MMW Oral Exam Tips and Tricks

How was your midterm oral exam? Was it your first-

time experience? Did you find the exam easy, so-so,
or challenging? Most importantly, how did you
prepare for your midterm oral exam?

We understand how it feels to be in a “hot seat”

answering an on-the-spot question. Your
performance in the oral exam relates to how you
prepare yourself. Here are some “tips and tricks” for
your next MMW oral exam:
Tips and Tricks # 1
Be optimistic that you can ace the oral exam.

The law of attraction indicates that positive attitude

and visualization of something tend to attract
positive results. Think that you have made necessary
preparations for the oral exam that your hard work
will pay off and you can ace it during the exam day.
 Tips and Tricks # 2
Make schedules when you review for your
MMW.

Reviewing should not be done whenever you just feel

doing. Making a schedule and following it strictly should
help you manage your time which will not overlap with
your other subjects. This will make you less worried when
reviewing since you are not thinking about other subjects’
requirements, and you can focus on MMW alone.
Tips and Tricks # 3
Review in chunks, not just one-time-big-time
(last minute) review.
Referring to tips and tricks #2, make your review schedules
at least several days. This is not a “wholesale” bargain where
you need to take all lessons in one go. Based on a study,
knowledge becomes easier to retain and to recall by
separating large information into smaller chunks.
 Tips and Tricks # 4
Mere reading may not be sufficient, let alone
just scanning curriculum materials tackled.
Have you experienced reading curriculum materials (i.e.,
notes) but were not able to retain this information during
your exam? Studies show that you mostly retain 10% of
what you just read. Refer to Edgar Dale’s Cone of
Experience here as a guide and suggestion for your
learning.
Source: Segers, R. (2013). Edgar Dale – Cone of experience [blogspot]. Retrieved October 26, 2021,
http://robsegers.blogspot.com/2013/03/edgar-dale-cone-of-experience.html
Tips and Tricks # 5
Practice, practice, and practice!

Referring to tips and tricks #4, you need to use all your
senses as much as possible to retain most of the information.
As the saying goes “practice makes permanent.” Visualize
yourself doing the oral exam. Make sure that you answered
all the exercises/practice examples located at the last pages
of the curriculum materials. You can also anticipate the
questions that may be asked in the exam.
 Tips and Tricks # 6
Do not hesitate to seek help when a part of
the lesson is unclear.

Seeking help does not reflect weakness. This is a desire to

learn more. For clarification, please do not hesitate to
send your professor a message and humbly ask about
something unclear. They will reply to you during their
available time. You can also ask your classmates or a more
knowledgeable person for help.
Tips and Tricks # 7
Make sure you are physically prepared on
the day of the exam.
Eat well (i.e., do not skip meals), make sure
you get a good night's sleep, and stay
hydrated, which contributes to your readiness
to take the exam. Exercising can help you
shake off nervousness.
 Tips and Tricks # 8
Double-check if your gadget/s is/are functioning.

Test your equipment prior to your oral

exam. Make sure that you can be seen
clearly, you have a stable internet
connection, and you are audible enough
when you speak.
Tips and Tricks # 9
Keep calm and focus on the question.
During oral exam, ensure that you understand the question. You can
ask the teacher clarifying questions so that you have a good grasp of
the question. Take time to think about the answer to the question.
When you are ready to answer, stick to the question and do not give
responses that are unrelated to the question.
Give 1 or 2 examples to support your claims. Examples discussed in
class can be mentioned but you must have your own set of examples
as well. Support your arguments by using topics discussed in class or
based on a source that you researched on your own.
 Tips and Tricks # 10
Exit with grace.
Do not forget to smile. Give
your words of gratitude as you
end the exam.
Best of luck!
These are just the usual “tips and tricks” which may
not be applicable to all. If you think you have a better
plan to prepare for the next oral exam, you may opt to
do so based on your learning style. Think of the oral
exams as your practice for future oral presentation
and interviews for your profession. We wish you all
the best of luck for your final oral exam!