Ever struggled to know how best to prepare for your exams? While the techniques for a CIPS multiple-choice OR exam may be slightly different to those of an essay-based CR exam, education experts are in agreement of six key things that will help give you the best chance of studying effectively and obtaining the best result possible in your exam.
Create a study space
Find a good place for you to study by creating your own place to work. This might at home, or at work, or even a neutral environment like the local library or coffee shop. Many learners find that a quiet calm space, that is tidy and lacking distraction, works best for them. Others prefer to listen to music or even have the presence of other learners around them serving as a motivation.
Use this as your “go to” space, thus engendering an inner recognition that this is the place where you study and retain knowledge to help you progress through your CIPS qualifications.
Take it one step at a time
Many of the CIPS exams can feel daunting, just from the sheer volume of learning content they expect you to know and understand. But this does not have to be the case. Breaking each module down into individual learning outcomes can provide a far simpler and more accessible approach to digesting the content. This is exactly how we structure the Cordie eLearning, for this purpose.
skip the cramming
Plan ahead and avoid the last-minute anxiety that comes from cramming. By starting to study early (typically 6-8 weeks prior to the CIPS exam) you will be able to find a manageable pace that allows the content of a study module to be digested and absorbed. It allows for the everyday contingencies of life and will give an inner confidence as you approach the exam date.
When creating a study plan over several weeks, be sure to give yourself at least a couple of days off each week. We strongly suggest “little and often” is far more achievable than ambitious quantities of study that are difficult to maintain over time.
Review your notes nightly
Reading over your personal study notes as soon as you get home from work (or straight after dinner) can help reinforce the absorption of learning material. Do not do this within the last hour before sleep, as you want to make sure you can keep a positive and healthy sleep routine.
The repetition of going back over your notes will help you retain key points and prepare you with a solid foundation of knowledge ahead of your exam.
Fuel yourself!
Studying requires physical as well as mental energy, along with healthy routines. This is why we have created our Healthy Study Habits eLearning and instilled it as compulsory study within our apprenticeship schemes.
Eating regularly and healthily will help you feel focused when it comes to your study time. Also ensure you are adequately hydrated at the same time, so include a glass of water with each meal as this will help you feel more energised and focused.
Ask for help when needed
Finally, never be afraid to ask questions or to reach out for additional support as and when it is required. The whole of the Cordie team is available to support our learners through their CIPS exams and each apprentice has their own dedicated learner progress coordinator to help specifically with any queries along the way.
We strongly recommend you reach out for help as early in the process as possible, rather than leaving it to the last minute so as to avoid gaps in your knowledge building up and also to keep you feeling confident as you approach each exam.
Most of all, everyone here at Cordie wants you to succeed in your preparations and completion of each CIPS exam - and we look forward to celebrating your achievements along your journey. Please do reach out to us with questions about the technical content or broader questions about learning advice and information guidance. We are here to help, and look forward to hearing from you!