tag:theconversation.com,2011:/us/topics/making-sense-of-exams-32567/articlesMaking Sense of Exams – The Conversation2016-11-30T19:19:04Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/676472016-11-30T19:19:04Z2016-11-30T19:19:04ZShould we do away with exams altogether? No, but we need to rethink their design and purpose<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/143213/original/image-20161026-4729-cs15zv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Some exam questions are poorly designed and written – this needs to change. </span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">from www.shutterstock.com</span></span></figcaption></figure><p><em>In our five-part series, <a href="https://theconversation.com/au/topics/making-sense-of-exams-32567">Making Sense of Exams</a>, we’ll discuss the purpose of exams, whether they can be done online, overcoming exam anxiety, and effective revision techniques.</em></p>
<hr>
<p>Over the past two decades there have been frequent calls to <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-we-should-abolish-the-university-exam-1329">abandon exams</a>. </p>
<p>The major criticisms of exams in schools and universities tend to relate to either the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-we-should-abolish-the-university-exam-1329">misuse</a> or overuse of exams, and not to the sensible use of exams in <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/09695940701478321">partnership</a> with other assessment tasks such as presentations, research reports, creative responses, essays, reflective journals etc.</p>
<p>Rethinking the way in which some exams are delivered does not require us to abandon all exams in favour of other assessment tasks. This is akin to throwing the baby out with the bathwater.</p>
<p>Exams allow students to demonstrate their breadth of knowledge across a particular subject. This is more difficult to achieve with other forms of assessment. </p>
<p>Students also demonstrate their ability to retrieve and apply knowledge on the spot: a skill necessary in many professions.</p>
<p>But we need to look at what the evidence tells us about when exams are effective – and when other types of assessment are more suitable. </p>
<p>In debates about exams, the same myths are often brought up again and again. Here’s what the research tells us about three of the most common exam myths: </p>
<h2>Myth 1: exams only test for the recall of facts</h2>
<p>One of the most common arguments offered against exams is that they test for rote recall only <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-we-should-abolish-the-university-exam-1329">and not</a> for deeper understanding. </p>
<p>Like others, we have experienced the frustration of sitting for an exam that focuses almost exclusively on the recall of isolated facts. Research shows that such exams are more common when teachers either write questions quickly or rely on published tests from testing banks. In both cases, the teacher has <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&lr=&id=AFIxeGsV6SMC&oi=fnd&pg=PA1&dq=SOLO%2Bexam+questions%2Bhigh+order+thinking&ots=W6gnZHeeVa&sig=HWUOPuK1scTZ24qwdUqU7kD5sVU#v=onepage&q=SOLO%2Bexam%20questions%2Bhigh%20order%20thinking&f=false">less opportunity to review</a> whether or not the questions require deep understanding and higher-order thinking, which require the learner to both hold a strong body of <a href="http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF02300500">disciplinary knowledge</a> and be capable of applying it.</p>
<p>The solution is not to abandon exams, but to change how poorly designed exam questions are written. </p>
<p>A well-designed exam <a href="http://www.learningsolutionsmag.com/articles/804/writing-multiple-choice-questions-for-higher-level-thinking">will</a> assess the application of knowledge to real-world scenarios, the synthesis of knowledge across sub-topics, the ability to think critically, or to solve well-defined problems within a discipline. </p>
<p>These higher-order processes depend entirely on the question being asked. According to research, even quite short professional development programs for teachers <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&lr=&id=AFIxeGsV6SMC&oi=fnd&pg=PA1&dq=SOLO%2Bexam+questions%2Bhigh+order+thinking&ots=W6gnZHeeVa&sig=HWUOPuK1scTZ24qwdUqU7kD5sVU#v=onepage&q=SOLO%2Bexam%20questions%2Bhigh%20order%20thinking&f=false">are effective</a> in changing the way they write exam questions. </p>
<p>Exams should not be used to assess the recall of meaningless facts: this is a misuse of the format.</p>
<h2>Myth 2: Google renders exams irrelevant</h2>
<p>A second argument sometimes offered against exams is that everything can be found on Google anyway. </p>
<p>The implication, of course, is that <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/aug/28/inner-life-does-knowledge-matter-in-the-age-of-google">we no longer need knowledge</a> in our brains when we have phones in our pockets. </p>
<p>A variant of this argument is that internet access should always be permitted during <a href="https://theconversation.com/outdated-exams-are-holding-children-back-not-computers-in-the-classroom-47810">exams</a> as this mirrors our experiences in real life. </p>
<p>These arguments are problematic for two reasons. </p>
<p>First, research shows that people without knowledge in a particular field are <a href="https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/william-poundstone/head-in-the-cloud/9780316256537/">surprisingly poor</a> at finding accurate information on Google. They are more likely to find and believe conspiracy theories, for example, less likely to know what search terms to use, and less likely to reason logically about the information they find. </p>
<p>Second, looking up information on Google is not the same as accessing a pre-existing network of knowledge in the brain. </p>
<p>Pre-existing knowledge is critical because it guides the way in which we interpret new information and <a href="http://www.aft.org/sites/default/files/periodicals/Crit_Thinking.pdf">underpins critical thinking and problem solving</a>.</p>
<p>Even if a student is taught generic skills in critical thinking and analysis, a wide breadth of knowledge is also needed to know what arguments are relevant in a particular domain and how they might be applied. This breadth of knowledge cannot be obtained simply by Googling.</p>
<p>It is precisely because our teachers, surgeons, scientists and building engineers have an established network of knowledge in their fields, held in <a href="https://theconversation.com/revising-for-exams-why-cramming-the-night-before-rarely-works-67459">long-term memory</a>, that they are able to instantaneously apply this knowledge in the workplace, <a href="http://ctl.ok.ubc.ca/__shared/assets/ct-conceptualize45378.pdf">critically assess</a> the validity of incoming information, and <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books?id=SSLdo1MLIywC&pg=PA20&lpg=PA20&dq=expertise+long+term+memory+de+groot&source=bl&ots=uTAdM0U4Du&sig=xj6UglGk-vBgvhzK_kZaYlKhnT8&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwif5t3vnPPPAhUHilQKHdh9AeMQ6AEITjAI#v=onepage&q=expertise%20long%20term%20memory%20de%20groot&f=false">solve emerging problems</a> on the run.</p>
<h2>Myth 3: exam study does not enhance learning</h2>
<p>Exams do not just assess learning, they <a href="https://aps.psychologicalscience.org/publications/observer/2006/march-06/test-enhanced-learning-2.html">promote learning</a> in several ways: </p>
<ul>
<li><p>Organising yourself to study promotes self-regulation and metacognition (that is, your understanding and control of your own learning processes). </p></li>
<li><p>Re-organising and <a href="http://makeitstick.net/chapter_8.php">elaborating</a> on the to-be-tested material during study enables deeper understanding of the material.</p></li>
<li><p>The process of actively <a href="http://cdp.sagepub.com/content/21/3/157.short">retrieving</a> and applying that material multiple times during study is one of the best possible ways to strengthen knowledge. Just as practice helps muscles grow stronger during exercise, so too does it make connections in the brain grow stronger during study.</p></li>
</ul>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/147835/original/image-20161128-22751-aqqe5k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/147835/original/image-20161128-22751-aqqe5k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/147835/original/image-20161128-22751-aqqe5k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/147835/original/image-20161128-22751-aqqe5k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/147835/original/image-20161128-22751-aqqe5k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/147835/original/image-20161128-22751-aqqe5k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/147835/original/image-20161128-22751-aqqe5k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Far from being superficial, well-designed exams and proper study enhance memory and learning.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">from www.shutterstock.com</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Of course, some study techniques <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2013/09/when-memorization-gets-in-the-way-of-learning/279425/">are better</a> than others. </p>
<p>Research shows that study in which students mentally manipulate the material – perhaps by forming their own questions, or by considering how different topics relate to one another – is <a href="http://users.ugent.be/%7Emvalcke/CV/Lecture_questions.pdf">more effective</a> than study in which students passively scan their notes. </p>
<p>These techniques are a form of <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&lr=&id=w2GLAwAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA89&dq=shallow+deep+encoding+elaboration&ots=oa0ZagllPJ&sig=MZgRJyvV7WOR0AU0AhstWZPbIw4#v=onepage&q=shallow%20deep%20encoding%20elaboration&f=false">“deep encoding”</a>, in which the student is required to actively negotiate meaning and to make decisions about what goes with what. </p>
<p>Research also shows that spacing out study over time is more <a href="http://tdlc.ucsd.edu/educators/educators_ask_the_scientist_kang.html">effective</a> for retaining information than <a href="https://theconversation.com/revising-for-exams-why-cramming-the-night-before-rarely-works-67459">cramming the night before</a>. </p>
<p>With this knowledge, teachers can support students to study in the most effective ways possible.</p>
<h2>Exams should be used within a balanced assessment program</h2>
<p>The goal of any assessment program is to enable students to demonstrate what they <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&lr=&id=xMlxAgAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PT15&dq=Knowing+what+Students+Know++The+Science+and+Design+of+Educational+Assessment&ots=HL4phqT5Rv&sig=u4qV2ksoiuyVENxUrhdZvc6Hsck%23v=onepage&q=Knowing%20what%20Students%20Know%25#v=onepage&q=Knowing%2520what%2520Students%2520Know%25&f=false">know and can do</a>. Within this program, exams have specific advantages. </p>
<p>Exams should not be used in all assessments (or even in all disciplines). Some types of assessments are clearly <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/09695940701478321">better suited</a> to particular kinds of knowledge and skills than others. </p>
<p>Where research skills are important, a research proposal or report may be more appropriate. </p>
<p>Where oral communication skills are important, a presentation task may be more appropriate. </p>
<p>And where depth of knowledge of a single topic is important – either because of the specific topic itself or because a more focused investigation will allow the student to practise and refine particular learning skills – then an essay, class debate, or similar assessment may be more appropriate. </p>
<p>But arguing that exams cannot do everything is not the same as arguing they can do nothing. In nearly all school and university courses there are multiple goals, therefore a balanced assessment program is <a href="http://www.ccsso.org/Documents/Balanced%20Assessment%20Systems%20GONG.pdf">critical</a>. </p>
<h2>When considering the purpose of exams</h2>
<p>We need to be careful when considering the use of exams in schools and universities. </p>
<p>We need to know that they are appropriate to the knowledge and skills being assessed, and that they form part of a balanced assessment program with a range of different assessment tasks. </p>
<p>We also must be aware of the unintended consequences that emerge in specific testing circumstances. </p>
<p>This is true for national testing programs such as the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN), for example, where the potential to publicly rank schools has led to concerns about “<a href="http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/naplan-puts-focus-more-on-passing-tests-than-teaching/story-e6frg6n6-1226523826536">teaching to the test</a>” and narrowing the curriculum. These unintended consequences must be addressed. </p>
<p>When used well, however, exams offer several advantages for learning.</p>
<p><em>• <a href="https://theconversation.com/au/topics/making-sense-of-exams-32567">Read more</a> from the series.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/67647/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Penny Van Bergen has previously received funding from the Australian Research Council. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Rod Lane does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Exams do have a purpose, but they shouldn’t be used to assess the recall of meaningless facts.Penny Van Bergen, Senior Lecturer in Educational Psychology, Macquarie UniversityRod Lane, Senior Lecturer in Educational Assessment, Macquarie UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/674452016-10-29T22:52:02Z2016-10-29T22:52:02ZHow to overcome exam anxiety<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/143390/original/image-20161027-11278-19pazks.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Do you often think you are going to fail an exam?</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">from www.shutterstock.com</span></span></figcaption></figure><p><em>In our five-part series, <a href="https://theconversation.com/au/topics/making-sense-of-exams-32567">Making Sense of Exams</a>, we’ll discuss the purpose of exams, whether they can be done online, overcoming exam anxiety, and effective revision techniques.</em></p>
<hr>
<p>Do you feel like your mind freezes during exams? Do you find yourself thinking “I really can’t do this”? Does your heart race fast or do you find it hard to breathe during exams? </p>
<p>Most people feel anxious when taking an exam, but research <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1540-4781.1991.tb05378.x/abstract">shows</a> that some people are more likely to suffer from exam anxiety than others. So why is this? And what can you do to calm your nerves?</p>
<h2>What is exam anxiety?</h2>
<p>Exam anxiety is the experience of feeling an intense moment of fear or panic before and/or during an exam or assessment.</p>
<p>There are two types of anxiety: </p>
<ul>
<li><p>Low anxiety: students who experience low anxiety may feel a little nervous about an upcoming exam but are still able to focus their attention on their studies or the questions asked during the assessment. Usually low anxiety students are not struck with intrusive thoughts or feel debilitated by the exam. </p></li>
<li><p>High anxiety: students who experience high anxiety show an immediate anxiety reaction when exposed to the feared test situation. They attempt to avoid the situation by not showing up to the exam, or may endure it but with extreme fear. High anxiety can tip some into a sense of panic: “I just really can’t do this!”</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Students with either high or low anxiety can respond to tests in <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&lr=&id=8JjlCAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA317&dq=test+exam+anxiety&ots=5RZpGxuk0M&sig=2P90aVEfXkpdy87CjzPmQtwFcMY#v=onepage&q&f=false">different ways</a>. But research <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&lr=&id=NVYFPAziXKMC&oi=fnd&pg=PA113&dq=anxiety+can+help+with+performance+in+an+exam&ots=ogf8sQhmDn&sig=FV5-UsvwWkoTrvB-W25TqofH9po#v=onepage&q=anxiety%20can%20help%20with%20performance%20in%20an%20exam&f=false">shows</a> that managing anxiety effectively can actually help with exam performance.</p>
<p>The challenge is to recognise when your anxiety has increased past an optimal level so that it starts to impact your ability to complete the exam - this is a high level of anxiety. </p>
<p>Some physical responses of high anxiety include a speeding heart, damp hands, shortness or rapid breath, and feeling queasy. </p>
<p>The physical response is usually experienced in high levels of anxiety when the “fight or flight” response is triggered. This is how our bodies respond to a perceived threat – and while uncomfortable, it is not harmful.</p>
<h2>When anxiety is (and isn’t) useful</h2>
<p>Anxiety can be useful in certain situations - for example, if you are in danger ( jumping out of the way of a car). It can also help to increase our attention to the threatening event and improve our response. </p>
<p>But it is not so helpful when the threat we are faced with is cognitive, like an exam. </p>
<p>The thoughts involved in exam anxiety usually include <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&lr=&id=8JjlCAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA317&dq=test+exam+anxiety&ots=5RZpGxuk0M&sig=2P90aVEfXkpdy87CjzPmQtwFcMY#v=onepage&q&f=false">negative thinking about performance</a> (also known as worry) and/or the physical reaction to thinking about the upcoming exam: “I’m going to fail”, “I quit”, “My heart is leaping out of my chest and I can’t focus.” </p>
<h2>Impact of high anxiety on performance</h2>
<p><a href="https://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&lr=&id=8JjlCAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA317&dq=test+exam+anxiety&ots=5RZpGxuk0M&sig=2P90aVEfXkpdy87CjzPmQtwFcMY#v=onepage&q&f=false">Research has shown</a> that people who experience high levels of anxiety in exams can also see their performance decline in evaluation situations. </p>
<p>These people tend to perceive exams as threatening and respond with intense emotional responses, making it difficult to focus on the task at hand. </p>
<p>Assessment situations also evoke worry responses that interfere with effective performance on cognitive and intellectual tasks. This then impacts on the person’s chance of performing their best on the exam. </p>
<p>Exam anxiety may also interfere with your ability to show your academic and cognitive capabilities. </p>
<h2>So, how can I cool my exam nerves?</h2>
<p>If you identify high anxiety in yourself, you can learn ways to manage it so that it doesn’t take over your exam performance. </p>
<p>The skills you find most helpful in managing your exam anxiety will vary depending on what triggers may be contributing to your high levels of anxiety.</p>
<p>If students experience high levels of anxiety before an exam, they should engage in self-care strategies during this time by keeping an eye on sleeping through the night, nutrition, exercise, and implementing a few relaxation routines.</p>
<p>Students sometimes forget these small steps as they can feel consumed by the fear of the exam. </p>
<h2>Relaxation training</h2>
<p>Psychologists and well-being teams at school have a range of techniques to help manage test anxiety – and can also recommend ways to improve your study skills. </p>
<p>The goals of the techniques are to help students understand the nature of their anxiety so that they can cope more effectively with upcoming evaluations. </p>
<p>This may include behavioural intervention that aims to teach <a href="http://ir.library.louisville.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1083&context=honor">relaxation training like mindfulness</a>. </p>
<p><a href="http://au.reachout.com/what-is-mindfulness">Mindfulness</a> is where a student tries to focus on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting their anxious feelings, thoughts, and physical reactions. </p>
<p>Relaxation training can be used alongside a process of systematic desensitisation – this is where a person visualises a scene while completely relaxed, and the mental image evokes some of the feelings of the real scene. </p>
<p>The idea is that if you learn to relax while visualising yourself taking the exam, you can also learn to be relaxed while actually taking the exam.</p>
<h2>Support through special consideration</h2>
<p>Some students who experience high levels of anxiety (intense panic or fear about an exam that results in them being unable to do the test) can access additional support through special consideration at their school. </p>
<p>This varies based on the individual needs of the student. But some students may need access to a separate room to complete exams, regular breaks during the exam or more time. </p>
<p>To access this type of consideration, get in touch with your school’s wellbeing team or a psychologist (see resources below) to help develop an individualised plan for you during the exam season.</p>
<p>Learning to work through your exam anxiety can have a number of positive effects including:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01443410020019867">Improved academic performance</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0361476X0191094X">Reduction in stress and distress</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&lr=&id=NVYFPAziXKMC&oi=fnd&pg=PA113&dq=anxiety+can+help+with+performance+in+an+exam&ots=ogf8sQhmDn&sig=FV5-UsvwWkoTrvB-W25TqofH9po#v=onepage&q=anxiety%20can%20help%20with%20performance%20in%20an%20exam&f=false">Increased sense of control and confidence</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1207/s15324818ame0803_3">Decreased frustration</a></li>
</ul>
<h2>Tips for coping with exam anxiety</h2>
<p>When getting ready for exams try to: </p>
<ul>
<li><p>Prepare ahead of time by working on sections of the content each day</p></li>
<li><p>Use practice exam papers as an opportunity to manage anxiety</p></li>
<li><p>Identify your anxiety early by noticing your physical responses</p></li>
<li><p>Try replacing unhelpful thoughts with more encouraging self-talk by challenging your worried and negative <a href="http://psychcentral.com/lib/challenging-negative-self-talk/">thoughts</a></p></li>
<li><p>Practice focusing your attention on the task at hand (mindfulness), rather than getting tangled in your anxiety and thinking of the “what if?”</p></li>
<li><p>Learn a <a href="https://www.anxietybc.com/sites/default/files/Test_Anxiety_Booklet.pdf">few skills</a> for reducing your physical reactions of anxiety</p>
<ul>
<li>Remember good self-care: pay attention to your sleep, nutrition, exercise, relaxation routines, and reach out for social support</li>
</ul></li>
</ul>
<h2>Useful links and resources</h2>
<p>You can also take a look at this <a href="https://www.anxietybc.com/sites/default/files/Test_Anxiety_Booklet.pdf">exam anxiety booklet</a> which aims to help you and your parents better understand exam anxiety. </p>
<p>You can read the booklet to help identify coping strategies that may help address your anxiety. Also, your parents could read this booklet with you and participate in identifying coping strategies.</p>
<p>If you would like to talk to someone right now about your exam anxiety and ask a few questions about individual support, contact (available 24/7): </p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.kidshelp.com.au">Kids Helpline</a> – 1800 55 1800 </li>
<li><a href="http://www.eheadspace.org.au">Headspace Online Counselling</a></li>
<li><a href="http://au.reachout.com/">Reachout.com</a></li>
</ul>
<p><em>• <a href="https://theconversation.com/au/topics/making-sense-of-exams-32567">Read more</a> from the series.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/67445/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Christine Grové does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>There are ways to manage exam anxiety so that it doesn’t hugely impact your performance.Christine Grové, Psychologist and Lecturer in Education and Psychology, Monash UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/674592016-10-27T19:11:52Z2016-10-27T19:11:52ZRevising for exams - why cramming the night before rarely works<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/143369/original/image-20161027-11256-821cg2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Cramming does't help you retain information, so the effect of a long night on the books may not be for much.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">from www.shutterstock.com</span></span></figcaption></figure><p><em>In our five-part series, <a href="https://theconversation.com/au/topics/making-sense-of-exams-32567">Making Sense of Exams</a>, we’ll discuss the purpose of exams, whether they can be done online, overcoming exam anxiety, and effective revision techniques.</em></p>
<hr>
<p>The date for an important exam is looming. You know you have to study for it. Suddenly, it’s the evening before the dreaded date, and you feel like you haven’t studied enough, if at all. It’s time to cram all the information you can into your brain. </p>
<p>We know that to do well in exams, you have to remember your material to then demonstrate your knowledge during the test. But is an intense night of study an effective way of learning? </p>
<p>Learning information that can then be recalled in an often stressful environment is taxing on the brain. </p>
<p>In the best situations we <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-causes-mind-blanks-during-exams-67380">can forget things</a> like our colleague’s names when trying to introduce them to someone. </p>
<p>In a high pressure situation our brains can easily perform sub-optimally. </p>
<h2>How to remember information in the long term</h2>
<p>In cognitive psychology, a discrimination can be drawn between deep and shallow processing of information. This is known as the <a href="https://explorable.com/levels-of-processing">Levels of Processing theory</a> which was proposed by researchers in the 1970’s. They argued that “deep processing” led to better long-term memory than “shallow processing”.</p>
<p>Shallow processed information can be encoded by the brain based on the simple characteristics of the words, rather than the meaning. So the knowledge is only able to be stored in short-term memory stores, where it is only retained for a short period.</p>
<p>To process information deeply, the meaning and importance of the information is encoded. Relations between concepts are linked together in an elaborate manner, so more understanding of the information is able to be demonstrated. </p>
<p>Due to the more meaningful analysis of the material, stronger and more long lasting memories can be formed. </p>
<p>Taking the time to elaborate and assign meaning to information allows easier recall. However, this process takes time, and when an entire subject needs to be crammed into your memory in a short period of time, deep processing can’t be performed. </p>
<p>So cramming can work for a short-term recall of the information, but this information will rapidly be lost.</p>
<h2>Re-reading notes is not enough</h2>
<p>Re-reading through notes is often not enough to cement information into your memory. </p>
<figure class="align-left ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/143374/original/image-20161027-11275-470p1j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/143374/original/image-20161027-11275-470p1j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/143374/original/image-20161027-11275-470p1j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/143374/original/image-20161027-11275-470p1j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/143374/original/image-20161027-11275-470p1j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/143374/original/image-20161027-11275-470p1j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/143374/original/image-20161027-11275-470p1j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Spider diagrams (above) or mind maps have been found to be more effective then conventional note taking for the retention of memory.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">from www.shutterstock.com</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>A way of encoding information more deeply is to write <a href="http://classroom.synonym.com/difference-between-linear-notetaking-mind-mapping-5559.html">diagrammatic notes</a>. Spider diagrams, mind maps and concept maps are visual stimuli and are more easily remembered than a list of points or blocks of text.</p>
<p>Condensing information down into single word cues can then efficiently trigger the recall of large amounts of information. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/a-learning-secret-don-t-take-notes-with-a-laptop/">Hand writing revision notes</a> can also help you learn information more deeply and helps you to get into the practice of writing rapidly in an exam setting. </p>
<p>Typing on a computer can also increase distraction, as the temptation to procrastinate can increase.</p>
<h2>A lack of sleep can affect your performance</h2>
<figure class="align-left ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/143377/original/image-20161027-11252-lvpqhv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/143377/original/image-20161027-11252-lvpqhv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/143377/original/image-20161027-11252-lvpqhv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/143377/original/image-20161027-11252-lvpqhv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/143377/original/image-20161027-11252-lvpqhv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/143377/original/image-20161027-11252-lvpqhv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/143377/original/image-20161027-11252-lvpqhv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Sleep is essential in forming enduring memories.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">from www.shutterstock.com</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Last minute revision is synonymous with a poor night’s sleep, if any sleep at all. </p>
<p>The dilemma presented is that you can either stay up and study to commit as much information to memory as possible, or forfeit a night’s sleep. </p>
<p>Sleep, however, is essential in forming enduring memories – and a lack of sleep is shown to be self defeating in terms of memory recall. </p>
<p>Scientists still do not fully understand why sleep is so important for brain function, but it is known that sleep is important in the <a href="http://www.human-memory.net/processes_consolidation.html">consolidation</a> of memory. </p>
<p>This is the process of forming an enduring memory from short-term stores into long-term memory. </p>
<p>Your brain goes through different stages of sleep. The deepest stage of sleep is known as <a href="http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/glossary/n-p">Slow Wave Sleep</a> and this period is proposed to be vital in the consolidation of memories.</p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.news-medical.net/health/Hippocampus-What-is-the-Hippocampus.aspx">hippocampus</a> is essential in the consolidation of memories, in particular in forming episodic memories, which requires linking the features of a memory together. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2824214/">Studies</a> have revealed in mice that the neurons in the hippocampus activated during learning a maze became active again during Slow Wave Sleep. The reactivation of neurons is proposed to strengthen the new connections. </p>
<p>So a good night’s sleep after learning new information is essential to forming memories. It’s beneficial to get sleep rather than staying awake and going into an exam without rest.</p>
<h2>Procrastination can pile on the pressure</h2>
<figure class="align-left ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/143379/original/image-20161027-32322-1m39y42.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/143379/original/image-20161027-32322-1m39y42.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=900&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/143379/original/image-20161027-32322-1m39y42.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=900&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/143379/original/image-20161027-32322-1m39y42.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=900&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/143379/original/image-20161027-32322-1m39y42.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1130&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/143379/original/image-20161027-32322-1m39y42.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1130&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/143379/original/image-20161027-32322-1m39y42.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1130&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Sometimes anything else can be more appealing than revising for exams.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">from www.shutterstock.com</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Despite the deadline of exams to study for, mundane tasks suddenly become more appealing, like rearranging a bookshelf, or cleaning your desk, instead of revising for an exam. </p>
<p>The tasks we can occupy ourselves with when procrastinating are typically immediately rewarding but only have a short-term value. </p>
<p>The more important task of studying can lead to a bigger reward - passing the exam, however this reward is not immediate. </p>
<p>Humans tend to be motivated for small, immediate rewards. The value of passing a test certainly outweighs smaller, immediate rewards like playing video games; when the deadline approaches, the importance shifts. This usually leads to a long night of study before the exam.</p>
<p>It has been suggested procrastinators may be a certain <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/dont-delay/200804/is-procrastination-personality-problem-what-is-personality">personality type</a>, in particular people who are thrill seekers. </p>
<p>Leaving an important task until the last minute increases adrenalin and stress hormones, and you can get a rewarding “rush” once its complete. The reinforces the idea that such people work better under pressure.</p>
<h2>Familiar environment can prompt memory</h2>
<p>Even if you arrive at the exam the morning after a long night of study, feeling sleep deprived and as if you haven’t learnt enough, all may not be lost. </p>
<p>Being in the exam hall at school, college or university can help you recall information. The familiar environment can increase performance as the stimuli around you can prompt memory. </p>
<p>For example, a science exam being taken in a science classroom can cue memories, these cues aren’t present in a strange environment such as taking an exam in a race course hall.</p>
<p>This is known as the <a href="https://www.reference.com/world-view/definition-context-dependent-memory-f3ad275cf46d2df3">environmental reinstatement effect</a>, which occurs because the location you are in can act as a prompt for past memories. </p>
<p>Environmental cues can trigger memory recall, so something as simple as having your pencil case on your desk while studying and again during the exam could assist in prompting memories. </p>
<h2>Tips for remembering information</h2>
<ol>
<li>Hand write out your notes instead of typing</li>
<li>Get a good night’s sleep before an exam</li>
<li>Write a revision plan and start early</li>
</ol>
<p><em>• <a href="https://theconversation.com/au/topics/making-sense-of-exams-32567">Read more</a> from the series.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/67459/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Amy Reichelt receives funding from the Australian Research Council. </span></em></p>An intense night of study won’t help you remember information in the long-term – and the stress of revising under pressure will likely impact on your sleep and thus your exam performance.Amy Reichelt, Lecturer, ARC DECRA, RMIT UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/673802016-10-25T19:12:09Z2016-10-25T19:12:09ZWhat causes mind blanks during exams?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/143000/original/image-20161024-28420-82av1j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">As exam season rolls around, many students are wondering what causes the dreaded mind blank.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">from www.shutterstock.com</span></span></figcaption></figure><p><em>In our five-part series, <a href="https://theconversation.com/au/topics/making-sense-of-exams-32567">Making Sense of Exams</a>, we’ll discuss the purpose of exams, whether they can be done online, overcoming exam anxiety, and effective revision techniques.</em></p>
<hr>
<p>It’s a pattern many of us have likely experienced in the past. </p>
<p>You prep for an exam and all the information seems coherent and simple. Then you sit for an exam and suddenly all the information you learned is gone. You struggle to pull something up – anything – but the harder you fight, the further away the information feels. The dreaded <a href="http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/abn/61/2/207/">mind blank</a>.</p>
<h2>So what is going on?</h2>
<p>To understand what’s happening during a mind blank, there are three brain regions we have to become familiar with.</p>
<p>The first is the hypothalamus. For all intents and purposes, we can conceive of the hypothalamus as the bridge between your emotions and your physical sensations. In short, this part of the brain has <a href="http://www.jpsychores.com/article/S0022-3999(02)00429-4/abstract">strong connections to the endocrine system</a>, which, in turn, is responsible for the type and amount of hormones flowing throughout your body.</p>
<p>The second is the hippocampus. A subcortical structure, the hippocampus plays an incredibly important role in both the <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/hipo.450040319/full">learning and retrieval of facts and concepts</a>. We can conceive of the hippocampus as a sort of memory door through which all information must pass in order to enter and exit the brain.</p>
<p>The third is the prefrontal cortex (PFC). Located behind your eyes, this is the calm, cool, rational part of your brain. All the things that suggest you, as a human being, are in control <a href="http://www.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev.neuro.24.1.167">are largely mediated here</a>: things like working memory (the ability to hold and manipulate information in your mind), impulse control (the ability to dampen unwanted behavioural responses), decision making (the ability to select a proper response between competing possibilities), etc.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/143001/original/image-20161024-28382-1br01a0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/143001/original/image-20161024-28382-1br01a0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=485&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/143001/original/image-20161024-28382-1br01a0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=485&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/143001/original/image-20161024-28382-1br01a0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=485&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/143001/original/image-20161024-28382-1br01a0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=610&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/143001/original/image-20161024-28382-1br01a0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=610&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/143001/original/image-20161024-28382-1br01a0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=610&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Regions of the brain. from www.shutterstock.com.</span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>How a mind blank happens</h2>
<p>When you are preparing for an exam in a setting that is predictable and relatively low-stakes, you are able to engage in <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&lr=&id=wCMgWbc6KgAC&oi=fnd&pg=PA237&dq=cold+cognition&ots=SnBejDeCaC&sig=Vktyd0jXTcdG-t6K7cuFc9N9X8s#v=onepage&q=cold%20cognition&f=false">cold cognition</a>. This is the term given to logical and rational thinking processes. </p>
<p>In our particular instance, when you are studying at home, seated in your comfortable bed, listening to your favourite music, the hypothalamus slows down the production and release of key stress hormones (outlined below) while the PFC and hippocampus are confidently chugging along unimpeded. </p>
<p>However, when you enter a somewhat unpredictable and high-stakes exam situation, you enter the realm of <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&lr=&id=wCMgWbc6KgAC&oi=fnd&pg=PA237&dq=cold+cognition&ots=SnBejDeCaC&sig=Vktyd0jXTcdG-t6K7cuFc9N9X8s#v=onepage&q=cold%20cognition&f=false">hot cognition</a>. This is the term given to non-logical and emotionally driven thinking processes. Hot cognition is typically triggered in response to a clear threat or otherwise highly stressful situation.</p>
<p>So an exam can serve to trigger a cascade of unique thoughts – for instance,</p>
<blockquote>
<p>If I fail this exam I may not get into a good university or graduate program. Then I may not get a good job. Then I may perish alone and penniless.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>With this type of loaded thinking, it’s no wonder that those taking tests sometimes perceive an exam as a threat. </p>
<p>When a threat is detected, the hypothalamus stimulates the generation of several key stress hormones, including <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0006899382905194">norepinephrine</a> and <a href="http://dujs.dartmouth.edu/2011/02/the-physiology-of-stress-cortisol-and-the-hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal-axis/#.WA2D8ySbiUY">cortisol</a>. </p>
<p>Large levels of norepinephrine enter the PFC and serve to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4774859/">dampen neuronal firing and impair effective communication</a>. This impairment essentially clears out your working memory (whatever you were thinking about is now gone) and stops the rational, logical PFC from influencing other brain regions.</p>
<p>At the same time, large levels of cortisol enter the hippocampus and not only <a href="http://www.nature.com/nrn/journal/v3/n6/abs/nrn849.html">disrupt activation patterns there</a>, but also (with prolonged exposure) <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0891061897000318">kill hippocampal neurons</a>. This serves to impede the ability to access old memories and skews the perception and storage of new memories.</p>
<p>In short, when an exam is interpreted as a threat and a stress response is triggered, working memory is wiped clean, recall mechanisms are disrupted, and emotionally laden hot cognition driven by the hypothalamus (and other subcortical regions) overrides the normally rational cold cognition driven by the PFC. </p>
<p>Taken together, this process leads to a mind blank, making logical cognitive activity difficult to undertake.</p>
<h2>Is there any way to avoid this?</h2>
<p>The good news – there are some things you can do to stave off mind blanks.</p>
<p>The first concerns de-stressing. Through concerted practice and application of <a href="http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/ocp/13/1/69/">cognitive-behavioural and/or relaxation techniques</a> aimed at reframing any perceived threat during an exam situation, those taking tests can potentially abate the stress response and re-enter a more rational thinking process.</p>
<p>Another concerns preparation. The reason the armed forces train new recruits in stressful situations that simulate active combat scenarios is to ensure cold cognition during future engagements. </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mml4B1w0mb4?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
</figure>
<p>The more a person experiences a particular situation, the less likely he or she is to perceive such a situation as threatening.</p>
<p>So when preparing for an exam, try not to do so in a highly relaxed soothing environment – rather, try to push yourself in ways that will <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mml4B1w0mb4">mimic the final testing scenario</a> you are preparing for.</p>
<p><em>• <a href="https://theconversation.com/au/topics/making-sense-of-exams-32567">Read more</a> from the series.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/67380/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jared Cooney Horvath is affiliated with the ARC-SRI Science of Learning Research Centre (SLRC) at The University of Melbourne. The SLRC is funded through a Special Research Initiative of the Australian Research Council.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jason Lodge is affiliated with the ARC-SRI Science of Learning Research Centre (SLRC) at The University of Melbourne. The SLRC is funded through a Special Research Initiative of the Australian Research Council.</span></em></p>Mind blanks are typically triggered in response to a perceived threat. The chemical process that takes place essentially clears out your working memory, quiets logical processes, and walls off memory.Jared Cooney Horvath, Postdoctoral fellow, The University of MelbourneJason M Lodge, Senior Lecturer, Melbourne Centre for the Study of Higher Education & ARC-SRI Science of Learning Research Centre, The University of MelbourneLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.