Skip to main content Skip to bottom nav

How can I write answers clearly and effectively in my semesters' exams?

5 Answers
Last Updated: 07/27/2020 at 4:57pm
1 Tip to Feel Better
United States
Moderated by

Stacy Overton, PhD.

Counselor

I am an enthusiastic life-long learner and also a professor of counseling. I have a passion for peoples stories and helping to guide and empower the human spirit.

Top Rated Answers
Anonymous
June 14th, 2018 9:01am
Get the concise facts down first (in case you run out of time) and then you can go back and expand upon ideas. Try not to repeat yourself and ensure that you are constantly reflecting back on what the question is asking you and answering that. A tip is to circle or underline the key words in the exam question to ensure you don’t miss anything when nervous
StormsAway
June 27th, 2018 8:47pm
You can imagine you are explaining to someone who has no knowledge of the subject you're writing about - this makes your answers more detailed and clear. You can also write in paragraphs for a clear structure and to make your information more concise/to the point. Also, keep re reading your answer and check if it relates to the question so you stay on track and don't end up writing too much. Time management is also key - assign a certain amount of time for each question so you finish all the questions on time. Prioritise the harder questions by putting more time towards it.
purplecitrus
June 9th, 2020 5:38pm
Hello. So in order to make sure your answers are clear and to the point, you would need to make sure they are clear and understood by you. If you have problem in learning, you can try flash card (you can do this for all the left brain, that is, analytical and logical subjects like mathematics, physics etc.) Make flow charts. Mind maps are brilliant to memorize something (for example, in biology, if you need to remember the functions of a particular hormone, or if you need to learn the traits of a character in literature). If you have problems in grasping the concepts, I would strongly (and foremost) suggest you ask your teacher/professor. Or the internet is a great place to learn as well. Try looking up some videos or you can try Khan Academy or Unacademy. If you need the solution of a particular question, try Socratic or Toppr or Brainly or Doubtnut (FYI Doubtnut is mostly in Hindi, so this would be helpful for those who understand Hindi/Urdu). Now, in the main exam, use two pens- one for headings and important terms, and one for the content. From my experience, examiners want certain points and terms to be mentioned and if they spot it easily, it leaves a good impression. If you need any more help, feel free to message me! All the best! Stay safe!
HereForYourSmile32
July 20th, 2020 10:03pm
Ah, yes. Writing bits on exams are so challenging! One thing that has really helped me in the past is planning out my answers before I begin writing them. For me, a good rule of thumb is to allow myself at least 1/3 of the time I budgeted to answer the question, just for organizing my thoughts and brainstorming my response! For short answer questions, I like to write out bullet points of my supporting evidence, and then make a "topic sentence" from those bullet points. For longer essay type questions, I write out the topic sentence for all my paragraphs, and lay out the supporting evidence I plan to use. By planning out your thoughts beforehand, you should be able to write more precisely and concisely. Also, you will feel more certain of yourself as you go along, helping you to be as relaxed as possible. I hope this helps, and that you find this strategy useful!
Frostedflakes039
July 27th, 2020 4:57pm
This was an issue I went through as well through exam season. It is very hard to combat but you'll get the hang of it, I promise!! I'd like to share with you my methods of helping to gain a clear mind or clarity through exam season, though this doesn't and won't work for everyone. I know many people tell you to study study study, but I wont be telling you that. Because everyone has their own methods and ways of remembering the material they need to remember. For me, it happens to be rewriting the material and rereading multiple times it as well. But do what suits you best for that part. Assuming you already have the material down, your scared of forgetting it or not knowing how to put it together effectively, right?? I totally understand that. That's how I used to feel too. However, there are some ways to prep for this too. Such as creating a practice essay and memorizing the key parts of it, which, if I can do that as someone with the memory of a mouse, I'm sure you can too! 💕 If you have exams on the weekdays try to prepare generally everything on the weekends and the day of or the night before I would practice all the material for the subjects your doing that day to take more stress off you by focusing in on one thing rather than everything at once. Focus on the given objective, and don't overwhelm yourself!! The number one thing they want you to do in exams is to KNOW the material, I mean, that's what they're testing you on at least, haha. To answer them clearly and effectively comes in mental preparation and readiness. You have to be confident in yourself and stay calm, but not too calm that youll forget the material if your an easy-forgeter or easily-distracted individual like I am. You have to know what your doing to write, which I'm pretty sure you do. Have faith in yourself. Whatever you think will prepare you the most, go for it. These are just my mere thoughts and things that have helped me and my friends personally. I know you can do it!! And why I stress the importance of remembering the material and knowing how to write the material is because that's the essence of taking written exams (usually), they are timed so knowing it is all its about. Try not to get too anxious though before the exams, or worry about it earlier than you need too. There's no good in stressing out before the exams ❤️ I promise, you got this!!