Tips For Reading For Excellent Performance in Examination - i2Connect

Friday, 11 August 2017

Tips For Reading For Excellent Performance in Examination


Examination is the assessment of the knowledge gained by a student at the end of a period of training. The desire of any student going for examination is to succeed. However, some have experienced failure in examinations over the years. Consequently, such now discouraged and have even lost confidence in themselves that they could ever succeed. Failure in any examinations is generally a cumulative effect of several factors. Prominent among these factors is the inability to read and comprehend. As a student, you are to be reader because ‘readers are leaders’.

You are not only to read, you are also to ensure that you comprehend what you read. A lot of students do not comprehend what they study not because they cannot, but because they have not learnt the principles of reading for comprehension. This ignorance is what has led many into the captivity of failure.

Comprehending what you read initially may seem difficult, but if we follow the principles, we would discover that is it possible. The secret behind great leaders whether secular or spiritual is that they are given to effective reading good materials. Not only are they given to reading those good materials, they also comprehend the points in the material and apply them at the appropriate time. Reading and comprehending what we read would make us masters of our subjects. It gives us confidence to approach examination and excel. It will also promote u, bring us into favour and help us to excel in leadership position.

You can get to unimaginary heights through reading of good materials. However, reading bad material will lead you to the depth of corruption and backwardness in life. Comprehending and remembering what we read besides being beneficial, is quite possible.

George Washington: Who was reportedly able to call every solder under his command by name.

Winston Churchill: this man was said to recall so much of Shakespare’s work from memory that when he want to play he would often recite the lines from the audience and distract the actors.

The poet John Milton: who was blind, composed ‘’Paradise Lost’’ in his mind 40 lines at a time and then recited them to a scribe.

Bill Gate: founder of Microsoft, has been known to amaze his colleagues by remembering hundreds of lines of source code from the original basic programming language he developed.

Julius Caesar’s memory was so sharp that he could dictate four letters to his secretaries simultaneously.  So, you can be the next success story.

To overcome poor reading habits, we need to attend classes, seminars, and conferences regularly and punctually, listen attentively in these occasions, while the instructor, seminarian or lecturer lectures and also take down good notes during this period. Listening is a skill, which can be hindered through:

Day dreaming: this is when the mind wonder from one place to another when the mind is occupied with one thought you cannot concentrate on any other thing at the same time. That is why many students after a lesson cannot recall a word of all the teachers has said.

Lack of interest: another phenomenon is lack of interest in a particular subject. This makes it awkward for some to pay rapid attention when you subject is being discussed.

Noisy environment: An environment polluted with noise dot makes reading and comprehending uninteresting. Though, some students can read under this atmosphare while others would find it disgusting. However, it’s advisory to read under zero degree polluted environment as most library were formed in this manner.

Distraction: distraction here takes divers form. It could be from friends, fellow student or course-mate, or the use of handset or cell phone during reading period.

Poor reading techniques: the read techniques adapted will also determine to what extent people will read and comprehend. Some students formed the habits of reading on their feet, reading while walking, etc. this may not be good reading techniques to everyone, perhaps it should rather be discouraged.

The following tips would help you to be a good listener, though not limited to this:

1.      Read ahead the teacher

2.      Listen carefully to understand the meaning of what is being taught and examples given by the teacher to support the points made

3.      Do not hesitate to ask questions in class when you are not clear

4.      Avoid day-dreaming and wandering thought.

5.      Create interest in the subject and the teacher

Note-taking is one of the memory aids that help mental rehearsal, retention and consequently comprehension of the subject matter. The combination of thinking and writing, results in more effective processing of information. It helps careful listening in classes and aids comprehension. Note-taking in your own handwriting will help you to understand and remember. Class note combined with note from textbooks are excellent source of review. A good note should include all main ideas and enough subordinate points to enhance understanding; all formulae, rules, and definitions; all teacher’s illustration and examples used to clarify important ideas should be noted down.

The following will help while taking note:

1.      Take all necessary materials with you to class

2.      Arrive in class early, stay actively engaged and participate in class

3.      Keep your attention focused on what your teacher is saying

4.      Shut out all wandering thoughts

5.      Be thorough: write down the date and topic of each class

6.      Emphasize key words, main points, examples, e.c.t in uppercase

7.      Note down unfamiliar vocabulary and terms for further studies and clarifications

8.      Improve on your handwriting if need be

9.      Draw legible diagrams and illustrations that can aid your handwriting

10.  Compare your notes with a serious-minded friends for any omission and correction

To comprehend during study, it must be done at the appropriate time and place by using the right techniques. The major two study techniques highlighted below have been very helpful if properly applied:

 The first is SQ3R approach

S - Survey

Q-Question
3R – i. Read, ii. Recite, iii. Review

Survey: this assists to get the main ideas before commencing the study. It involves looking at the title, subheadings and any summaries or abstracts

Questions: this context has to do with making a list of questions relevant to your subject

Read: read the text at least twice

 Recite: recall what you have read after closing the note and then make your own note

Review: review the process by checking the accuracy of your notes with the original note. This will inevitably yield great success.

Secondly, the R6 approach. The approach gives you an opportunity to:

1.      Record facts and ideas in phrases

2.      Reduce to questions important ideas learnt in the class

3.      Recite facts or ideas brought to your mind by key words or questions

4.      Reflect on the facts and ideas that you have learnt

5.      Review your notes regularly

6.      Recap by summarizing each main idea with good sentences during study

 Photo Credit: Wikimedia

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