Passing Exams For Dummies

259 Pages·2013·11.25 MB·English

by  Patrick Sherratt

2nd Edition
Passing
Exams
by Patrick Sherratt
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Passing Exams For Dummies®
2nd Edition published by
Wiley Publishing Australia Pty Ltd
42 McDougall Street
Milton, Qld 4064
www.dummies.com
Copyright © 2014 Wiley Publishing Australia Pty Ltd
The moral rights of the author have been asserted.
National Library of Australia
Cataloguing-in-Publication data:
Author: Sherratt, Patrick, 1970 –
Title: Passing Exams For Dummies / Patrick Sherratt
Edition: 2nd edition
ISBN: 9780730304425 (pbk.)
Notes: Includes index.
Series: For Dummies.
Subjects: Examinations — Study guides
Test-taking skills
Dewey Number: 371.30281
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Contents at a Glance
Introduction������������������������������������������������������������1
PartI:ReleasingYourPotentialtoPassExams����������7
Chapter 1: Passing Exams: Preparation Is Everything! ..........................9
Chapter 2: Meeting Your Amazing Brain ...............................................21
Chapter 3: Discovering How to Learn ....................................................43
Chapter 4: Thinking Strategies for High Performance .........................63
PartII:RelaxingComesFirst����������������������������������85
Chapter 5: Exploring the Power of Relaxation......................................87
Chapter 6: Finding Ways to Relax ...........................................................93
PartIII:ReviewingandRewritingYourNotes�������105
Chapter 7: Knowing Your Academic Purpose .....................................107
Chapter 8: Reviewing Your Notes .........................................................115
Chapter 9: Improving Your Reading Techniques ................................119
Chapter 10: Preparing Your Study Notes.............................................129
PartIV:RememberingwithPicturesandPatterns��143
Chapter 11: Making the Most of Memorizing Skills ............................145
Chapter 12: Using Mnemonics: Simple Memory Techniques ...........155
Chapter 13: Fine-Tuning Your Memory: Advanced
Visual Techniques ..............................................................................165
PartV:RehearsingforRecallandPerformance�����177
Chapter 14: Rehearsing Your Recall .....................................................179
Chapter 15: Rehearsing Your Performance .........................................185
PartVI:ThePartofTens��������������������������������������191
Chapter 16: Ten Tips for Exam Day: Before the Event .......................193
Chapter 17: Ten Tips for the Exam — No Going Back Now! ..............199
Chapter 18: Ten Ways to Maintain Momentum between Exams ......207
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Passing Exams for Dummies, 2nd Edition
PartVII:Appendixes��������������������������������������������213
Appendix A: Planners ............................................................................215
Appendix B: Relaxation and Visualization Scripts .............................219
Appendix C: Learning Style Quiz and Motivational Reminder .........223
Index������������������������������������������������������������������227
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Table of Contents
Introduction �������������������������������������������������������1
About This Book .........................................................................2
Foolish Assumptions ..................................................................3
Icons Used in This Book ............................................................4
Beyond the Book ........................................................................4
Where to Go from Here ..............................................................5
Part I: Releasing Your Potential to
Pass Exams ��������������������������������������������������������7
Chapter 1: Passing Exams: Preparation Is Everything! � � � � � 9
Developing Your Exam Performance Mindset ......................10
Cultivating the right attitude ........................................10
Setting your purpose .....................................................11
Clearing roadblocks .......................................................11
Understanding Your Brain’s Capabilities ..............................13
Looking at Ideal Ways to Learn ..............................................14
Enhancing Your Thinking Processes ......................................15
Effective Exam Preparation .....................................................16
Factoring in relaxation ...................................................16
Studying with purpose...................................................17
Boosting your memory with pictures and
patterns ........................................................................18
Rehearsing for recall and your best on-the-day
performance ................................................................18
Chapter 2: Meeting Your Amazing Brain � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 21
You Don’t Need to Be a Brain Surgeon ..................................21
Understanding How Your Brain Functions............................22
The Tripartite Model: How Brain Cells Develop
During Learning .....................................................................24
Making the Most of Your ASSETs: Some Key
Principles for Learning .........................................................27
Paying attention ..............................................................28
Getting sensible ..............................................................31
Making a solid effort ......................................................32
Engaging your emotions ................................................32
Minding your timing .......................................................33
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Passing Exams for Dummies, 2nd Edition
Surfing the Waves of Your Brain .............................................34
Exploring brain frequencies ..........................................34
Training your brainwaves .............................................35
Exploring neuroplasticity: Why the past
doesn’t equal the future ............................................35
Getting Yourself Firing on All Levels: Brain
Maintenance ..........................................................................37
Maintaining optimum health.........................................37
Getting physical ..............................................................40
Juggling with academic intent ......................................40
Chapter 3: Discovering How to Learn � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 43
Organizing Your Ideal Study Environment ............................44
Setting up your study space .........................................45
Eliminating distractions.................................................46
Using a distraction scale ...............................................47
Knowing Your Best Times for Learning .................................49
Discovering How You Learn Best ...........................................50
Seeing it: Visual learners ...............................................51
Hearing it: Auditory (aural) learners ...........................51
Feeling it: Kinesthetic (physical) learners ..................51
Understanding it: Analytical (logical) learners ..........52
Developing your learning styles ...................................52
Finding Out Whether You’re a Linear or
Circular Thinker ....................................................................54
Getting Motivated to Study .....................................................56
Finding value in what you’re learning .........................56
Beating procrastination .................................................57
Maintaining your concentration ...................................59
Managing Your Review Time ...................................................60
Chapter 4: Thinking Strategies for High Performance � � � � � 63
Understanding How Your Mind Works ..................................64
Perceiving with your conscious mind .........................65
Delving into your nonconscious mind ........................65
Meeting Your Memory .............................................................66
Conceptualizing Your Memory of You ...................................67
Believing is seeing ..........................................................68
Resisting change .............................................................69
Improving Your Self-Talk for Better Exam Results ...............71
Exploring your self-efficacy ...........................................73
Enhancing your self-esteem ..........................................73
Modeling Yourself on High-Performance Students ..............75
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Table of Contents
Developing Academic Goals ....................................................76
Setting goals helps you stay on track .........................77
Setting goals stimulates your awareness ....................77
Setting goals motivates your mind ..............................78
Writing Affirmations: Declaring Your Intentions ..................79
Using Your Mind’s Eye: Visualizing Success .........................81
Part II: Relaxing Comes First ����������������������������85
Chapter 5: Exploring the Power of Relaxation � � � � � � � � � � � 87
Making Time for the Fun Stuff ................................................87
Accessing Alpha State (Your Ideal Learning Zone) .............88
Developing your own alpha relaxation
technique .....................................................................89
Exploring self-hypnosis and mental rehearsal ...........89
Using Personal Development Programs ................................91
Chapter 6: finding Ways to Relax � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 93
Exercising for Relaxation .........................................................94
Exploring Sound and Music ....................................................94
Stretching Out, Breathing Out ................................................96
Mindful breathing ...........................................................98
Body balance...................................................................98
The five-minute morning stretch .................................98
Meditation .....................................................................100
Releasing Unwanted Emotions .............................................101
Blissing out with professional relaxation
sessions ......................................................................102
Juggling ..........................................................................102
Managing Time ........................................................................102
Enriching Your Life .................................................................104
Part III: Reviewing and Rewriting
Your Notes �����������������������������������������������������105
Chapter 7: Knowing Your Academic Purpose � � � � � � � � � � � 107
Developing the Power of Intention ......................................108
Setting Your Intention for Each Study Session ...................109
Focusing on what you want ........................................109
Telling your brain what should get through ............110
Staying on target ...........................................................111
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Setting Your Intention for Long-Term Goals .......................112
Setting weekly intentions ............................................112
Setting monthly or yearly intentions .........................112
Setting a time limit .......................................................113
Preparing a time planner .............................................114
Chapter 8: Reviewing Your Notes � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 115
Sourcing Information ..............................................................115
Deciding what you need to review ............................115
Paying attention at a review class .............................116
Questioning your former knowledge .........................117
Finding Additional Information .............................................117
Chapter 9: Improving Your Reading Techniques � � � � � � � � � 119
Reading for Different Purposes .............................................119
Dipping into Your Text: Skim Reading .................................121
Digging Deeper into Content: Study Reading .....................121
Getting ready to do study reading .............................123
Taking in the facts ........................................................124
Going over class notes ................................................125
Testing your comprehension ......................................126
Going Faster: Speed Reading ................................................126
Going beyond Speed Reading: Photoreading .....................128
Chapter 10: Preparing Your Study Notes � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 129
Condensing Your Notes .........................................................129
Diagramming a Mind Map .....................................................130
Connecting Ideas with Concept Maps .................................133
Spreading out a spider map ........................................134
Ranking information with a hierarchy map ..............135
Organizing a flowchart ................................................136
Circling around a systems map ..................................137
Planning Literary Pathways: Essay Route Maps ................138
Applying Visual Formats: A Practical Guide .......................142
Part IV: Remembering with Pictures
and Patterns ��������������������������������������������������143
Chapter 11: Making the Most of Memorizing Skills � � � � � 145
Use It or Lose It .......................................................................145
Six Keys to Good Memory .....................................................146
Focusing on one thing at a time .................................147
Using vivid pictures or patterns ................................148
Adding emotion ............................................................149
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