it’s important to know about yourself as an individual – what is your learning style? You can discover this by taking profiling tests to show how you tick, and by using your revision as an opportunity to see what works for you.

Remember, in any performance situation – a job interview, a public speaking engagement or an exam, there are some things that you cannot change and some things that you can. You can’t change your personal history or intrinsic ability (e.g. IQ), you can’t change the structure of the exam or curriculum. But you can change how you respond to these things. To use an analogy, you can’t change the weather, but you can change your clothes or your travel plans.