In this part of revision skills we will introduce a powerful, practical procedure for overcoming exam nerves.

Relaxation is the body's natural antidote to anxiety. It is impossible to be relaxed and tense at the same time.

Learning to relax is fairly easy and, once mastered, it may be used in any potentially stressful situation, for example being interviewed, asking for a date, or playing sport.

Before the Examination

Picture yourself going into the exam room, taking your seat behind the desk and preparing for the start. Imagine turning over the paper, when told to do so, and reading through the questions.

Create this scene as vividly as possible, not only seeing what is happening but also hearing the sounds of the exam room: -

If this makes you at all anxious, repeat the word CALM each time you breathe out.
When relaxed again, return to the imaginary exam room.

Learning to cope with exam nerves in your imagination helps you to avoid them in real life.

Relax the night before your exam, by clenching every muscle you can and then relaxing them, and immediately on waking up the following day. If you have little to do on the night before the exam, this will help considerably.

If you get the chance immediately before going into the examination room, find a quiet spot and spend a few moments sitting quietly and allowing yourself to unwind.

When sitting in the exam room, make yourself relax in the seat by consciously relaxing each muscle, starting with your toes and gradually moving upwards.

Practice these skills until they become second nature and you will find yourself able to cope more easily, not just with exams, but also with a wide range of stressful activities.

	MAKE QUITE CERTAIN YOU KNOW WHERE AND WHEN YOUR EXAMS ARE, WHAT EQUIPMENT WILL BE PROVIDED (OR NOT ALLOWED), AND WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO TAKE FOR YOURSELF.
IN THE EXAM, ANSWER THE QUESTIONS THAT ARE ACTUALLY SET; STICK TO YOUR TIME PLAN; STICK TO THE RIGHT POINTS. REMEMBER THAT YOU ARE NOT ON YOUR OWN, AND IN PARTICULAR THAT IF ANYTHING SHOULD GO WRONG, DO TELL THE RIGHT MEMBER OF STAFF STRAIGHTAWAY. REMEMBER THAT EXAMS ARE NOT DESIGNED TO CATCH YOU OUT, BUT TO FIND OUT WHAT YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU UNDERSTAND, AND WHAT YOU CAN DO.

This guide is intended to help with your revision, and your examination technique, so that you can make the most of what you know, understand and can do.

It does not offer a way round the problem of lack of effort in the past, but can help you make the best use of the time you have left.

IMPORTANT POINTS ABOUT REVISION AND EXAM

PLAN REVISION

· Do not pretend that everything can be done in a rush the night before each exam.
· Work out how long you have got to revise before the exams, and plan how to use your time.

PREPARATION

· Make sure you know what will be examined in each subject, and the way in which the questions are asked. Have a look at the syllabus for this year's exams and past examination papers.
· Make sure you know what you will need for each exam …. both what is provided for you, and what you must provide yourself.
· Make sure you know where and when your exams are to be held.
· Make sure you know the rules for each exam. Never be tempted to break them!
· Make sure you are comfortable before going into an exam - go to the toilet, wear comfortable clothes if your school allows this.

IN THE EXAMINATION ROOM

· Read instructions very carefully - do the right number of questions from the right sections, and answer compulsory questions.

· Plan you time in the exam - if you only attempt half the questions needed your best possible mark is 50% however good the answers!

· Read questions very carefully BEFORE you start writing anything - not halfway through your answer. The examiners allow time for you to read the paper when they plan the exam so don't think that you are wasting time.

· Answer the questions set, not the ones you hoped for. However good your work, you will get NO marks if you don't answer the examiners' questions.

· Make sure your answers are carefully presented - write clearly and label diagrams, for example, if this helps your answer.

· Let the supervisor know if anything is disturbing you - other people tapping nervously with a pencil, noise outside the examination room, or even the supervisor's squeaky shoes.

AFTER AN EXAMINATION

· Don't worry about the one you've just taken; you can't do anything about it now! Concentrate instead on the next one.
· Tell you school straightaway about illness or other circumstances which might have affected your performance.

DO NOT PANIC

· Exams are NOT designed to catch you out.
· Being calm and thoughtful in the exam will help you get the most from your preparation.