Bad luck or simply lack of ability..
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My performance during exams has always been somewhat disappointing & IÂ’ve come to believe (quite irrationally I know!) that I seem to have bad luckÂ…
A bit of my past exams experiences:
First I did atrociously bad for both my ‘O’ & ‘A’ levels. I scored fairly well for my language (both English & mother tongue) as well as maths. But for those subjects that require lotsa of content knowledge like History (O levls) & later Econs (A levls), i wld definitely bombed... i admit i did a fare amt of spotting but who doesn't for this kinda of subject rite? What kills me is the topics i choose 2 focus almost NEVER or appear insigificantly during exams
NOW
I'm currently studying business management in uni 2nd yr. Again, i tend to peform better at subjects like Business communications (i've a strength in language i guess) & quantitative subjects like Statistics & Finance. But then, i've absolutely no flair for numbers or graph... e good grade i get 4 these subjects is through sheer practice, practice & practice... I realised how much i practice when i study with a group of classmates recently... they dun work half as hard as i do...
My problems comes during those content knowldege -based subjects... eg Econs , Organization theory & enviroment etc... Most ppl study selectively for such subjects rite, focusing on what they felt was impt rite...I even search 4 past exams papers & select rationally & a broad scope of coverage...
But still one of my paper last week threw surprises... Most of the topics i focus on didn't appear..it was rely like pure bad luck!! I went bac & reflect but what more cld i do short of memorizing the entire text?? -
Today i had another paper & had a somewhat similar occurence... the few topics i decide to focus on didn't appear... i wld scrape thru e paper but based on general knowledge accquired thru out the course...
Aft exams, i went to have a look at the past exam paper (i didn't look at them prior to exams) for this subject.... & the few topics i chose actually appear in the past few yrs. So i didn't really make a "wrong anaylsis" rite? i always tod perhaps i choose to focus on the wrong topics in the 1st plc. But now it seems like it's only a matter of luck... i know only losers blame luck but i rely put in a lot of effort & feel demoralized by setbacks after setbacks... -
every one has his/her own strengths and weaknesses its normal to do badly for some modules the fact that you can do well for some others means you got ability you just have to admit that you suk in some areas and either try and improve or just bear with it i guess.Originally posted by Anakin Jr:My performance during exams has always been somewhat disappointing & IÂ’ve come to believe (quite irrationally I know!) that I seem to have bad luckÂ…
A bit of my past exams experiences:
First I did atrociously bad for both my ‘O’ & ‘A’ levels. I scored fairly well for my language (both English & mother tongue) as well as maths. But for those subjects that require lotsa of content knowledge like History (O levls) & later Econs (A levls), i wld definitely bombed... i admit i did a fare amt of spotting but who doesn't for this kinda of subject rite? What kills me is the topics i choose 2 focus almost NEVER or appear insigificantly during exams
NOW
I'm currently studying business management in uni 2nd yr. Again, i tend to peform better at subjects like Business communications (i've a strength in language i guess) & quantitative subjects like Statistics & Finance. But then, i've absolutely no flair for numbers or graph... e good grade i get 4 these subjects is through sheer practice, practice & practice... I realised how much i practice when i study with a group of classmates recently... they dun work half as hard as i do...
My problems comes during those content knowldege -based subjects... eg Econs , Organization theory & enviroment etc... Most ppl study selectively for such subjects rite, focusing on what they felt was impt rite...I even search 4 past exams papers & select rationally & a broad scope of coverage...
But still one of my paper last week threw surprises... Most of the topics i focus on didn't appear..it was rely like pure bad luck!! I went bac & reflect but what more cld i do short of memorizing the entire text??
for me personally i fail at memorising so can give you tips on how to study the freaking modules that need more than 1 line of memory. -
Hi,
I used to have the same problem as you when it comes to memorising for subjects like history. But econs was easy for me, maybe you can try having a good understanding of the theory and various economic models instead of just memorising the facts. Econs has a fair amount of logic built into the models/theory and once you undertsand that, you can easily answer any new questions. This approach actually requires minimal memory work. -
quit ur current degree...go for mass com or communcation studies..
its not too late, rather than playing Russian roulette all e time.
Choose ur majors n minors on topics u r interested in tis time round.
Mayb u can try POLY also
hope it helps..
gd luck -
I am in the same situation as reflected in the topic heading though.
Well anyone who had read thru my "unhappy with 23/10......" thread before yesterday afternoon should know what kind of situation I am in now.
So it is more a bad luck for my case, though lack of ability is another cause for my current predicament.
I would need help to get past and overcome my current predicament, though. (Thx.) -
aiyo, dont doubt urself juz bcoz ur grades in certain modules don't meet ur expectations. academic ability does not equate to work or future life surviving ability.
at least, u know & u have been willing to work hard & put in the extra effort for ur studies.
as for ur content or theoretical papers, not sure if this wld help but a tip for u...
try to cover all the major topics next time. even if it's juz briefly going thru & understanding the concepts. don't spot questions.
with ur language ability, u shld find it easier to express in words and at least write enough to pass the paper. use examples and elaborations to "lengthen" your essay questions. lecturers look for effort and will not fail you if you write something.
hope this helps.
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There's a simple solution *you* already know of.Originally posted by Anakin Jr:My performance during exams has always been somewhat disappointing & IÂ’ve come to believe (quite irrationally I know!) that I seem to have bad luckÂ…
A bit of my past exams experiences:
First I did atrociously bad for both my ‘O’ & ‘A’ levels. I scored fairly well for my language (both English & mother tongue) as well as maths. But for those subjects that require lotsa of content knowledge like History (O levls) & later Econs (A levls), i wld definitely bombed... i admit i did a fare amt of spotting but who doesn't for this kinda of subject rite? What kills me is the topics i choose 2 focus almost NEVER or appear insigificantly during exams
NOW
I'm currently studying business management in uni 2nd yr. Again, i tend to peform better at subjects like Business communications (i've a strength in language i guess) & quantitative subjects like Statistics & Finance. But then, i've absolutely no flair for numbers or graph... e good grade i get 4 these subjects is through sheer practice, practice & practice... I realised how much i practice when i study with a group of classmates recently... they dun work half as hard as i do...
My problems comes during those content knowldege -based subjects... eg Econs , Organization theory & enviroment etc... Most ppl study selectively for such subjects rite, focusing on what they felt was impt rite...I even search 4 past exams papers & select rationally & a broad scope of coverage...
But still one of my paper last week threw surprises... Most of the topics i focus on didn't appear..it was rely like pure bad luck!! I went bac & reflect but what more cld i do short of memorizing the entire text??
Don't spot. And yes, it's easier on you if you spot, but if you want to be absolutely sure of your distinction then you can't spot. -
Originally posted by Erinu:There's a simple solution *you* already know of.
Don't spot. And yes, it's easier on you if you spot, but if you want to be absolutely sure of your distinction then you can't spot. -
Hello Anakin Junior : )
Organisational Behaviour was 1 of my favourite subjects!
I found these management subjects the easiest to score. 1 of the short-cut ways I learn is to do mind-mapping. As long as you do the tutorials regularly & have an understanding of the topics, you're halfway there.
But to score, you'll need to know how to link the topics together, instead of them floating around as individual topics. So before the exams, I usually draw out a chart, whilst reciting what I understand from the topics, & how 1 topic leads to another.
FeowFeowOriginally posted by Anakin Jr:My performance during exams has always been somewhat disappointing & IÂ’ve come to believe (quite irrationally I know!) that I seem to have bad luckÂ…
A bit of my past exams experiences:
First I did atrociously bad for both my ‘O’ & ‘A’ levels. I scored fairly well for my language (both English & mother tongue) as well as maths. But for those subjects that require lotsa of content knowledge like History (O levls) & later Econs (A levls), i wld definitely bombed... i admit i did a fare amt of spotting but who doesn't for this kinda of subject rite? What kills me is the topics i choose 2 focus almost NEVER or appear insigificantly during exams
NOW
I'm currently studying business management in uni 2nd yr. Again, i tend to peform better at subjects like Business communications (i've a strength in language i guess) & quantitative subjects like Statistics & Finance. But then, i've absolutely no flair for numbers or graph... e good grade i get 4 these subjects is through sheer practice, practice & practice... I realised how much i practice when i study with a group of classmates recently... they dun work half as hard as i do...
My problems comes during those content knowldege -based subjects... eg Econs , Organization theory & enviroment etc... Most ppl study selectively for such subjects rite, focusing on what they felt was impt rite...I even search 4 past exams papers & select rationally & a broad scope of coverage...
But still one of my paper last week threw surprises... Most of the topics i focus on didn't appear..it was rely like pure bad luck!! I went bac & reflect but what more cld i do short of memorizing the entire text?? -
Studying is not like Lotto boy ! Shit.. if everyone studies selective..n during exams.. what are exams for? Study everything.. if it doesnt come out..its not bad luck..it means U DID NO STUDY FOR IT ! I did engineering.. i HATE IT ! I fukin hate it! but i had to study it.. pass liaw. Now i try to study Operations Management.. n i tottaly flunk half of it.. so its all because i did not study. DID NOT STUDY.
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bad luck..
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it's kinda of too drastic a measure... cos i'm alreadi in the 2nd yr (4 semesters includ tis one to go) of my course...Originally posted by CP25:quit ur current degree...go for mass com or communcation studies..
its not too late, rather than playing Russian roulette all e time.
Choose ur majors n minors on topics u r interested in tis time round.
Mayb u can try POLY also
hope it helps..
gd luck
furthermore, i do like my course in a general way.... i do reasonably well for subjects like Finance (jus pratice hard) & Biz comm (natural flair 4 writin i guess)
What i hate is those heavily contend based module... exam usually Section A qns 5 complusory qns, Section B choose 2 out of 3 qns
I wld usually study like 10 out of 13 topics & the 3 i left out wld be 3 of the complusory qns %$#@#%!! (exxagerated scenario but somethk like tha.. illustration of my bad luck )
thanx anyway -
Actually i enjoyed OB as a subject too... only i sunk during exams cos i didn't cover adequatelyOriginally posted by FeowFeow:Hello Anakin Junior : )
Organisational Behaviour was 1 of my favourite subjects! I found these management subjects the easiest to score. 1 of the short-cut ways I learn is to do mind-mapping. As long as you do the tutorials regularly & have an understanding of the topics, you're halfway there.
But to score, you'll need to know how to link the topics together, instead of them floating around as individual topics. So before the exams, I usually draw out a chart, whilst reciting what I understand from the topics, & how 1 topic leads to another.
FeowFeow
The funny irony is i usually do badly for exams subjects which i actually enjoyed learning... like OB, Management & their environments... i enjoyed readin all the stories, learning abt all the theories etc
on the contrary i hav no particular interest in maths & graph, & find quantitative subjects like Finance & Statistics rather dry but i always get better grades for these subjects