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Finals Preparation Workshop

Join Presenter Rita Higgins from the Humanities Department for a workshop on how to prepare for finals. Learn the rules for success, including reading source material, taking effective notes, paraphrasing, and developing articulation skills. Gain tips on summarizing essays, identifying key themes, and creating strong exam questions. Enhance your writing skills by using quotes and staying focused on the question. Remember to proofread and edit your work for errors. Don't miss out on this valuable opportunity to excel in your exams!

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Finals Preparation Workshop

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  1. Finals Preparation Workshop Presenter Rita Higgins Humanities Department

  2. English 088, 096, Rdg 096 Rules for Success: Read the source material several times. Highlight the source material with three light colored markers. Use each color to highlight a different theme.

  3. English 088, 096, Rdg 096 Rules for Success: Take notes as you are reading. What do you understand that you can discuss? What is unclear to you? Think of questions you can ask in class.

  4. English 088, 096, Rdg 096 Rules for Success: Can you paraphrase each paragraph and put it in your own words? Do this for homework.

  5. English 088, 096, Rdg 096 Rules for Success: Can you discuss the source material in depth with another student or friend? If you can, then you have developed sufficient articulation skills for this exam.

  6. English 088, 096, Rdg 096 Rules for Success: Now, the next process is transferring what you know about the source essay on to paper. There are a few steps to prepare for a final.

  7. English 088, 096, Rdg 096 First, Write a brief summary of the essay in your own words. This will help you to gain a general understanding of the source material.

  8. English 088, 096, Rdg 096 Next… Look at what the essay emphasizes. What is the title? You should be able to discuss in detail why this title was chosen by the author.

  9. English 088, 096, Rdg 096 Next… Find out the key words and ideas in the essay. Pay attention to the verbs, characters and any transitions in thought.

  10. English 088, 096, Rdg 096 Next, Think of at least three questions that would make good exam questions for this material. The best way to do this is to think about the possible themes in the source material.

  11. English 088, 096, Rdg 096 Think about one theme the source material could be about. Now rephrase that theme into an exam question. Now answer that question by using the following steps…

  12. English 088, 096, Rdg 096 Read the source material carefully, but write about it IN YOUR OWN WORDS. Look at the source material and add some short but relevant quotes that support your answer. Remember that staying on topic is crucial.

  13. English 088, 096, Rdg 096 After you have finished writing your essay, think about what you have written. Are your sentences clear or vague. There are probably a few sentences that you could make more specific. Re-write them and be to the point.

  14. English 088, 096, Rdg 096 Make sure that the quotes that you chose from the source material are brief and have open “and closing” quotation marks. Make sure that the quotes adequately support what you are writing about.

  15. English 088, 096, Rdg 096 Focusing on answering the question without adding ‘fluff’ or vague, rambling statements will get you a higher grade. The key word is FOCUS.

  16. English 088, 096, Rdg 096 Again, make sure you are not just writing about summary; you must answer the exam question with specific references to the reading material.

  17. English 088, 096, Rdg 096 After you have reviewed what you have read and made sure that your answer is focused and includes at least a few strong but brief quotes from the source essay… PROOFREAD AND EDIT YOUR WORK!

  18. English 088, 096, Rdg 096 You are not allowed to re-write your essay and there is no time for that anyway. However, you are expected to proofread your essay carefully AND make corrections.

  19. English 088, 096, Rdg 096 If you insist on using liquid white out, it will take time to paint over a mistake and then more time for it to dry. The accepted way to edit is to put ONE straight line through the words you want removed. If you need to add words, use the ^ (carrot) notation and write the necessary words.

  20. English 088, 096, Rdg 096 Make sure that you have the proper length for your essay. Check with your teacher before you begin. After you are sure your topic is clear and well-developed, proofread and edit for…

  21. English 088, 096, Rdg 096 Sentence structure: Do you have fragments? Do you have run on sentences? Do you have comma splice sentences?

  22. English 088, 096, Rdg 096 Do ALL of your subjects and verbs agree? Are you using the correct singular/plural usage? How is your spelling? Are you using a dictionary?

  23. English 088, 096, Rdg 096 Have you punctuated all of your sentences? Do all of your compound sentences have a comma and the appropriate conjunction? Have you placed a comma after every complex phrase?

  24. English 088, 096, Rdg 096 Hint: A final exam is Not the place to fill up space by asking questions. You are supposed to be developing ideas. Hint: Never say, “What I mean by that is…” If you have to immediately explain what you just said, you were not clear enough in the first place. Use a useful quote instead.

  25. English 088, 096, Rdg 096 What kind of grade to you expect for the final is in direct relation to how many hours you spend practicing answering essay questions for the exam. If you wait until the day before the exam, you will not have given yourself time to think about it.

  26. English 088, 096, Rdg 096 Give yourself the best advantage by thinking about the CONTENTS of the exam with every free moment you have. Exchange phone numbers with fellow students and discuss IN A PRODUCTIVE AND POSITIVE MANNER what each of you know.

  27. English 088, 096, Rdg 096 Now, think about another theme for the source material. Now make the theme into an exam question and answer it. What quotes are you drawing upon from your essay?

  28. English 088, 096, Rdg 096 How focused are you? Are your sentences vague or specific? Hint: Remember that you ARE allowed to use the source material during the final. Knowing this, what important notes and key ideas have you written in the margins of our source material?

  29. English 088, 096, Rdg 096 For the final: Make sure you are in class at least five full minutes before the test begins. Make sure you have at least two ball point pens and your source material. Do not take the test on an empty stomach or overly full stomach. Eat moderately.

  30. English 088, 096, Rdg 096 Common sense Good Manners: Turn off all audio equipment such as cell phones, pagers and CD equipment before entering the room. Do not eat or create distractions by crinkling candy or chip wrappers. Do not chew gum or tap your pen or create ‘nervous noise’. Remember that creating distractions is unfair to other students. Remember to be thoughtful 

  31. English 088, 096, Rdg 096 Please remember, it is completely against school policy to speak to another student during the final exam. If you have a question, approach the teacher and ask your question. If another student tries to ask you questions, please refer them to the teacher who will be happy to assist them.

  32. English 088, 096, Rdg 096 Sometimes, even the most simple instructions seem complicated when you are nervous. Remember that it is the teacher’s responsibility to answer your questions. Therefore, do not be afraid to ask questions at any point during the exam.

  33. English 088, 096, Rdg 096 Now… What questions do you have? 

  34. Thanks for Joining Us Today Please fill out the questionnaire and turn it in before leaving the lecture hall. Good luck on the final exam!

  35. Final Exam Preparation Presenter Rita Higgins Humanities

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