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Exam Workshop30 April 2009
Adam Sandelson Lynne RobeLSE Student Counselling Service TLC
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Aims
To examine practical techniques fordealing with revision and exams
To look at common psychological issues
To review stress management skills To identify sources of advice and help
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Part 1
Techniques fordealing withrevision and
exams
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Time and Targets Set realistic and achievable goals
Break down huge activities into smallmanageable tasks
Use short term targets and longer termstrategies
Recognise short term achievements
Revise study skills, time management skills
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Focussing on the task Concentrate on the task, not the outcome
Remember past successes
Recognise you are likely to pass
Be methodical, and allow time for breaks
and space to breathe and think Use mind maps, scribble ideas
Go for a walk, talk out loud
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Revision and Exams Dont compare yourself
to others
Work out your ownschedule, but be flexibleand learn from others
Recognise the collectiveanxiety in the library
Find different ways and
places to work Dont be obsessive! Talk to others, ask for
help and support
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On the day of the exam Dont cram, sleep
Relax, visualize it being OK
Read the question
Sketch out thoughts, mind map
Plan answers
Keep notes for later questions
After avoid show-offs
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Part 2
Psychological Issues in
approaching revision
and exams
Family Dynamics
Procrastination Perfectionism
Change
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Underlying dyna
mics
The family / historic context for yoursuccess, eg keeping the family together
Trying to please others
Wanting to be the best
Setting yourself impossible targets
Re-enacting anxiety, trauma, failure
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Dynamics of study, work, life ...
Pastrelationships
Relationship
with LSE or
exams or
or work or
Currentrelationships
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What is procrastination? Putting off a task which needs to be done It may involve feelings of anxiety, stress,
guilt, shame and depression. We may disguise avoidance by being busy We may find things to do that are
interesting or even useful, but don't
contribute towards the main goal
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Why do we procrastinate? time management
inability to prioritise,task overload
not knowing what isrequired
anxiety about the task
boredom about the task
fear of failure/ success
perfectionism
all-or-nothing thinking
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Overcoming revision blocks
Stop new reading if this is avoidance, makenotes, summarize ideas, list key quotes
Practice questions from past papers
Practice drafting bullet points
Break work down into chunks
Take a break/sleep on it/talk to someone Talk to the computer or your hand?
Acknowledge your procrastination!
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Dealing with perfectionism
Perfectionist attitudes can reduce achievement. The desire to be perfect can deny you a sense of satisfaction
and make you achieve less than if you had more realistic goals
Experiment with your standards for success: try for80% or even 60%
Focus on the process of doing an activity not just theend result.
Evaluate success in terms of what you accomplishedand whether you enjoyed the task
Recognize and challenge all or nothing thinking
Acknowledge and your perfectionism!
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Thinking about life after LSE
Not everyone knows what they wantto do afterwards - its OK to wait
Transition and change are stressful
Going home
Losing Social Network How to keep in touch with others
Preparing for work; the Rat Race
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Preparing for change Acknowledge what is
about to happen
Dont deny endings
Be willing to saygoodbye
Dont obsess too muchabout endings
Remember thatendings are part of life
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Part 3
Review your StressManagement Skills
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Stress Management Skills Regularly switch off
with some kind ofphysical activity
Good self care sleep,diet, caffeine, alcoholand nicotine
Time management(appropriate pacing)
Mini-breaks (5 10minute periods duringthe day to relax)
Abdominal breathingand relaxation
Allow yourself time outwithout guilt
Acknowledge anxiety,rather than denying it
Its normal see thewebsite
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Cognitive Strategies Constructive thinking challenge negative
thinking
Distraction distract yourself from negativethoughts and worries
Accept difficulties and setbacks see them asgood for learning and personal growth?
Tolerance for not knowing/ ambiguity practice seeing shades of grey
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Challenging negative thoughtsApply Socratic reasoning or imagine
this being tested in a Court of Law
Identify the negative thought Eg, I am going to fail all my exams
Ascertain the evidence For and Against
Ask if you are making a thinking error
Propose a more reasonable alternativethought
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Thinking errors
Discounting the positive
Tunnel Vision only seeing the negative side of
things
Overgeneralizing because it happened in the past it
will happen again in the future
All or nothing thinking
Believing a catastrophe will happen
Emotional Reasoning If I feel it then it must be true
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Part4
What sources ofadvice and helpare available?
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Sources of advice and help Tutor or Departmental
staff
Teaching and Learning
Centre Learning World Website
Student Services Centre
Deans
Don't wait untilproblems have grownimpossibly large!
Student Union and AdviceCentre
Medical Centre
Mental Health andWellbeing Advisor
Disability and WellbeingOffice
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Further resources Learning World - http://moodle.lse.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=698
See powerpoints on: Exams I: Planning and Preparation Resource Exams II: Last Minute Preparation and Sitting the Exams Exams III: Using Past Exam Papers Resource
Student Counselling Service website http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/studentCounsellingService/groups.htmSee powerpoints/ video podcasts on: Psychological Issues Involved In The Task Of Writing Overcoming Perfectionism Procrastination workshop:
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LSEStudent Counselling
Service Free and confidential Available to any current student Mainly offers short term counselling Appointments need to be booked in advance Urgent appointments can be seen the same day
(phone early in the day for this)
See Website for Stress management handout Links to self help resources on a wide range of student
issues, including study related and personal difficulties Relaxation MP3s
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Drop in Exam groups LSE Student Counselling Service
Every Monday (not bank holiday) Date: 27 April until 8 June
Venue: B212
Time: 11.30 1.00 (please arrivepromptly)
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Final thoughts
Focus on the task, not the outcome
Transition can be stressful, but alsoallows us to grow as a person
Imagine looking back in 5 years
Talk