Salam

I am using Cooke (2003) to write this.

We are so nervous with important papers in an exam, aren’t we?

One of my most feared papers was Core Maths Year 3 in my degree level in Leeds.
So how can i advise some one to control their nerves?

Following are some of the advice:

1.  during exam -  getting started -  the hardest part of any exam is getting started.  Students have failed exams because they spent 20 minutes staring at the first question; the panic arises and they then face the same problem with question 2.
   so ..  just read all the questions in the paper ..  read it twice // keep asking yourself .. can you try any ?

if you can .. tick the question as the Q1 to answer first.  ATTACK!  else
pick 3 questions first ..  any 3 ..  to let the anxiety go away …

once the attacking stopped , stop and ask

how about the next 2 questions ?

this depends.

Question 4 .. sometimes i can answer half of it only.

but i tried my best that half question/

Question 5 ..is the hardest.  this will determine whether i can get 4.00 flat or not/

•  managing your time in the exam hall.

try answering the first 3 ..the best that you can.

then relax ..a bit …

now your confidence has increased ..try question 4 now ..do it carefully.  why carefully .. ?

you are hoping to get 10 marks only out of 20.

half question you know?

Once you had done that .. Question 4.. now let us start with Question 5 (the hardest one, OMG! help me plz)

try a bit.  Proving part.
try to write in a better notation .. proving?
can/ can’t you?

you can look at your friends ..you know?
i think if i can’t do this …my friends could  do neither?

try again // owww..so tough /where on earth did Prof Brown got this problem printed today?

better check my solutions 3.5 questions again and again.
then ..try again question 5.

still can’t? Bloody hell.

(laugh)
OR commit to self talk quietly //  

negative self talk =  i’m hopeless with this theorem proving part/

positive self talk =  i’m working well ..you know?….i am planning to use techniques that will pass me this paper.

negative self talk =  i might fail/
positive self talk =  i am determined to pass what come may/  i had worked hard enough to secure at least an  A minus ..and i am planning to do it now/

---

Summary?

do not expect to get as many marks in the university final sem exam.
as compared to assignments/
why? u got only 20 minutes per question in the exam hall while ..in assignments ..you had brought home your peers' work for days ..

if you did not make a complete mess of the exam ..you will almost certainly have passed.
else .. u fail ..and you make the history .. extend the same paper ..when all your friends proceed to their industrial training/  convocation.     You want that boy?

he..he..

Good Luck mate!

Reference:
Cooke, H.(2003).  success with mathematics.  milton keynes:  open university

Original link: https://nenez9595.blogspot.com/2013/06/anxiety-in-examination.html