Deck 12: Revision and Examination Skills

Question 1

Which ONE of the following is a description of 'question spotting'?

A) Question spotting refers to making predictions about the content of an exam paper on the basis of the questions and topics that have appeared on past papers and tailoring revision accordingly.
B) Question spotting refers to an approach to the order in which questions are tackled on an exam paper that involves answering the easiest question first.
C) Question spotting refers to an approach to the order in which questions are tackled on an exam paper that involves answering the hardest question first.
D) Question spotting describes making predictions about the content of an exam paper based upon 'hints' given by lecturers.

Answer 1

A
Explanation: Question spotting is a popular, but unreliable, method of selecting revision topics.

Question 2

'You should allocate the same amount of revision time to each of the subjects that are being examined.' Is this statement true or false?

Answer 2

False
Explanation: It may seem logical to divide your revision time up according to how many exams you have, but there are several factors that make an uneven division of time preferable.

Question 3

Which of the following pieces of information should you find out at the start of the revision period? Please select all that apply.

A) How many questions there are on each paper and how many you have to answer.
B) Whether there are any compulsory questions.
C) What materials you can take into the exam room.
D) The date, time and venue of the exam.

Answer 3

A, B, C
Explanation: It is important to find out at the start of the revision period as much as you can about the format of each of your exams and any other information relating to what is required from you in the exam room, so that you can tailor your revision accordingly. It is true that you will need to know where to go for the exam and when it is, but this is something that you can find out at any point before the exam takes place.

Question 4

Should you spend time condensing your lecture notes or chapters from a textbook into revision notes?

A) Yes, condensing your notes is the most important part of revision and should take up the bulk of your revision time.
B) No, there is no need to do anything with your notes other than read through them.
C) It can be useful to condense your notes as part of the revision process, but this should only be one of a range of activities undertaken during the revision period.

Question 5

Which ONE of the following describes the 'rubric'?

A) The rubric is the section on the exam paper that tells you what is expected of you, such as the number of questions that you are expected to answer, the format of the paper and the rules regarding the use of materials in the exam room.
B) The rubric is the name given to the lecturer who presides over the exam room.
C) The rubric is a term used to describe the removal of a student from the exam room for possession of prohibited materials.
D) The rubric is the name given to the materials that you are permitted to take into an exam room, such as a statute book.

Question 6

'You should spend more time answering questions about which you are confident than you do on questions for which you are less sure about the subject matter.' Is this statement true or false?

Question 7

It is always a good idea to ______ in the exam so that you have a good idea of the structure and content of your answer before you start writing.
b. write a plan

Question 8

If the exam paper contains eight questions and requires that you should answer four, how many questions should you answer?

A) Four. You will not get any credit for more than four answers.
B) At least five in case you get the answer to one question wrong.
C) As many as possible and then you will be credited with the four highest marks.
D) As many as possible, because you will get marks for all of the questions that you answer.

Question 9

Which of the following are advantages of revision flashcards? Please select all that apply.

A) They are portable, meaning that you can take them with you and revise when you have a spare minute.
B) They can be used in the exam to aid your memory if you have forgotten something important.
C) The process of making the cards will help you to pick out important pieces of information from your notes.
D) They are easily concealed in the exam room.

Question 10

If your exam starts at 3 p.m., lasts for three hours and requires you to answer four questions, what would be a sensible time at which to start tackling the final question?

A) Ten minutes before the exam ends.
B) Half an hour before the exam ends.
C) As soon as you finish answering the third question.
D) 5.15 p.m.

Question 11

Answering ______ is one of the most effective means of preparing for an exam.

Question 12

Which of the following are advantages of incorporating answering questions from past papers into your revision? Please select all that apply.

A) You get a feel for how much you can write within the time frame of the exam.
B) You get practice in working out what to write in response to particular types of question.
C) You can test how much information you can recall about a particular topic without looking at your notes.
D) You might get the same question on the actual exam paper.

Question 13

'Exams test your ability to remember information, so you should write down as much you can recollect, even if it does not seem directly relevant to the question, because it will probably attract some credit.' Is this statement true or false?

Question 14

'It is important to write as much as possible in the exam. It does not matter if your handwriting is indecipherable as a result, because examiners have a duty to decipher every word written on the script and will call you in to read it yourself if necessary.' Is this statement true or false?

Question 15

Is it necessary to include references to case law in the exam?

A) Yes. A good rule of thumb is to learn twenty cases for each topic and to make sure as many of these as possible are included in the answer.
B) No. Nobody expects you to remember masses of cases, so it is more sensible to concentrate on statute law.
C) Yes. It is important to remember the case name and citation, and the facts for the leading cases in each topic.
D) Yes. It is essential to make reference to cases that provide authority for important legal principles or demonstrate the application of the law.

Question 16

Imagine that you have revised a particular topic with a view to answering a problem question on it but the exam paper has only an essay question on that topic. You read the essay and you are not really sure what it means. Which of the following is the best course of action?

A) Have a go at it anyway, because you are bound to get some parts of it right if you have revised the topic thoroughly.
B) Write down everything that you can remember about the topic and add a note to the examiner at the end to draw their attention to the fact that you did not really understand the question.
C) Have a go at it reluctantly as your last answer. You would not be able to do anything else because you only revised four topics.
D) Try to find four questions on the paper that you do understand and can answer. If you feel that there is no other option, attempt the essay question, making sure that you provide clear definitions of key terms and that you tailor your answer to the question as best you can within your understanding of it.

Question 17

'It is a good idea to record your revision notes and to play it continuously throughout the night, because your brain absorbs information whilst you are asleep.' Is this statement true or false?