What are assessments like at university?

Hello everyone!

As many of you will be preparing for upcoming exams and coursework deadlines, you may well be wondering what assessments are like when you get to university.

Our student ambassadors will be sharing their experiences of university assessments in this thread - feel free to ask any questions you may have!

- Izzie (UK Recruitment) :smile:

Reply 1

UniofReading

Official Rep

Original post by UniofReading

Hello everyone!
As many of you will be preparing for upcoming exams and coursework deadlines, you may well be wondering what assessments are like when you get to university.
Our student ambassadors will be sharing their experiences of university assessments in this thread - feel free to ask any questions you may have!
- Izzie (UK Recruitment) :smile:

Hello!

So in my course - Mathematics and Economics, it has been mainly exam based heavy with a small percentage of my modules having coursework. So for example one of my mathematics modules in first year was 30% coursework and 70% Exam. The coursework consisted of a couple of questions similar to ones we had been doing in lectures. This was great to prepare me for my exam as it made me see what I was struggling with! And it gives you confidence going into the exam knowing roughly what you need to achieve to get the mark you are targeting overall for that module.

And similar in my Economics modules, I've had modules with a 40 and 60% split between coursework and exams. And the coursework normally consists of either essays or usually problem sets. One of my modules this year - Macroeconomics, the coursework is last years past paper! Which is great for me as it helps me identify what I need to work on for the final exam and also I have found myself revising and prepping notes for the coursework which will also be useful for the exam.

Good Luck in any upcoming exams or coursework! You will smash it! Please let me know if you have any questions and I am more than happy to answer.

Owain 😀
Final year Mathematics and Economics (with a placement year)

Reply 2

UniofReading

Official Rep

Original post by UniofReading

Hello everyone!
As many of you will be preparing for upcoming exams and coursework deadlines, you may well be wondering what assessments are like when you get to university.
Our student ambassadors will be sharing their experiences of university assessments in this thread - feel free to ask any questions you may have!
- Izzie (UK Recruitment) :smile:

Hello,

Starting university can be daunting, knowing you must take examinations. However, you have plenty of support around your examinations at the University of Reading. It’s a great idea to look into the examination styles of your course before choosing. You will find the descriptions in the information sections of your Course description.

Every course is examined differently; some courses will be completely exam-based, some will be coursework-based, and some will be a mixture of. Most of the time, examinations and coursework come hand-in-hand, as it's the best way to analyse someone’s intellectual abilities. For example, a module worth 20 credits could be 40% exam and 60% coursework.

Choosing your modules carefully at the beginning of the year is essential to ensure you enjoy your lectures; this will mean revision is easier when it comes to examination times as you are more motivated to study the subject. Module selection can be very daunting, so take your time, read the module descriptions, and ask your lecturers any questions before selecting your modules.

The University of Reading is very supportive of examination nerves and will always support you when you need it. If you have a disability, The Disability Advisory Service will be able to put examination assessment arrangements into place before your exam starts. These can include extra time, smaller rooms, noise-cancelling ear defenders, rest breaks and other necessary arrangements. If this is something you would like to know more about, please get in touch with the disability service at the University of Reading, or you can ask us below.

I’m going to include a few tips for getting to grips with University exams:

1. exams can be tricky at first, but as long as you’re prepared and have done the work, you will do well. Remember not to compare yourself to others; everyone is different, so exam results will always be different compared to the person next to you. Try not to compare yourself, as this will ruin all the hard work you’ve done before your exam.

2. Try stricture exams a game. I find this the best way to get rid of my nerves. If you try to use the exam as a learning curve, especially in the first two years of university, you will feel much less nervous.

3. Let you know where you’re going on the day of the exam and what you will need to have with you, e.g. a pen, pencil, ruler, calculator, calculation sheet, etc… This will help you feel physically prepared on the day.

4. Always leave an extra 20 -30 minutes to get to your exam on top of your expected travel time. This will ensure a late rush to the exam, as this can increase your adrenaline, making you more nervous.

If you have any questions, please let us know, and we will be happy to help.

All the best,
Ella
BSc Ecology

Reply 3

UniofReading

Official Rep

Original post by UniofReading

Hello everyone!
As many of you will be preparing for upcoming exams and coursework deadlines, you may well be wondering what assessments are like when you get to university.
Our student ambassadors will be sharing their experiences of university assessments in this thread - feel free to ask any questions you may have!
- Izzie (UK Recruitment) :smile:

Hi everyone!

My course is much more coursework based than exam based, which is something I find really enjoyable about the course as it does slightly reduce the pressure! There are a hugely varied number of methods which are used to assess us in Speech and Language Therapy so I am going to share some of those with you now.

Coursework essays tend to be the most common assessment method, where you will be given a question or article to analyse, and a word count, and then have a few weeks to submit your answer. There are also reflective pieces of work which assess your ability to reflect and build on your own skills.

There are a couple of presentations throughout the course: some solo and some in groups. I have also submitted assessments in the style of posters, research proposals, transcriptions, linguistic assessments, lab reports, and a couple of classic timed exams too (often open book and multiple choice).

You also do a portfolio each year, which is where you write a long piece of work about a patient you have seen on placement. This tends to be one of the final exams of the year, so is always a really nice way to show off all of your hard work!

As with many courses, there is a dissertation in the final year which allows you to research a topic in more depth. I have found this really interesting this year! This feels a bit like an EPQ, so if you have done once of these at school then this is going to be really useful.

At the end of 4th year, there is a VIVA, which is a live presentation about a case which you are presented with, and you have to answer questions and explain how you would assess and manage the patient if you were their Speech and Language Therapist.

I hope this has been helpful, and just let us know if you have any questions.

Hattie😊
4MSci Speech and Language Therapy

Reply 4

UniofReading

Official Rep

Original post by UniofReading

Hello everyone!
As many of you will be preparing for upcoming exams and coursework deadlines, you may well be wondering what assessments are like when you get to university.
Our student ambassadors will be sharing their experiences of university assessments in this thread - feel free to ask any questions you may have!
- Izzie (UK Recruitment) :smile:

Hi everyone!

From my experience at the University of Reading, assessments can be quite varied, especially depending on your course! It is typical to have a mixture of essays, reports, presentations, exams and sometimes group projects too. Most modules tend to balance coursework and exams which is really helpful as you are not just relying on 1 type of assessment! 🙂

One thing I found really reassuring is that there is plenty of support available to students during the assessment periods. The key is definitely to stay organised. I find that writing out all of my due dates for assessments really helps me visualise when I need to start working on things! Start early where you can and do not be afraid to ask questions!

Good luck in your upcoming assessments!

Millie 🙂
BSc International Development