Skills booster: Tackle your exam

Green questions are straightforward questions that test factual knowledge. For example, facts and sometimes related details that have been covered in the course.

• Preparation: You can prepare for these types of questions by practicing concepts and definitions with flashcards or by quizzing yourself or a fellow students.
• During the exam: Don’t linger too long on a 'green' question if you can’t come up with an answer. Circle it and move on to the next question. If you’ve prepared well for the exam, the answer often comes to you later.

These are insight questions, where you need to make connections, name differences or similarities, or explain something in your own words. It’s a combination of knowledge (concepts) and insight (connections). The important thing is that for open questions, you not only provide a description but also mention relevant concepts in your answer.

• Preparation: You can prepare for these types of questions by 'cramming' knowledge using the methods described for 'green' questions. Additionally, you need to realise that you must combine different concepts, formulas, or ideas to come to a solid answer. Schematising is a good way to really grasp the content. It also helps to study pictures, formulas, and flowcharts and explain them to yourself. You can also ask yourself questions about the steps, causes, consequences, connections, similarities, and differences.
• During the exam: Take a bit more time to think about an orange question, but don’t linger too long on it. Include part of the question into your answer and note relevant concepts in the margins, so you can gather ingredients to form an answer later.

Red questions are those where you are expected to apply your knowledge to new, unfamiliar issues, analyse something, or take a stand on a subject. It is not about reproducing knowledge. For these types of questions, you need to combine knowledge and insight to come to a new, meaningful answer. It calls for your critical thinking skills.

• Preparation: You can prepare for these types of questions by making concept maps and argumentation diagrams and by relating the different ideas and topics from the course to each other. Often, the assignments and discussions during the seminars provide a good indication of what you can expect on the exam. Active participation in your seminars helps you perform well on the exam.
• During the exam: Such a question can throw you off. After all, it wasn’t in the book and wasn't discussed this way in the lectures. Realise that you may not know the answer to this question right away. You need to come up with an answer yourself and be able to link relevant information covered during the course to it. Often, there is no straightforward right or wrong with these types of questions, but it’s about the argumentation and how your answer shows that you are able to rise above the course content.