How to Get Higher Marks in Exams

Co-authored by Ted Dorsey, MA

Last Updated: January 31, 2023 References Approved

Have you got an important test coming up that you really want to ace? Do you generally want to improve your grades and marks? There are a number of tricks and practices which can significantly improve your chances of scoring high on a test. This article will help you in studying, analyzing, and solving exam questions, so read on!

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Absorbing Knowledge Efficiently

1
Pay attention in your classes and focus. The best thing you can do to raise your test scores is to pay attention when you're supposed to be learning the material: in class! Letting your mind wander or not showing up at all are both likely to make you miss out on key information that will later appear on tests.^{[1]
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Trustworthy Source
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
Nonprofit organization providing innovative, effective educational resources for educators designed to support student achievement
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2
Take good notes. This is important if you want to have an easier time studying later. Not only will writing the information down as you learn it help you in absorbing the information and paying attention, but you'll have a reference for when you go to study later.^{[2]
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Expert Source

Ted Dorsey, MA
Academic Tutor
Expert Interview. 11 December 2019.}^{[3]
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3
Do your homework. Homework, such as assignments and at-home reading are where you will find the rest of the information that will be on tests, so doing this homework is important. Schedule time and set aside a quiet place just for homework to help beat the procrastination blues.^{[4]
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4
Use mnemonics and other tricks. Various memory tricks really can be useful for remembering certain things like numbers, categories, and lists. Just make sure that you learn them correctly and don't mix them up!^{[5]
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Expert Source

Ted Dorsey, MA
Academic Tutor
Expert Interview. 11 December 2019.}^{[6]
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- Mnemonics are phrases which can help you remember the order of certain things. For example, "Katy Perry Came Over For Great Songs" is a great way to remember the biological classifications (Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species).
- Another memory trick is if you have to remember a string of numbers. Instead of trying to remember 2537610925, for example, break it up like a phone number: 253-761-0925. You can break up dates this way too. 14 Oct 1066 (the Battle of Hastings) can become a locker combination: 14-10-66.
- "PEMDAS" is a popular math mnemonic for orders of operations, while "FANBAY" is a well-known English grammar mnemonic for conjunctions.^{[7]
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  Expert Source
  
  Ted Dorsey, MA
  Academic Tutor
  Expert Interview. 11 December 2019.}^{[8]
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  Ted Coopersmith, MBA
  Academic Tutor
  Expert Interview. 10 July 2020.}
5
Do practice tests.^{[9]
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Expert Source

Ted Dorsey, MA
Academic Tutor
Expert Interview. 11 December 2019.} Ask your teacher or go online and print a few practice tests. Taking a practice test will help you figure out how much information you actually know vs how much information you think you know.^{[10]
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Research source} Knowing your weak spots before a test is crucial!^{[11]
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- You can always make your own mock exams based on your study materials.^{[12]
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  Expert Source
  
  Ted Coopersmith, MBA
  Academic Tutor
  Expert Interview. 10 July 2020.}

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Studying Like a Pro

1
Study frequently. Studying hard for only a few hours the night before the test isn't going to help ensure perfect scores. If you really want to ace those exams, study old and new material every day, or at least several times a week. This will make test-taking a breeze.^{[13]
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- Take study breaks. When you study, make sure you take a 5–10-minute break after every 30 minutes of study. This will help keep your brain from getting overloaded and give it more time to absorb the information.^{[14]
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- On study breaks, try not to fill your brain with more information, even if that information is more about your favourite celebrity's latest concert rather than Winston Churchill's foreign policy.
2
Study according to a learning style that fits the subject. Certain subjects are easier to understand when studied using a style that connects to the nature of the subject. For instance, if you're studying literature, you'll need visual reading and writing activities. If you're studying music, you'll need auditory resources. For art courses, kinesthetic activities often help.^{[16]
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- Learning styles, as conventionally understood, are somewhat controversial. Many academic studies suggest that learners develop subjective preferences for studying material, but these styles don't necessarily mean they learn better through these styles.^{[17]
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- Nevertheless, the idea of learning styles still persists even in academic circles.^{[18]
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  Research source} If a subjective preference for a certain learning style helps motivate you to study, you can still try it.
3
Take advantage of sense memory. Your brain is pretty good at associating smells or sounds with ideas or memories. You should take advantage of this! While you're studying, wear some unusual cologne or perfume (with a smell you don't usually encounter) and then expose yourself to that smell again right before or during a test.^{[19]
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4
Listen to music . Your teacher probably won't let you have headphones during a test, but you should at least listen to music, specifically classical music, right before taking a test. Studies have proven that exposure to certain types of music right before rigorous mental activity can really help, by waking up your brain and increasing your awareness.^{[20]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Preparing Your Body

1
Eat right. The most important thing is to eat, full stop. Being hungry during a test will distract you and make you tired. Don't eat too soon before a test though, as some foods can make you tired. Instead, make sure you get a meal filled with lean protein before you have to take a test.^{[21]
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Trustworthy Source
Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School's Educational Site for the Public
Go to source}
- Eating healthy will generally boost brain performance too, so make sure you're always eating a healthy diet to help you learn all through school.
2
Sleep well. If you don't sleep, you won't be able to focus when the pressure's on! Make sure to go to bed early the night before a test, rather than staying up all night to study. Your brain won't be able to hold on to all that crammed information anyway.^{[22]
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3
Have all the necessary supplies. Go to your test with all of the calculators, pens, pencils, blank paper, and other supplies you might need. Not having these things could mean you'll have a much harder time!
4
Drink lots of water. Getting dehydrated during a test can be distracting and reduce your ability to think clearly. Stay hydrated before your test and bring a bottle of water with you to the test as well.^{[23]
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5
Don't do anything different. If you aren't used to drinking coffee, now is a bad time to start. Try not to do anything different in your basic routine the day of or the night before the test. This can really throw you off.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Acing the Test

1
Write important things down first. As soon as the test starts, write down all formulas or other important information on some scratch paper before you start going through the questions. This will help keep you from blanking when you need that information later.
2
Do the problems you know first. Always do the fast, easy problems to which you know the answer first. This will help make sure that you get as much of the test done as possible. If you get stuck, just move on to the next problem that you can answer quickly.
3
Cross out the wrong answers. Once you've answered the questions you know, move on to the ones you're not sure about. When you're dealing with multiple choice questions, eliminating answers that you know are impossible or silly will help you better decide between the possible options.^{[24]
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4
Look for clues in the other questions. Sometimes the answer to a question can be contained within or hinted at in another question on the test. Look at other answers or questions to help jog your memory.
5
Never leave questions blank. Unless you're docked for incorrect answers, never just leave a question blank. Especially if it's multiple choice; you'll at least have a 25% chance of getting the right answer.
- As mentioned above, this is where eliminating wrong answers will come in handy.
6
Pace yourself. This is important! Always keep track of how much time you have and try to use your time wisely. You can always go back to check or improve your answers later!

Expert Q&A

Question

Should I stay up late or wake up early to cram?

Ted Coopersmith, MBA
Academic Tutor
Ted Coopersmith is an Academic Tutor for Manhattan Elite Prep, a test prep and academic tutoring company based in New York City. In addition to general academic advising, Ted has expertise in preparing for the ACT, SAT, SSAT, and ASVAB tests. He also has over 30 years of financial controller advising and consulting experience. He holds a BA from the City University of New York (CUNY) and an MBA from Pace University.

Ted Coopersmith, MBA

Academic Tutor

Expert Answer

Intensely studying the night before or the morning of an exam isn't that helpful. Instead, do a light review of some of the important concepts and mnemonic aids on your study outline.
Question

How can I pay attention in class better?

Community Answer

Try to sit at the front seats. Secondly select a group of friends who do not distract you from concentrating in the class. Take notes and ask questions whenever they come up. Find a way to make the work matter -- either by looking up uses you might enjoy, setting a goal (such as by passing a test) or challenging the teacher and student's viewpoints. If you're engaged, you'll pay better attention.
Question

How can I stop feeling sleepy when I study?

Community Answer

Try to stay active when studying. If you are studying a lesson which is boring, read it out loud or even walk around your room while you read. If reading out loud doesn't work, try teaching it to some stuffed toys as if they were your pupils. Once you can teach someone else you really know it.

Warnings

Do not be overconfident. If you are, then your grades will slip. For example, you get 95/100 on your math exam, and if you think you don't need to study, your second exam you will get 80/100.

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Never try to cheat. You are very likely to get caught, which would result in a zero. Be confident. Believe in yourself. If you have the attitude to do well, then you will!

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