Exam Debriefing

Exam debriefing involves completing questionnaires in order to assess the manner in which a student prepared for a test and how exam preparation relates to performance on the test. Exam debriefing provides a means of monitoring the effectiveness of test preparation and test taking strategies.

The strategy may be used for any type of test: essay, multiple choice, true-false, or problems. Exam debriefing is useful for increasing student awareness of study habits and their consequences, and for planning a more effective course of action for future exams. This strategy should be used even if the student was successful on the actual exam. Writing causes the student to think.

Several debriefing forms are available; two examples are given below (REFERENCE). These may be modified for specific student or course needs, or students may wish to develop their own forms. It is helpful for a facilitator to explain the forms and to assist students in completing the forms for the first few times.

Exam Debriefing Form # 1

Course __________________

Test # ___________________

Exam Date _______________

Grade ___________________

Was the required reading completed?

All _______

Portion (specify chapters) ________________________

Was there a study table(s) for the exam?

Yes _____

No ______

Did you attend the study table(s)?

Yes _____

No ______

Which of the following strategies were used to prepare for the exam?

Flash Cards ______

Study Guide ______

Workbook _______

Concept Cards ______

Webbing ______

Practice Problems or Questions ______

Mnemonics ______

Paraphrasing ______

Explaining Material to Others ______

Chaining ______

Outlines ______

Visual Imagery _____

Visual Elaboration _____

Spacing Reviews and Repetition _____

Matrices ______

Highlighting Text ______

Reviewing Text ______

Rewriting Notes ______

Highlighting Notes ______

Reviewing Notes ______

Other ______________________________________________

Which of the strategies helped the most?

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

Which of the strategies helped the least?

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

Which of the strategies caused confusion?

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

How many hours were spent preparing for the exam?

Reading Assignments ______

Preparing Study Materials ______

Recopying or Reviewing Notes ______

Reviewing Text ______

Rehearsing ______

TOTAL ______

Were study sessions spaced effectively?

Yes, study sessions were short and spread out ______

No, I crammed all the study time into one or two long sessions ______

How far in advance did exam preparation begin? _______________________

How did the exam meet your expectations?

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

What aspects of the exam were unexpected?

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

Recommendations for change:

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

Exam Debriefing Form # 2

Course ___________________

Test # ____________________

Exam Date ________________

Grade ____________________

General reactions to exam:

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

Study techniques that worked:

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

Study techniques that did not work:

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

For each question missed, check the appropriate box (1 through 4, using the key below) and then defend your answer, explain your misconceptions, or give the reason for your initial response.

1. I don't recall ever focusing on this topic in class or in my studies.

2. We discussed this or I read it but I didn't remember it.

3. I misunderstood the question / answers.

4. Explanations were extremely ambiguous or unclear.

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