Institutt for psykologi Department of
Psychology
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Se også FLOYD'S ADVICE ON HOW TO WRITE EXAMS |
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Se også FLOYD'S ADVICE ON HOW TO BE A STUDENT |
| Read more than just the required reading (Biblical "extra mile") |
| Realize that most grunnfag learning is learning vocabulary |
| Practice self-examination |
| Relate psychological concepts and theories to your life experience |
| Use University resources |
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ADVICE ON WRITING EXAMINATIONS |
1) Study, not just within chapters, but also across chapters
a) Use the index
b) Make up practice questions that call for comparisons
2) Be sure to understand what an examination question asks for.
a) "compare and contrast"
b) "trace the development of "
c) Usually the question does not ask you to write down everything you know about something.
3) Outline your answer before you begin writing.
4) Pay particular attention to your first and last paragraphs.
a) first paragraph:
- organizes your thoughts,
- declares to the reader what is your plan or point of view,
- sets the examiners opinion about you.
b) last paragraph:
- re-states the important points of your paper.
- is the last thing the examiner is going to remember,
- but you are most tired at this point.
-one solution, repeat 1st paragraph, in different words
-do not introduce something new
5) Write in paragraphs:
a) topic sentence (point to be proved)
b) about 3 to 6 sentences long
- not one sentence
- not 20 sentences
A well written paragraph develops one idea. Only one. Here are some websites from writing centers at several universities that teach explain how to write a good paragraph. I myself was surprised at how many universities now teach students how to write paragraphs, and how many different kinds of departments are teaching this.
UNITED STATES
CANADA
UNITED KINGDOM
AUSTRALIA
SINGAPORE
6) Take a point of view:
Be able to explain various points of view about a topic, but you yourself declare that "the stronger evidence is that Freud's Oedipal theory is correct" (or "incorrect").
7) You can use or make up illustrative examples from literature, movies, or your own life experience.
-Be sure to say, "As an illustrative example,....."
8) Do not try to "bullshit" your way about topics that you know you lack knowledge.
a) For example, "Pavlov's forward unconditioned stimulus is
important because of its use in clinical treatment and everyday life".
b) It is better to plan an answer that does not require you to mention the concepts about which you are ignorant.
9) Use all of your time. Proofread, correct spelling and punctuation, etc.
10) During the examination, take occasions to stretch, relax, drink something, consume some sugar
11) At the start of the examination, write down some notes about things that are only weakly in your memory.
For example, if you know that you have trouble remembering the parts of the brain, or Piaget's stages of development, or Weber's Law, then before you start reading the examination questions, before you start writing answers, take 5 or 10 minutes and write down notes on these things before the stress and fatigue of the examination make them impossible to recall clearly.
12) As you are writing, leave space to be able to go back and change things, or to add more information. For example, leave a wide margin, leave space at the bottom of each page, maybe even double space your writing. You are allowed lots of paper.
13) Think a little bit about the examiner and the task the examiner has, to read many, many examination papers. Do not make the examiner dislike you by unreadable handwriting, or apologies ("I was not able to study well because my mother was sick last night and also I had to get the car fixed."