Tag Archives: Study skills

CAIB Study Tip #9 – Relax to Ensure No Silly Mistakes Are Made

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Silly mistakes are 100% avoidable on exams so do not become a victim of them. One of the most head shaking mistakes that I see on exams is in regards to multiple choice questions. Students are in such a rush to get through the questions, they accidentally go:

13. D
14. A
16. C
17. D
18. B
19. A
20. B

Notice anything? Like the fact that #15 was skipped?? When this happens, even though I know that the person is answering #16 as though it is #15, I have to mark it wrong. It is such a waste when the person obviously knew the material.

Next important thing to remember is NEVER leave any blank questions. Even if you do not know what the answer is, write down anything even if it is just a definition of what the question is answering or an example of when that situation may occur in real-life. Exams within a few marks of passing are remarked and it can be partial marks for these snippets of information that can make the difference between a pass and a fail. Nothing is worse than failing someone who is only a few marks shy of passing but because they didn’t write enough information down, I can’t find them any ½ marks to help boost their grade.

And if you find yourself stumped on a question, skip it, and maybe a different question will unknowingly give you information that you can use for the one you were stuck on. As exams are computer generated from a bank of premade questions, this can happen more often than you think!

answer

Read the questions carefully. Read the questions at least twice, in case you missed something before. Underline the keywords in the question. Don’t rush. If possible, read the entire exam through before beginning to work. This will give you an idea of what is in store and will help you to manage your time better. It also prevents any nasty surprises with only a few minutes left.

Go with your first answer. Your first answer is probably correct and if you go back and change your mind several times, you are likely to make a mistake due to self-doubt.

Use logic when you’re stuck on a multiple choice question. Usually 1 or 2 of the question choices are sometimes wrong, so take those away. Now you should have two answers, so now there is a bigger chance of you getting it right. Now go over everything and find the best answer out of the 2. The key to multiple choice isn’t thinking “Which one is right?” but instead “Which of these are not right?” and using that until you have one answer left.

Simple suggestions but when it comes down to those last few marks to pass, they can make all the difference in the world!

CAIB Study Tip #8 – Read the Question Carefully

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Rushing though the exam and not readying questions carefully has been the downfall of many students. Don’t let it happen to you!

When you get to a question, the first thing you should look at is the point allocation. If a question is worth ½ mark, they are only looking for a simple definition. But if it is worth 2 marks, you better be writing at least 4 strong points (justifying ½ mark award for each point). Also keeping an eye out for key action words will help you know how the marker will be evaluating your answers.

Key Action Words Used in Exam Questions:

Describe: Tell or depict in writing.
List: List items or a statement of facts. No explanation is required – extra marks are not given for an explanation.
Compare: Indicate the characteristics of two or more items and point out both their differences and similarities.
Contrast: Point out the differences between two or more items.
Define: State meaning of a term in a clear, concise way.
Explain: Give an explanation. It is not enough merely to define terms.
Identify: State items or give a statement of facts and give an example to illustrate.
Illustrate: Give an example which makes the idea or concept clear.
Justify: Give convincing reasons for your decisions or conclusions.

When you are writing out your answers, be sure to keep the following in mind:

-Write legibly – even if you have to print or write on every other line.

-If appropriate, refer to specific examples from readings and lectures to support and illustrate your points.

-Stay on the topic. The marker does not want to know everything you have learned – just everything needed to answer the particular question.

-Do not ramble. Overly wordy answers may make the reader question the knowledge of the writer.

-Reread your answer before moving on to another question since the thoughts are still in your mind.

-Reread the question. Make sure your answer satisfies the question.

CAIB Study Tip # 6 – Surround Yourself with Learning

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Our world is constantly bombarding us with new information – products on TV, music on the radio, ads while surfing the internet. And trends show that this method actually works so why no use it for your educational advantage!

Create a 24-hour learning environment by putting up review charts and points where you can see them daily – on mirrors, doors, fridge, bathroom, television, or bedside table. Even putting a few definitions on sticky notes which are placed on your monitor at work will have you constantly looking at them while you are working which will help the definition stick in your mind.

If possible, even look at purchasing a white board and dry erase markers, so you can test your recall by reproducing the mind maps which you can use to chart out the information from a chapter in a visual format. Many dollar stores even sell large poster paper which can be used for the same purpose. As well, use bright-colored markers, include images when making your notes can help to trigger your memory and most of all, have fun.

Looking for individual help preparing for the CAIB or CPIB exams? IBAM is hosting informal study groups building up to the December 2013 exam sitting. Contact the IBAM office for more information on how to register.

Study Group Registration Form

CAIB Study Tip # 1 – Create a Plan

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A well-known saying is “if you fail to plan, you plan to fail”. Planning and time management is a key to success. It helps you to complete your course in time and save time for revision. If you don’t plan and study haphazardly, there are more chances that you may not be able to complete your course before the exam. We all have busy lives and sometimes that means that certain tasks can fall to the bottom of the list. I would love to say that studying for an insurance exam is the most riveting task in the world but surprisingly not everyone seems to think so.

If you are planning to write your exam in December, you have hopefully already been dedicating time to studying. But if you haven’t been giving your exam as high of a priority as you should be – don’t worry!! It is absolutely not too late if you start making your exam part of your daily routine.

One of the first important steps you must do in the planning process is to discover your time commitment. Pull out your text book and look at the number of chapters as well as their length. Just as us facilitators do in the discussion classes, separate the information into manageable segments. This might mean each chapter is a segment or it may mean that each section of a chapter is a segment. Do what works for you.

Now that you have broken up the book, get out your calendar. Looking at your upcoming commitments, schedule yourself time to work on each of these segments. The next step is easy and difficult all wrapped in one – write this schedule down!!! It is easy to say that you will commit one hour per day after dinner on studying but unless it is written down and you are accountable for it, it is easy to just let the time get away from you. Sharing this schedule with your family and friends will also help others remember when to give you quiet time to work on your course.

If you are struggling to find focused time to study, look into registering for the IBAM Study Groups coming up to give yourself some of the dedicated time that the exam requires for successful results.

Study Group Registration Form