Students share tips for midterm success

Student writing mentors, who have lots of experience helping their peers through the Academic Help Writing Centre, share their best advice for academic success (and survival).

Kaleb Shumway, Philosophy

“Start by writing anything, even if it’s not good at all. Too many students, including me, are afraid of writing things down that aren’t perfect. While this is understandable, it’s more paralyzing than helpful. Start by writing imperfect drafts, then fix them later.”

Tobi Adesanya, Computer Science

“During midterm and exam season, I try to use a ‘divide and conquer’ strategy to tackle my university work. This involves splitting my coursework into sections and tackling a different one each day. This stops me from getting overwhelmed. It also ensures that I’m always progressing through the coursework and can adjust my pace as needed.”

“Before writing an essay, I always lightly research the topic and get a basic overview of the ideas surrounding that topic. Then, when I create my outline and start researching deeply into the topic, I’m not doing so blindly. The basic knowledge I gained helps me find potential major points faster, decide on the purpose of the essay, and figure out which sources are relevant.”

“When you encounter a setback, discover the skills you have yet to develop, the knowledge you need, and the strength to overcome the next hurdle.”

Ghida Fawaz

— Biomedical Science

Ghida Fawaz, Biomedical Science

“Every student is a work in progress. When you encounter a setback, discover the skills you have yet to develop, the knowledge you need, and the strength to overcome the next hurdle.”

“Excellent writers are those who preserve their own unique writing style, yet craft it by actively seeking help from mentors and professors, using resources and asking questions.”

Milan Le, Psychology

“When it comes to studying for exams and midterms, using flashcards (physical or digital ones) and practice questions to test your knowledge tends to be more effective than simply re-reading your notes. For example, is a great digital study tool that can turn your notes into interactive activities to study.”

“Creating an outline for an academic paper helps you identify the kind of literature and research you need to source, the arguments you want to make, and what you will write about. Write bullet points for each section of your paper (i.e., your introduction, body paragraphs, conclusion). This eases the stress of writing a paper. You’ll have a good idea of what your paper will look like and won’t leave out any essential components.”

“Using flashcards (physical or digital ones) and practice questions to test your knowledge tends to be more effective than simply re-reading your notes.”

Milan Le

— Psychology

Sivany Kathir, Health Sciences

“When preparing for your exams, it is not enough to passively review notes and textbooks! Make sure to engage with the material using active learning techniques, like concept mapping and active recall. These techniques will help you deepen your understanding of the material and enhance your performance on exams.”

“Another tip is to use practice problems! Regularly solving practice questions and preparing for various short answer questions will reinforce your understanding and mimic your exam conditions. Don’t only focus on the right answer, but also understand the process and logic behind each solution.”

“Before writing the first draft, plan out your ideas and write down key themes and quotes that you know you want to mention in your paper.”

Rachel Adema

— Communications and Political Science

Mattéa Cantin, Conflict studies and human rights

“Don’t underestimate the importance of a few good nights’ sleep, a bit of physical activity and healthy eating habits. Always take care of your physical, mental and spiritual health. Two other tips: don’t compare yourself to others, and do create a study schedule that sets realistic, achievable goals. If you start early, you’ll avoid getting overloaded.

“When it’s time to start writing, it’s crucial that you review the literature to gauge what has already been said on the topic and to highlight what has not yet been addressed. A literature review can also serve to inspire you and help you find a research topic you enjoy. I believe that choosing the right topic can be motivating and can help you write a better paper.”

Mame Fatou Mbacké Ndiaye, International Economics and Development

“Before Reading Week, list all the essays you need to hand in or that you would like to tackle during this time. From there, plan your work your way to avoid procrastination.”

Do you want to meet a writing mentor to strengthen your writing abilities? At the Academic Writing Help Centre, students help their peers learn how to become more efficient and confident writers. For more information and to book an appointment, visit the Academic Writing Help webpage.

You can also get tips and support from your faculty mentors. Look up your faculty’s mentoring centre.