Exam techniqueJohn Mullen

Have you been told

• If you don’t attempt all the questions you won’t get the marks for the ones you have left.

• Start with the easy problems and complete them.

• Move on to the difficult questions and do what you can with them.

Right for some.

WRONG FOR MOST

Focussed and diffuse modes of thinking

Introduction

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6z_uDW1aQo

Focused mode

Diffuse mode

What do you think?

?

A different way! A better way?

• Difficult problems scream for the creative powers of the diffuse mode.

• To access the diffuse mode you need to be not focussing on what you badly need to solve.

• So start with the hardest question.• Pull away as soon as you get stuck or

think you are not on the right track.

Why?

• The question is loaded into the focused mode.

• Turning away from it kicks in the diffused mode

Then• Turn to an easy question and do it.• Next turn to another hard question and

repeat the process.

• And again

Effect• When you return to the more difficult

problem you may be surprised to find that you can progress it considerably.

• You may not answer it all

• But when you hit the brick wall move on to another question and come back later.

Essentially

• Different parts of the brain are enabled to function simultaneously in the different modes.

• You also avoid “Einstellung” – getting stuck in the wrong approach.

Why didn’t I think of that?

• So often the diffuse mode only engages when you are going out of the door.

• “I knew that – why didn’t I include it in my answer?

Stress• Stress is not necessarily a bad thing.• How do you see stress?• Shift your thinking from:• “This exam has made me afraid.” to• “This exam has got me excited to do my

best.” and • Do some deep breathing (singer’s approach.• Practice it in the weeks before the exam.

Good worry and bad worry

• Good worry provides motivation and focus.• Bad worry simply wastes energy.

Work hard but

• Stop the day before.• Ask yourself• “Would you run a 10 mile race the day

before running a marathon?”

Finally

• If you finish early.• Check your answers from as many

perspectives as you can.• If you’re in diffuse mode, there will always

be something you can improve.

But remember

• If you haven’t prepared well for the exam…….

Relevant reading

• Oakley, Barbara (2014). A Mind for Numbers: How to Excel at Math and Science (Even If You Flunked Algebra). New York, NY: Penguin-Random House. See in particular chapter 17.

More about Learning

• University of California San Diego:• Learning how to learn• MOOC available on Coursera