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Exam & assignment tips

 

Types of assignment

For anyone starting university and struggling to understand the differences between all the different types of assignments this section is for you!

At university the main types of assessments include:

Essay
  • These are probably the most well-known type of assignment, yet they come in multiple different formats 
    • e.g. Reflective writing essay which would need to include some sort of self-reflection on a topic/task/ event etc. 

Literature Reviews
  • These are an academic piece of writing which demonstrate knowledge & understanding of academic literature/papers on a specific topic or context.
    • They usually consist of analysing strengths and weaknesses within the literature

Case-studies
  • These usually ask you to analyse a person/groups/event etc and ask you to provide some sort of recommendation 
    • e.g. in psychology a case study assignment could be on an individual with different symptoms and you have to discuss what their diagnosis could be 

Reports
  • These are again similar to essays and could be anything from a scientist report to a technical or business report 

Presentations
  • These can either be individual or group presentations where students present information verbally to an audience, whether that be with or without a PowerPoint presentation

Multiple Choice questions 
  • This style of assessment is where students select the correct answer from a list of potential options- usually there is 1 correct answer but there may be more

 

Study tips

Revision

  1. Pomodoro method
    1. This technique involves working for 25 minutes then having a short 5-minute break- this can then be repeated up to 4 times and followed by a longer break of 15-30 minutes. 
    2. This method is especially useful for those who get distracted easily and can help break up repetitive work  
  2. Past paper questions
    1. These help you practise time management and gives you a chance to understand the marking criteria and rubric.
    2. After completing a few past paper questions/exams it’ll increase your confidence and understanding prepping you for the real thing!
  3. Blurt method
    1. This technique involves writing down everything you can remember about a particular topic, then comparing these to your previous notes/slides to see which areas you need to improve upon.
    2. It’s a method of active recall which is a technique that helps identify areas of weakness and areas to focus your revision instead of going over things you already know. 
  4. Flash cards
    1. A go to method which is perfect as a method of spaced repetition- if you start going through your flashcards regularly over a period of time this activates your long-term memory and trains the brain to remember information better. 
    2. You can use physical cards with different colours & images or use apps which are easier on the go 
  5. Teach each other 
    1. This is another successful technique which helps you understand and organise your own knowledge and is also another active recall method to assess your ability to recall learn knowledge 
    2. If you can teach others successfully this would indicate you have a pretty sound knowledge on the topic yourself!

 

Looking after your wellbeing 

  1. Take plenty of breaks 
    1. Working in smaller chunks of time is perfect for when you’re struggling to concentrate & breaks can help reduce burn out and fatigue
  2. Go outside/take a walk 
    1. Fresh air can help you feel refreshed, increase mental alertness and reduces anxiety- even a 5-10 minute walk is better than none
  3. Get enough sleep 
    1. A typical adult needs an average of 7-9 hours of sleep each night as a good night’s sleep is essential for memory retention and recall (lack of sleep can cut learning ability by up to 40%)  So… if you want to cut that study procrastination down get a few more hours sleep
  4. Meet up with friends
    1. Whether this is studying with friends or just grabbing a coffee to de-stress and catch up, being around friends can reduce stress levels and provide emotional support which will help everyone with their study stresses. 
  5. Feel free to ask for help from SAW team
    1. LJMU has a dedicated team to help with things like money advice, wellbeing & mental health, disability & dyslexia, report & support and so much more 
      Here is a link to the SAW team page, where you can discover more of what they provide and how to book an appointment