Develop a Strategy for Your Exam Preparation from the Start of the Semester
- Reading the Curriculum: Identify which parts of the curriculum are most relevant for your exam and determine the best way to study them.
- Group Work: How can you and your study group best review the curriculum in relation to the exam? Read about group work here. You might want to agree on how to study together throughout the semester and in the days leading up to the exam.
- Planning the Days Leading Up to the Exam: Create a preliminary plan for the exam period and the days leading up to the exam. Read about planning here.
Know the Exam Requirements:
- Factual Requirements: The study regulations and course descriptions are the most important guidelines for exam preparation. If there is something you do not understand, ask your instructor or the study office.
- Instructor’s Thoughts on the Exam: There may be important insights from your instructor that can make your semester study and exam preparation more coherent with the exam itself.
- Other Students’ Experiences: Talk to students who have already taken the exam and hear about their experiences. You can also talk to your study guidance unit.
- Your Own Requirements and Expectations: Reflect on your own requirements and expectations for the exam.
Get Counselling
Contact the Counselling and Study Support team if you want to discuss how you can improve your exam preparations.
When you are preparing for an oral exam, remember:
- It is a conversation between you, your teacher, and the examiner. The purpose of the conversation is to test your knowledge of the subject’s methods and theories. The teacher and examiner ask questions to determine your level.
- You can appear more confident with simple measures. For example, practice speaking clearly and distinctly. Also, consider dressing in a way that doesn’t distract from what you are saying.
- Taking exams is about learning. So, take time to evaluate afterward. What did you learn from taking the exam?
Practice before the exam:
If you need to start with a presentation, practice it beforehand to ensure it makes sense and fits within the time limit. You can also practice in a setting similar to the actual exam. For example, ask your friends or family to act as the teacher and examiner. This way, you get used to the situation before the exam.
Good advice for oral exams
- Remember to eat well and get a good night’s sleep before the oral exam.
- Avoid “panic studying” in the hours leading up to the exam.
- Do excersices that helps you relax.
Preparation for the Written On-Site Exam
Practice in a way that mimics the actual exam. You can do this by:
- Acquiring old exam sets and solving them within the time limit.
- Turning off your mobile phone and internet.Locking your door and having snacks and water ready.
- Only after the time is up, you can talk to your study group or look in books or online for help.
Preparation for the Written Take-Home Assignment
- Look at old exam assignments to see if there are recurring themes.
- Make sure you have your notes, books, and other necessary materials organized.
- Set up your workspace in a way that allows you to concentrate and work efficiently.
- Plan your days with the assignment, ensuring there is time for breaks and relaxation. Read more about planning here.
Sorry to hear that!
But know that it is very common. You are not the first student ever to have failed an exam
You need to register for the re-exam
Read more about re-exams on your study page. Find your study page via mitsdu.dk. Expand the menu and click on Exams. If you are in doubt, talk to someone from your study office.
Are you afraid it will go wrong again?
Then book a session with the Counselling and Study Support team. And reach out in good time.
Written campus-based exam
You sit with others in a room at SDU and have to solve an assignment within a certain time frame, eg 4 hours. There will be exam guards present, who will supervise the exam, and with whom you can also get help with some practical things. But keep track of the rules and procedures before the written campus-based exam, so you know, for example, whether you need to use your student card, whether it is with or without aids, how to hand in the assignment at the end, ExamMonitor, etc. There we typically go a month before you get your grade.
Oral examination
Here you will orally present a certain topic in the course of approx. 15-30 minutes. A topic that you either know in advance (eg based on an assignment you have written). Or you draw the topic prior to your presentation, and may have some time to prepare the topic, or you just get started right away. You typically get your grade immediately after the presentation, once the examiner and teacher have voted.
Take-home assignment
This exam is typically started with you all being given a task description, and then have a few days to answer the task. You normally sit from home and write on the assignment. It is not always allowed to discuss the assignment with others, but often all other aids (books, notes and the Internet) are allowed for this type of exam.
Project group exam
As a group you will typically start by presenting your project to the teacher and external examiner. This is followed by an individual presentation of themes related to the project or to the theories from the teaching.
Major written assignment (BA and thesis)
Is an independent process with an assignment, where you have to define the topic and problem statement yourself, find literature and theory, collect empirical data and discuss and answer your problem statement. If the assignment is to be defended orally, you will receive your grade immediately after the assignment defense. If the assignment only needs to be assessed in writing, you will receive the grade within one month.
Learn more about the process of writing larger academic assigments.
Would you like to join a Master Thesis Group? Find information about Master Thesis Groups on the Counselling and Study Support webpage under the heading Group Courses.
OSCE exam
Consists of various stands around a room where your clinical skills can be tested both orally and in writing. You will have some time at each stand, and then rotate on to the next stand when the time has elapsed. You get your grade within a month.
Then you are not alone
And there is plenty you can do to let exam nerves affect you less.
Join a group session
On the Counselling and Study support page, you can find a link to a group session for people struggling with exam anxiety. This group session is held every semester. You can also book an individual guidance session where we can talk about your challenges and hopefully get a handle on your exam anxiety.
Studenterrådgivningen also offers various services
Among other things, you can have a personal conversation about your exam challenges at Studenterrådgivningen. Or perhaps download the app Mind district and get online support.
Know and understand the rules regarding your exams
As a student, you are responsible for knowing and adhering to the exam rules. You can read about the rules and frameworks that apply to you and your exams under the "Exam" menu on your study page, which you can find via mitsdu.dk.
Why are the rules and good academic practice so important?
The exam rules help ensure that all students receive equal and fair treatment.
The rules also help ensure that when graduates complete their education at SDU, they have the competencies, knowledge, and skills that the study programs promise. Therefore, good academic practice is crucial.