 to mind
- When you use quotations, remember to try to blend them seamlessly into your own sentence structure
- When you use quotations, make it work for you: a well-chosen quotation may, for example, enable you to comment on theme, style and character
- Do not use quotations simply because you have memorised them: make sure that they are relevant to your answer.
Organise your time
Divide your time appropriately:
In an examination, you will almost certainly have several essays to write or sections to complete:
- Decide on the order in which you wish to answer them
- Make sure that you answer them all
- Jot down ideas about any of the questions you expect to answer: don't hope to remember things – especially bearing in mind that you may be pressed for time towards the end
- Give each question the appropriate time and don't exceed it: a brilliant but overlong answer is no guarantee of success
- If you are allowed your text in the examination do not waste time in leafing through it in search of ideas: use it only for reference and checking quotations.
Plan your answers carefully
Have the confidence to take time to plan. You could usefully devote up to a quarter of the exam time to this process. It is worth it because:
- you will save time in the end
- it is much more efficient than sitting and trying to think of the next point
- you will have a much more fluent, sharper and more authoritative answer.
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