25 + 26: Midterm Information and Advice

Oct. 5, 2022

Dear Butler First Years and Sophomores,

I hope this finds you well! 

While midterms week runs October 10–14, many courses schedule tests or mid-term assignments sooner or later than these dates, and you may have multiple mid-term exams scheduled for the same day.

Unlike for final exams, Princeton has no formal policy for students seeking to reschedule midterms. 

You’ll need to talk with your professors individually in the relevant classes to see if one of them might allow you to take the exam at an alternate time to avoid overcrowding.

Please note that, unlike finals, two midterms on the same day is not considered unusually burdensome, but faculty may be willing to reschedule if you have three or more. It is better to connect with faculty now about the possibility of rescheduling than to do so emergently a day or two before your exams are slated to take place. If you need additional advice, do let me know.

Here are some tips and reminders as you prepare:

  • Remember that midterms are NOT final grades. They comprise a portion of your final grade. While you should take them seriously, you should also see them as an opportunity to check in: celebrate your strengths, identify your weaknesses, and make any necessary adjustments to your study strategies for the rest of the term. You’ve got this!
  • Plan ahead. Use a calendar to map out all your major assignments and exams in one place. Plan study time for each course every day, giving priority to the areas you know need some extra attention. What will that studying entail? Get specific (e.g. “Write Outline of Chapter 3”), rather than just saying “study Economics.” Tools from McGraw around weekly planning and goal setting might help.
  • Think like a professor. What is the underlying logic of the course? The main themes or concepts? Check your syllabus for this information. Your problem sets, assignments, lecture notes, and quizzes may also give you some hints; from there, begin to predict exam questions that:
    1. Link the units of course material together. How can you synthesize the pieces?
    2. Require you to identify and classify information. How do you associate the details or evidence with larger concepts?
    3. Apply your knowledge. Looking at a problem and being able to solve it is the first step in “knowing” the material, not the last. Can you imagine applying a technique or skill or concept to a more complicated problem?
  • Create study tools: summaries of your readings or lecture notes/units, charts of major concepts in your own words, a course overview with large themes in big bubbles and smaller concepts/evidence as offshoots, a list of problems that you get stuck on. 
  • Practice. Work through previous assignments and/or test questions, and look for connections between them. Write sample short answers and essays. Make outlines in response to possible questions.
  • Take a practice exam as if it were the real thing (no notes, no answer key, timed testing). This will give you a better sense of what areas you need to focus on to go into the real exam better prepared.
  • Study with others and attend any course-sponsored review sessions. If you don’t have a study group, join McGraw’s study group matching app. If you can’t form a study group, teach one of your friends about a particularly challenging aspect of your class material. Teaching others can be a great way to learn, because you’ll be forced to explain concepts in ways that you understand.
  • Take care of yourself.  Exercise, get a good night’s sleep (really … research shows that you’ll do worse on less sleep, not better). Don’t go to exams on an empty stomach (eating breakfast is a great way to wake up!); get to the exam room a little bit early so you can get settled and collect your thoughts before the exam begins; read the exam directions (twice if necessary); answer the easiest questions first, mark any questions you skip so you remember to go back to complete them later. Focus on what you know, don’t doubt yourself, and answer every question.
  • Make sure you carefully follow instructions concerning proper citation and academic integrity. If you have questions about what your instructor expects on an assignment or how you should cite a source, always ask before you submit the assignment for a grade. If you are in trouble, it’s better to ask for an extension and get a lower grade than to risk the penalty for academic integrity violations.

If you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to reach out to your faculty adviser, peer adviser, or me.  We are here to help!  If you would like to make an appointment with me, simply go to https://calendly.com/mlazenprinceton/advising-appointments.

Finally, keep in mind: fall break is just around the corner!

Best,

Dr. Lazen

 

Matthew Lazen, Ph.D.

Assistant Dean

1976 Hall D028

Butler College

Princeton University

 

Appts: https://calendly.com/mlazenprinceton/advising-appointments

Reception: 609-258-3474

Office: 609-258-7140