How To Stop Making Silly Mistakes In Exams

Alamu TosinOctober 11, 2018

Carelessness can be costly just as lack of preparation can cost you success.

If you are approaching your exams, here are a few ways to avoid making dumb mistakes.

Table of Contents

1. Be Aware Of Time Constraints

Be aware of the time you have for your test, and aim to finish early. For example, if you have 50 minutes to complete a test, try and complete it in 45 minutes. This way you get time to review and revise.

2. Double Check

Make use of the extra five minutes to go through the answers. Remember, this is your last chance to review and make sure that you have answered every question.

3. Sub-vocalize The Choice Letter Of The Answer

You must be very careful with a test that uses Scantron bubble sheets. This meticulous task of transferring your answers over to the bubble sheet can become messy. For example, you could end up mistaking one option for the other and lost points. Point your finger to the letter that matches for the answer and repeat it in your mind.

4. Slow Down To Read The Question Carefully:

Watch out for tricky wording. For example, some questions may begin with the phrase, ‘which of these is not’ instead of, ‘which of these is.’ If you tend to read questions in a hurry, you could end up choosing the wrong answer.

5. Stick To The Context Of Essays

Create an outline before you start an essay. This way, you can be sure of staying in the topic and avoid going into a territory that the professor didn’t want you to discuss. If essays are not your thing, we suggest you hire us for online class help !

6. Cut Down Your Test Anxiety

Students experience anxiety just before the exams. Develop good study habits, get a good night’s sleep, eat well, and follow relaxation techniques to perform well on test days.

7. Check Spelling And Grammar On Essay-Style Exam

Stress and pressure can cause students to make silly grammatical mistakes. Be aware of typical errors, and fix them to improve your scores.

8. Know Your Brain

Do you tend to make the same mistakes again and again? Maybe you get the order of operations wrong, or perhaps you tend to multiply numbers before adding them. Focus on those areas and consciously address them while taking your exams.

Now that we have gone through eight common mistakes, make sure you don’t repeat them the next time!