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Q&A After the Exam
Exams happen. Sometimes they don’t quite go your way. Regardless of whether you forgot to study a portion of the material, mis-interpreted some of the questions, or were simply having a lousy day, it happens. Many classes (including the one I am currently teaching) have multiple exams, which provides the opportunity for students to show a growth and progression in their understanding, especially when the exams are cumulative.
For these and other reasons, it is important to reflect upon the results of an exam, which boils down to asking yourself three basic questions:
- What went well?
- What went poorly?
- What should I do better or differently for the next exam?
The answers to the first two questions are very specific to the content of the exam and often take the form of, “I know I got that question right/wrong.” You may be inclined to answer all three questions immediately after you hand in the exam, and also think about them once you receive the graded exam back. Both are suitable time frames to think about things, but it’s the consideration of your results in the longer term that will be more conducive to your preparation for future exams, especially the final exam.
With that in mind, after the first (and second) midterms I gave my students this semester, I gave them opportunities to reflect on their performance and their study methods, and I turned this into an open forum within the [virtual] classroom setting. They posted on a shared document how they…