Facing Examinations

                                                                    Facing Examinations                        

                        

                           Preamble

                      Examinations are viewed with contempt and prejudice, as measures of dislocating one’s desire for ascension in life. Vivid indifference to logical approach, rules the study pattern of boys and girls even in their tertiary level of academic pursuit. Too often marks scored in examinations have determined the efficiency of study. This criterion is defective as it fails to take cognizance of competence or comprehension of candidates.

                         Inadequacy in approach

                          The malady is traceable to the culture of question- answer methodology of preparation in place of learning through comprehension of textual passages. Getting to face examinations should just be incidental as a part of learning. Our scenario is far removed from this ideal, as answering questions premeditated is stupidly being pursued. It is a case of ‘remedy being worse than the disease’, as learning is confined to answering only known questions and to not even the ones paraphrased to look new !

                          Learn to Learn Focus should be on comprehension and proper orientation of details. Training the mind to draw correct information and aligning them should be adopted through sessions of teaching. If not, the student has to spend a little time to organize subject information by personal effort and prepare ‘home-made’ reference material as a preparatory exercise.

                         Aligning the information

                           Any learner knows the sequence by which the content should be placed [from basic to higher details /data]. ]. By this method, the student assembles the reading material by personal effort. So, the memory does not get taxed, as facts are comprehended. Thus, in small pages lessons are prepared as gist. Use this gist for study and recalling

                         Advantages of personal effort

                          While assembling the ‘reading material’, long stretches of information get registered in our minds without recourse to recitation /memorizing. Since any piece of information is personally assembled, natural comfort gets integrated in the language used. Since, the student makes use of the text, [s]he is familiar with the textual content as against those trying to survive on ‘predigested notes’. The idea of using the text offers the right advantages of employing punctuations as means of driving a point home

                      1] A WOMAN WITHOUT HER MAN IS A SAVAGE                             

                      a] A WOMAN  WITHOUT  HER  MAN  IS  A  SAVAGE                                            

                     b] A WOMAN WITHOUT  HER  MAN  IS  A  SAVAGE                                             

               Try punctuating the statements a] and b] while retaining item 1 for unpunctuated reference

                          Punctuations can simply alter the implications*.

                         Reference material

                           Normally, texts are assembled by subject experts; so, they are more authentic than some reference materials marketed as ‘notes’. In an effort to simplify statements, sometimes notes tend to distort information. Referring to more authentic pieces of work is a superior academic practice, especially for improving vocabulary, knowledge and enhancing our abilities of comprehension. If difficulties are encountered, use of standard Dictionaries can offer the right support to understand terms and their usage. In due course, one gets to grasp better styles of writing and can get over the inherent fear for using other languages.  Condition your memory.   Memory is a useful faculty, if kept fresh. Systematic use of this faculty by recalling information is a healthy practice for keeping it alert and tidy.

                           Time Management in Examinations   Accord judicious weight to questions as per the maximum marks prescribed for each. However, bring out the most salient points to convey the essence of the theme.   Please avoid treating all questions alike [say–Essays, answers long/medium/short].            Await Details            

                        Prof. K. Raman

                      * a] A WOMAN, WITHOUT HER, MAN IS A SAVAGE  

                                           

                         b] A WOMAN WITHOUT HER MAN, IS A SAVAGE                    

                        

                             Now a]    and b] are radically different