By Gordon Rugg
Standard disclaimer: This article is as usual written in my personal capacity, not in my Keele University capacity.
Sometimes, the acronyms that fit best are not the ones that produce the most encouraging words. That’s what happened when I tried to create an acronym to help with exam technique. It ended up as “FEAR FEAR”. This was not the most encouraging start. So, I’ll move swiftly on from the acronym itself to what it stands for, which is more encouraging, and should be more helpful.
A lot of people find exams mentally overwhelming. This often leads to answers that aren’t as good as they could be. When you’re in that situation, it’s useful to have a short, simple mental checklist that helps you focus on the key points that you want to get across. That’s where the acronym comes in.
F is for Facts, and F is for Frameworks
E is for Examples, and E is for Excellence
A is for Advanced, and A is for Application
R is for Reading, and R is for Relevance
In the rest of this article, I’ll work through each of the items, unpacking what they’re about, and how to handle them efficiently.
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