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How to revise, reduce exam stress and do well

Page contents > Revision | Essay technique | After the exam | A few final points | LSE resources on exams | Exam advice from elsewhere

These notes have been written with ADMIS students in mind. They may not all be applicable to students on other programmes.

Revision

  1. How many topics should I revise?
  2. When should I start revising?
  3. What are the stages of revising?
  4. Revision tips

1. How many topics should I revise?

At least two more than the number of questions you have to answer for that paper - one spare in case the topic does not come up and one spare in case a topic comes up in a form you are not expecting. At the same time you must focus. Do not spread yourself too thin.

2. When should I start revising?

As soon as you have handed in your Lent term essay(s).

3. What are the stages of revising?

  • Stage 1 - get your material together. Make sure you have all the course handouts and copies of all the key readings, and that you know where the notes you took during the course are
  • Stage 2 - get a feel for the course. Read over the handouts and your own notes
  • Stage 3 - look at previous exam papers (see Student information)
  • Stage 4 - select your topics for revision (see above)
  • Stage 5 - the solid work

4. Revision tips

  • Complete any outstanding course work as soon as possible
  • Practice sample questions under examination conditions
  • Prepare some essay plans to help organise your thoughts and digest the material
  • Consider working in study groups
  • Have a revision timetable
  • Allow time for breaks - fatigue ruins concentration

Essay technique

1. How much should I write on a question?
2. How can I get the grade I feel I deserve?
3. What do I do if I run out of time?
4. What should I do if the topics I revised are not on the paper?
5. What is the difference between a good answer and a distinction level answer?
6. Should I tell you everything I know about the subject?
7. Essay tips

1. How much should I write on a question?

How long is a piece of string? If you have to answer three questions in two hours then it is usually necessary to write at least 800-1,000 words to get a reasonable mark. If it is one hour per question, aim for at least 1,200. If all your words are spot on you can get away with fewer words and if there is lots of padding you will need more. (If you go for length and add lots of padding you will suffer in two ways: you will waste time and you risk concealing your good ideas.) If you are aiming for a good mark you will have to write more.

2. How can I get the grade I feel I deserve?

Read the question carefully and answer the question that is on the exam paper, not the one you were hoping for. Stick to your timetable and make sure you leave enough time for your last answer. The first marks on any question are the easiest ones. Getting an extra mark to go from (say) 62 to 63 is harder than getting the first 20 marks on your final answer. Too many papers have mark patterns of 75, 65, 30, when the candidate could have got a merit for 65, 60, 60. Time management is crucial.

3. What do I do if I run out of time?

Don't. But if you do, at least scribble down some notes so the examiner will know what you would have written. You will get at least some marks this way.

4. What should I do if the topics I revised are not on the paper?

Make sure you have revised enough topics (see above) to reduce the chances of this happening. Is there a second page with more questions that you have failed to notice? Is there a topic you know something about, even if it was not one of your priorities? You should know a little about everything on the paper if you have done a good overall review of the course (so don't miss this stage of your revision out).

5. What is the difference between a good answer and a distinction level answer?

A good answer will tell the examiners competently what they told you in the lectures. A distinction answer adds critical commentary and a knowledge of wider reading. At MSc level a distinction answer will make the examiner say, 'that's interesting'.

If you can give author and date citations that will get you extra marks (and giving authors will get you some). However, if you spend significant amounts of your revision time learning lists of citations you will not do as well as by spending time reading and writing notes on your reading - don't forget that using ideas clocks up the marks much faster than telling us where they come from.

6. Should I tell you everything I know about the subject?

No. Only tell us what we ask you in the question. Brain dumps do not get good marks. Answer the question.

7. Essay tips

  • ATQ - answer the question
  • Read the questions properly
  • Distinguish between different parts of the question ('outline', 'briefly discuss', 'describe') and allocate time accordingly
  • Manage your time - move on to the next question after the allocated time
  • Enter the examination with a strategy
  • If you have used mnemonics to remember useful lists, scribble them down before you start and before you forget them
  • Plan your answers
  • Have a good opening paragraph
  • Write legibly and in English
  • Answer the question (have you noticed we think this is quite important?)
  • Look after yourself
  • Keep healthy and exercise
  • Have plenty of rest
  • Eat properly
  • Save partying until after all your exams
  • Avoid stress
  • Don't let other people's panic affect you. Try and calm them if you can but do not take risks with your own well-being

After the exam

Don't fret, move on. Your own judgement of how you did in an exam rarely correlates with your result. Students can come out thinking they have failed and get a distinction - and vice versa. Relax, enjoy yourself, recharge you batteries and get on with your summer project.

ADMIS students will get their exam results after the examiners' meeting on 11 July. New media students will have to wait until September.

A few final points

By following this advice you will reduce risk but the unexpected always happens. Get help from a member of staff straight away. We can often give help if asked early when we can do nothing if asked late.

The School has rules for if you fall ill during the exams - see Examinations and results (graduate).

All of these tips will work for some people, some of these tips will work for everybody. In the end, see this advice as a part of the process of building your own style for success.

Good luck, we hope you do well.

LSE resources on exams

Exam advice from elsewhere

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