Common Mistakes to Avoid in an Exam 

Everyone makes mistakes and it is stressful when they are exam paper mistakes that could have been avoided.

This article addresses how to avoid silly mistakes in exam situations as well as how to do well in the exam. We also look at unpredictable mistakes that are unforeseen and not necessarily due to insufficient knowledge of the subject.

Ultimately, there is more to how to do well in an exam than simply knowing your subject.

Some people seem to work better under pressure and somehow have the knack to avoid silly exam paper mistakes. Is it in the way that they prepare or is it just exam anxiety?

In the end, it is probably a bit of everything, from how to prepare to how to calm your nerves while writing.

Let’s take a look at the best ways to do well in an exam and not give away your marks commonly known worst exam mistakes ever.

Why Are Exam Paper Mistakes Made? 

Firstly, there are a few reasons why exam paper mistakes are made. There are the obvious ones that include stress and preparation, however here is a more systematic look at the issue.

Essentially, there are three main reasons why students make mistakes during tests and exams. Knowing what these are, will not only help you to avoid them but will also help you to understand how to avoid them so that you can make the most out of your preparation and subject knowledge.

Inadequate Subject Knowledge

This is an easy one to manage, because quite simply if you don’t have deep enough subject knowledge, you are going to battle to master how to avoid mistakes in exam situations that are more environmental and require strategic thinking.

Of course, this applies to all subjects, whether it is recalling a maths exam formula or if you haven’t spent enough time memorising important history dates, you will set yourself up for exam paper mistakes that could have been easily avoided.

When you know that a certain depth of knowledge is essential to your academic success, you will realise the importance of studying, as well as practising exam test questions. Mock exam questions or old papers are a brilliant way to demonstrate, in a real context, what kind of knowledge is required from you.

Poor Exam Technique

If you want to know how to avoid mistakes in exam situations, you need to find out about exam techniques. This includes knowing how to read test papers with care, how to answer questions and how to manage your time. Together with your subject matter knowledge, all of these good tips will give your tutors and examiners exactly what they are looking for.

Techniques like this, are some of the important ways to score high and do well in the exam for which you have already prepared. It would be wise to pay attention when your study guide or teacher draws attention to how to hone these skills.

Stress

Finally, another imperative point in helping you to know how to avoid silly mistakes in exam situations is stress. Unfortunately, stress can prevent you from reading your exam question properly and also affect your logical reasoning. Remember that a degree of stress in any testing environment is normal and so do not add that to your worries.

It makes sense that anxiety will rob you of your concentration skills, so make stress management an important part of your preparation regime to do well in the exam.

Top Strategies for How to Avoid Silly Mistakes in Exam Situations

So how does one prepare for how to avoid silly mistakes in exam situations?

The answer lies in knowing how to integrate various test-taking strategies into your revision and study plan.

Revision is not only about going over the same material over and over, it should also include knowing which mistakes to avoid in an exam. To do this, take a more holistic view of your revision that includes more than your academic skills.

Resources for Studying and Revision

As mentioned, don’t limit yourself to only study guides and revision books. Also, don’t simply just go over the same notes or flashcards you have made. Remember that unless they happen to be the most comprehensive flashcards in the world, they will not give enough knowledge to do well in the exam.

Instead, make sure that you familiarise yourself with a wide variety of resources. These could include newspaper articles, textbooks (if indeed relevant) and other online resources that your teacher may have recommended.

The trick is to try to keep your resources as diverse as possible.

Know Your Material 

Knowing your resource material like the back of your hand will help you a lot when it comes to knowing how to avoid mistakes in exam contexts.

The reason for this is foundational to your success, which is to know your stuff well. This is really the place to begin when you consider that if you don’t have enough knowledge you are bound to make mistakes which could be avoided.

So if you’re asking how to avoid mistakes in exam contexts, then seeing your knowledge base as critical will help you to make sure that you do well in the exam. Instead of cramming everything in the night before, give yourself time as this will help you to retain the information better.  

Common Mistakes to Avoid in an Exam

One way to do well in the exam that may be worrying you is to look at common mistakes made by others. Common mistakes to avoid in an exam are best dealt with by referring to examiners' reports from previous years.

Whether you are a high school or university student, familiarising yourself with sample questions as well as the marking scheme is certainly how to avoid mistakes in exam situations.

Nail Exam Techniques

To do well in the exam you are preparing for, you will need to hone your exam technique.

Once you have your time management in place, then you will need to concentrate on your planning as well as how to read and answer exam questions properly. Using old exam papers is the best way to do this.

In fact, mock papers should take up a significant amount of your revision time, neglecting these could cost you dearly.

Make Sure You Are Rested

As already mentioned, keeping your stress levels in check is key. One of the best ways to do this is to make sure that you are well-rested and not deprived of sleep. Remember that fatigue and living on coffee is not the way to get through your exams successfully!

Adequate sleep will help your brain and memory to work better, but it will also help your problem-solving skills.

Techniques to Keep You Calm

If rest does not adequately do the job, then try to develop additional ways to keep stress and anxiety at bay. You could try mindfulness and breathing techniques or meditation on the morning of your exam. Remember, that regardless of how you feel, doing your best is what matters. Achieving 100% is not necessarily realistic so remember it's not the end of the world if you don't get full marks.

Whatever might keep you thinking clearly, do it. Because that’s what you want in your exam, not a cloud of stress.

Why not take a look at the lighter side of this topic by reading our article on funny exam mistakes that really happened.

How to Read the Question Properly 

Reading the question correctly is by far the oldest and most frequent advice dispensed by teachers regarding exams. In short, if you fail to read the question correctly, you are doomed.

To avoid this, get into the habit of writing all over your question and answer sheet. Highlight and underline keywords or even rewrite the question again. The aim is to fully understand what you are answering so that you don’t put the right knowledge in the wrong place which is the silliest of all exam mistakes.

Planning Long Answers 

Other advice that you have no doubt heard from teachers regarding exams is to plan your long answers before writing them. This may seem counterintuitive but it is really not a waste of time to take this approach.

Many people begin writing without building a framework for their answer first and end up forgetting key points which are detrimental to results.

Read, Read and Read Your Answers

Finally, leave yourself enough time to proofread your own answers at the end. This is how you will spot the silly mistakes that you will inevitably make. But before you go beating yourself up about making silly exam mistakes, check out the kind of mistakes exam boards make too.