TL;DR:
Unanswered questions come first, because a guess can earn marks and a blank cannot (check whether wrong answers lose marks).
Next reread the questions you flagged, then check units and signs on calculations.
Change an answer only for a reason you can name.
Ten minutes left. Some students put their pens down and wait. Others rush to finish the last question and run out of time. A third group stares at the clock and panics. There is a better use of this time, and it is a short, fixed checklist.
Why have a plan for the end
By the end of an exam your attention is tired and your instincts are unreliable. A plan saves you from deciding what to do next, and puts the highest-value work first: marks that are free to take before marks that need careful checking.
The checklist
Unanswered questions: Make sure every question has an answer. If the rules do not penalise wrong answers, guess rather than leave a blank. Check the rules.
Flagged questions: Return to the ones you marked. Reread the question slowly, and see if a fresh look helps.
Units, signs and size: On calculations, check that units are present and plausible, signs make sense and the size is sensible.
Instructions and details: Did you answer all parts? Did you give the form asked for, such as a sentence, a unit or a labelled graph?
Names and numbers: Check that your name and any required number are on the paper.
Worked example: a checklist for the final ten minutes
Say you have ten minutes left in a physics exam. Here is a split that adds up: 3 + 3 + 2 + 2 = 10.
Minutes | Task | What you do |
|---|---|---|
3 | Unanswered | Scan for blanks. Write a best attempt on each, even a partial one such as a formula or a diagram. |
3 | Flagged | Reread each flagged question as if for the first time, and check the stem for words like NOT. |
2 | Units, signs and size | Check three or four calculations for units and plausible size. |
2 | Details | Check the parts of each question are answered, and your name is on the paper. |
Here is a check from the third row. A question asks how long a ball takes to fall 20 m from rest, using g = 9.8 m/s². Your answer is t = 4.08 s. Check size: a fall of 20 m in four seconds would give a final speed of 9.8 × 4.08 = 40 m/s, which seems too fast for a 20 m drop. Look at the working: t² = 2h/g = 40 / 9.8 = 4.08, and you forgot to take the square root. So t = √4.08 = 2.02 s.
Now check again: v = gt = 9.8 × 2.02 = 19.8 m/s, which agrees with v = √(2gh) = √392 = 19.8 m/s. The error took thirty seconds to find and would have lost the full question. This is exactly what the final checks are for: things that are wrong by a lot, in ways a quick glance can catch.
Adjusting for different exams
The ten-minute split above suits a paper with calculations. For an essay exam, spend the time differently: reread your thesis and conclusion, fix unclear sentences, check names, dates and spelling, and add a missing example if you have a minute. For a multiple-choice paper, make sure every item is marked in the right place, because a shifted answer sheet is a common disaster. In every case, the principle is the same: take the cheapest marks first, then check the riskiest ones.
Changing answers
Change an answer only if you can say why: a misread word, a calculation slip or a definite recall. If it is only a feeling, leave it. Your first choice is often right, and last-minute doubt is a poor reason to switch. When you do change something, cross out the old answer clearly so the marker sees the new one.
If you are still on the last question
Decide at about 10 minutes left whether you can finish it. If you can, finish it. If not, write what you have so a marker can see your method, and move to the checklist. Partial work often earns credit, while a blank earns none.
Practising the finish
Practise the ending as well as the start. On your next timed paper, set an alarm for ten minutes before the end and switch to the checklist when it rings, even if you are in the middle of something. You will quickly learn how much you can check in ten minutes and which checks catch your usual mistakes. Next time, you will know exactly what to do when the alarm goes.
Mistakes to avoid
Leaving early with time to spare. Use all of it.
Using the whole time on one question and checking nothing.
Rewriting answers that are already right.
Changing answers on a hunch.
Leaving the checklist to the very last minute so there is no time to use it.
Your plan for this week
Copy the checklist onto a card.
On your next quiz, reserve the last ten minutes, or the last tenth of the time for shorter quizzes.
Afterward, note what the checks caught.
Add the most common catch to your personal list.
Frequently asked questions
What if I finish early?
Run the whole checklist, then solve one or two of the hardest questions a second way and compare answers.
What if my exam has no penalty for wrong answers?
Then never leave a blank. Check the exam rules to be sure.
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