Make a plan for final assignments and exams
- Join Academic Skills at the Writing Cafe - November 16, 2025
- Finish Strong - weekly tips to support you with planning, studying, and writing exams
Writing Cafe - November 16, 2025
Sunday, November 16, 2025 in OC Commons (Otonabee College) from 10 am to 4 pm.
Are you working on a written assignment? Do you like to write in a comfortable and cozy space, but find it hard to set goals and stay focused?
Join Academic Skills on Sunday, November 16, 2025 in the OC Commons (Otonabee College) for Writing Café. There will be warm drinks, baked treats, resources, and more. Attend for the day, or part of the day – everyone is welcome!
Email acdskills@trentu.ca for more information
Finish Strong Social Media Campaign: Get ready for Exams (March 2025)
Need a little help finishing up the semester and getting ready for exams? Do you have outstanding end-of-term assignments? Are you wondering about the best way to study for final exams?
Follow Academic Skills on Instagram in March and April for helpful tips and tools! Find more videos, how-to guides, worksheets, and planners here.
- Week 1: Take inventory of your final assignments
- Week 2: Make a study plan
- Week 3: Practice new study strategies
- Week 4: Learn new exam writing strategies
Week 1 (March 10 to 16): Take inventory of your final assignments
List all of your outstanding assignments and plan mini deadlines and tasks to complete
Try one of these templates:
- Academic Skills Two-Part To-Do List
- Prioritizing worksheet
- Assignment Analysis worksheet
- Due date planner
Watch these short videos
- Making a do-able to-do list
- How to Catch Up When you've Fallen Behind
- Assignment breakdown: How to Get Started
Week 2 (March 17 to 23): Make a study plan
Map out your final exams and plan for exam preparation
Analyze each of your upcoming exams. Complete the chart with information about the type of exam questions, the length of the exam, and which strategies you'll use to study. Then set out blocks of time for study in a calendar - note the course and amount of time you plan to study. Each day, you can make a list of the content you plan to cover and the strategies you'll use to study.
Try this template:
Watch a short video:
Week 3 (March 24 to March 30): Practice new study strategies
Different types of knowledge and different types of questions require different types of study. What strategies might work best for you and your courses?
7 Strategies for Study
- Test your knowledge with closed book recall activities
- Complete practice questions from the textbook, assignments, or lecture
- Make and use flashcards or vocabulary lists
- Develop mnemonic devices like rhymes or images to support recall
- Practice planning thesis statements and outlines for essay questions
- Create mind maps or study charts to organize and analyze course content
- Work in a study group to practice questions and test each other
Try this template:
Watch a short video:
Read more in our How-to Guides
Week 4 (March 31 to April 6): Learn new exam writing strategies
Learn how to systematically analyze questions and produce responses to demonstrate your course knowledge, and discover strategies for managing time and stress in exams.
Watch a short video:
Read more in our How-to Guides
- Take-Home Exams
- Multiple Choice Exams
- Bell-Ringer Exams
- Free Response and Essay Exams
- Managing Exam Stress