6 Techniques For Sitting Exams - For The Nervous and The Real Desperate!

Sitting exams isn't all that horrible unless you are the type of person that prefers to puke than sit for an exam. Exams make everyone nervous - for different reasons..

I, for one, want to pass and not pay the damn exam fee again - that is what makes ME nervous.

And the thought of not passing and having to hit the books again... the same books I have been studying for the past 2 months Uhhhhhhh where is the bucket?????

Ok so it wasn't my intent to make you more nervous... Sorry. Now relax because I'm going to let you in on 6 techniques that help me when sitting exams for my certifications.

1. The material is in your mind

If you have been studying, the material is all there. It's just that when you panic, your mind concentrates on making you nervous and it blanks out everything else.

Relax.

Think about the best day of your life. The day you found this website, for example. That will surely bring a smile to your face. LOL, couldn't resist. No, seriously, think of something that will put you in a great mood. When you think of something positive, your whole psychology changes, your body changes, your mind changes.

It's simple and it works.

Remember your mind can be a whole entertainment system. Play positive memories and your mind will clear the panic away. Then sitting exams will be a whole different experience.

2. It's multiple choice so relax.

Imaging sitting exams which were not multiple choice and you had to provide the answer without been given any clue! Wouldn't that be more difficult?

Now that you have seen things could be worse, sitting exams doesn't seen that terrible, does it? Here is the trick to the multiple choice format:

One answer is correct
One is close to the correct answer
One is totally unacceptable
One is totally unacceptable but sounds acceptable

Start the process of elimination. For example. Lets try to answer a question that we are unsure of at first...

Question - Which access method does the 802.11 architecture use?

A. CSMA/CD
B. CMSA
C. CMSA/DC
D. CSMA/CA

We don't know the answer off the top of our heads so let's begin the elimination process:

First what is the 802.11? we remember it has something to do with wireless networking.

Now lets see which of the answers given can we eliminate?

A. CSMA/CD [might be this one. we keep. we know this means, Carrier Sense Multiple Access / Collision Detection]
B. CMSA [garbage. we eliminate]
C. CMSA/DC [garbage. we eliminate]
D. CSMA/CA [might be this one. we keep. we know this means, Carrier Sense Multiple Access With Collision Avoidance]

So now we have 2 possible answers. At this stage, if we still didn't know, we could guess between the two. But let's probe our minds a little further. What does each of them mean?

CSMA/CD - Carrier Sense Multiple Access / Collision Detection
CSMA/CA - Carrier Sense Multiple Access With Collision Avoidance

What do we remember from our studies?

CSMA/CD - this is the preferred access method used if the network can support it. Ethernet networks use it to physically monitor the traffic on the line at participating stations. With this method, a particular station transmits. If two stations try to transmit at the same time, there is a collision. After a random time, the stations that collided try to transmit again.

CSMA/CA - this method is used where CSMA/CD cannot be used. 802.11 wireless LANs use this because its not possible to listen while sending so collision detection isn't possible. With the 802.11 wireless LAN networks a node A, in range of the receiver R, is not in range of the sender S, and therefore cannot know that S is transmitting to R.

So if we have studied and know these things about the CSMA/CD and the CSMA/CA access methods we know our answer to be CSMA/CA to the above question.

It's amazing the things you can pull out of your mind when sitting exams. I tend to remember stuff I don't even realize I studied for! That the good, old subconscious working for you.

3. When sitting exams, the test actually gives you some of the answers

Sitting exams should have been my hobby because I keep doing it. I know. I'm pathetic. In all the exams that you will sit, you will find that as you go further down the test, you will find answers to previous questions. So if a question is giving you trouble, leave it for the moment. Go further down the test and you may find the answer you were looking for.

4. Remember there is a passing mark when sitting exams

Understand that you can get some wrong. It's not a big deal. Sitting exams isn't about getting a perfect 100% score. Actually, if you do, they might think you braindumped. So don't put too much pressure on yourself. Concentrate on passing the exam. If you pass with a high score, great. If you just pass, then great also. As long as you pass it, nothing else matters.

5. Pay attention to trick questions

It has been noted that in our anxiety to pass the test when sitting exams, we make the simplest mistakes. Dumb mistakes that we should avoid at all costs. Do you know what the major dumb mistake is when sitting exams?

"Not paying attention to the full question"

A high number of mistakes are made when the word 'not' is included in a question but we oversee it. Example:

The OSI model does not consists of 7 layers (pay attention to the 'not')

The OSI model does NOT consists of 7 layers (the 'not' is more visible now)

6. Are some questions true-or-false?

Your exam will certainly include these types of questions. And by their nature they are 'easy' because there is only one response. You can guess these so exam providers tend to make their true-or-false questions a bit difficult. So, if a question appears easy, then give it some more thought. Example:

QUESTION: The 10Base185 network transmission medium can support cable segments up to a maximum of 185 meters. True or false?

False because there is no such thing as 10Base185. The correct answer is:

The 10Base2 network transmission medium can support cable segments up to a maximum of 185 meters.

See how this was a trick questions? When sitting exams be especially careful of trick questions.