Getting Ready

Different kinds of exam

The most common kind of exam is one where you are given a list of about ten questions, and you have to write answers to three of them, in three hours. Basically this is like writing three short essays in three hours.

Usually, you won't have seen the questions beforehand, and you can't take anything into the exam with you.

But there are lots of other kinds of exam. Here are some other common kinds, and some tips for dealing with them.

• Seen Paper
  In a seen paper, you are given the questions in advance, usually two to three weeks in advance. Because you have more time to think about your answers to a seen paper, the examiners are interested in how well you organise your answers into arguments. A seen paper is more about showing understanding than showing how much you remember - it's more like writing ordinary essays.
• Open Book Exam
  In an open-book exam you can take material into the exam with you. This can range from one specified textbook to anything you want. Check carefully with your tutor what you can and can't bring with you. And you should still plan your answers and topics beforehand. Don't waste time in the exam looking through the textbook to find what you need for a topic - find it in advance.
• Take Away Question
  This is like a seen paper, but with less time. You might be given data or a case study an hour or two in advance, and have to write your response in the exam itself. The key to doing well in a take-away question is to relate your answer very closely to the data you are given. Use the time you have to plan an answer which uses as much of the data as possible.

Lots of students think that these different kinds of exam are easier than the traditional kind. Maybe they are - maybe they are a bit less stressful. But they all need you to plan your answers, and they all demand that you organise your answers into arguments.