Preparing for Medical School - Page 17
Taking Subjective Exams
Subjective exams, in addition to recall, require
organization and, frequently, conclu-
sions. The following suggestions can prove
helpful:
1. Read all the questions carefully and then
select the easiest question to answer first.
2. After selecting the question, do not begin
writing your response immediately.
Rather, organize your answer in a logical order
by noting down headings and
subheadings, and then proceed.
3. The essay should be structured so that you
initially present your position, follow
it up with relevant data or arguments, and then
draw the appropriate conclusions
(offering other options when
desirable).
4. Allot an appropriate amount of time for each
question. When the time is up,
wrap up your conclusions and move
on.
5. At the outset, merely identify the question
without repeating it. This will save time.
6. Try to have a strong lead sentence in each
paragraph, with the following sen-
tences supporting or flowing from this opening
one.
7. When possible, use the technical vocabulary
of the course.
8. Try to make your sentences short and as
uncomplicated as possible. The sen-
tences should not be mere definition
statements, but should be supported by
facts or arguments when possible. These should,
preferably, be arranged in
order.
9. If providing a definition, try to give it a
broad meaning and use the instructor's
wording when possible.
10. If you have answered in what you consider a
satisfactory manner, do not seek to
"flesh it out" with irrelevant
information.
11. If you do not know an answer to an essay
question and have left it to the end
and still have no recall, write on a closely
related issue in the hope that you will
get partial credit.
12. Leave some space after each essay question
in the case you recall some addi-
tional information later and time permits you
to come back.
13. Neatness is very desirable; if it is
difficult to read your writing, the instructor
may be negatively biased. Write your essay in
ink to enhance neatness.
14. Write your essay on one side of the page,
leaving the other side for use, if nec-
essary, later.
Upon Exam Completion
When you finish the exam, you will have a
natural impulse to want to leave the room.
You should make use of any remaining time to
review your answers. Answers to objec-
tive questions should be altered if you feel
that they were misinterpreted or answered
wrong. Do not do so merely on
impulse.
Review of your answers may also bring to your
attention any questions that have inad-
vertently gone unanswered or may have been
answered in the wrong place (a not uncom-
mon situation that can prove disastrous). In a
situation where you were forced to guess,
rereading a question may bring the correct
answer to mind. For essays, rereading can bring
to light a point or issue that was overlooked,
probably because we think faster than we
write. Computations should be rechecked,
especially the position of decimal points.
After leaving the classroom, make notes
pertaining to the questions asked so that
you have an idea of the type of exams the
instructor gives, a useful reference for future
exam preparation.
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