Forget the cramming: what Year 12 students really need before exams
As Queensland Year 12 students prepare to sit their final exams, a CQUniversity educational neuroscience expert is urging students and families to focus less on last-minute cramming and more on the simple strategies that help the brain learn, remember and perform under pressure.
Professor Ken Purnell, CQUniversity’s Head of Educational Neuroscience, said effective exam preparation was not just about how many hours students spent studying, but how they used that time.
“Students can feel like they’re being productive when they spend hours staring at their notes, but effective learning is about much more than the time you put in,” Professor Purnell said.
“Short, focused study sessions, regular breaks and testing yourself on what you’ve learned can be far more useful than repeatedly reading the same material.
“Your brain needs time to consolidate what you’ve learned, which is why sleep is part of studying, not something to sacrifice in the final days before an exam.”
Professor Purnell said students could help themselves focus by establishing a consistent study routine, with a regular time and place to work and distractions such as mobile phones put aside.
He recommended studying for about an hour before taking a 20-minute break to get up and move, allowing the brain time to consolidate learning and helping students feel refreshed and ready to continue studying.
“Try asking someone to quiz you on what you’ve studied, whether it’s a parent, sibling, friend or even a chatbot,” he said.
“Having to retrieve information from memory is a much more active way of learning than simply rereading your notes.”
He also encouraged students to practise answering questions in conditions similar to those they would experience in the exam room, helping them become more familiar with the process of recalling information under pressure.
With exam stress affecting students and their families, Professor Purnell said parents and carers also had an important role to play in creating a supportive environment.
“Calm is contagious. When the adults around a student remain steady and supportive, it can help that student think more clearly,” he said.
“Encouragement beats interrogation. Rather than constantly asking how much study has been done, take the time to ask how your young person is feeling and what might help them.
“Steady meals, enough sleep and some physical activity, even a brisk walk, can support concentration and wellbeing when the pressure is on.”
For students sitting their exams, Professor Purnell said having a simple strategy for approaching the tests could help build confidence.
“Start with the questions you know and get some marks under your belt. This can help settle your nerves and build momentum before you tackle the more challenging questions,” he said.
“If you feel panic setting in, slow your breathing, take a moment to ground yourself and focus on what you can do next. You don’t have to solve the entire paper at once – just take the next step.”
Professor Purnell said it was important for students and families to keep the final exams in perspective.
“Final exams matter, but they are not the whole story. Students should trust the preparation they have done, look after themselves and focus on giving each exam their best effort.
“Sometimes the smartest thing you can do for your results is to put the books away, get a good night’s sleep and walk into the exam room with a clear head.”
