Step One: Define

Before you start any journey you need a destination and a map! Exams are no different. Most of you will know roughly, if not exactly, when your exams will be on. Whether you’re preparing for a mid-term test or an end of year exam, you should always know what it is you are preparing for. However, it is not simply when they are that is important. Before you even begin contemplating studying you should consider what you want to achieve.

Do you want straight A’s? Who doesn't right? But you may be setting yourself up for failure! Set yourself realistic goals; if you got a C last year in English, aim for a B this year. Realistically assess your strengths and weaknesses, you may have a natural aptitude and interest in one or more subjects but dread others. It may be easier to start studying your favourite subjects more often but you should ask yourself if such a strategy is productive. If you need to improve your grades in your least favourite subjects you should spend more time with these.

Before you start studying write out a simple plan of the grades you want to achieve by the end of the year[1].

A classic tool to help you define your goals is to use a S.M.A.R.T. plan. This refers to:

Specific:

This means your goals are clearly defined, they aren't ambiguous. A good example would be: By the end of the year I want to achieve an A. A bad example would be: I want to be satisfied with my results.

Measurable:

Having clearly defined goals means that you know when you have accomplished them. In the above examples, you will know if you got an A or not, however whether you are satisfied with the results might be open to debate. The importance of having your goals measurable is so that you know when things are going right and can celebrate your victories but also, crucially, you know when you have under-achieved and can become aware that you need to change your strategy and/or work harder.

Attainable:

A goal can be well defined and measurable but there is little point in doing so if you know you can never achieve it. If you failed a class last year, don’t aim for an A this year. Your ambition should be lauded but in the long run, if you see you aren’t making as much progress as you’d like, you will be become disheartened and this will negatively affect your motivation and study skills.

Relevant:

The goals you set yourself must hold meaning. There is little point in taking the time to set yourself a goal if its accomplishment means nothing.

Timely:

For most of you, having the end goal of your exams coming up will mean your goals will have a context of time. This is an important element of any goal as it provides an impetus for action and means you know how much work is needed each day in order to achieve your goals.

When planning the most important thing to do is be honest and realistic with yourself.

Adopting such a plan throughout your study, on a subject by subject basis, will aid you greatly but having a thorough understanding of your ‘big’ or ‘broader’ goals—the goals that traverse your subjects-- from the outset will help you contextualize every action taken thereafter. It will give you a barometer to measure your actions against and you will know if what you’re doing is in line with your goals or not. Following this approach will give you the roadmap that will guide you on your journey and will be an important tool in keeping you motivated.

[1] Or whenever you have set your ‘destination’ for. Also, take account of any minimum course requirements you may need to achieve.

	Created by PatrickNoonan about 11 years ago

	Copied by examtime.user about 11 years ago

Note on The 5 Steps to Exam Success, created by examtime.user on 02/10/2013.