Oral exams are all about demonstrating what you know capably. A successful presentation also depends on your articulateness, body language and posture, clarity of expression, and social skills. Examiners are not your opponents. Instead, they are partners in a process you have decided to undergo. Your job is to present your knowledge appropriately, reflect on it, and be able to discuss it. You are expected to be able to provide an overview and to focus on individual aspects.

Here are a few tips that can help you with oral exams:

Tips for your oral exam

Preparation:

  • Be sure your preparations for an oral exam don’t just focus on your discipline. You should also practice presenting what you know. Practice public speaking and answering the questions you should expect to be asked. Don’t be afraid to “talk to yourself” and say your thoughts and answers aloud when you are studying on your own.
  • Carve out as many specific times to practice as possible. For example, you can meet with fellow students and friends and take questions from them as if they were the examiners.
  • Even though the exam is taking place orally, you should write up a written outline of the expected content of the exam. You can use index cards to familiarize yourself with the exam situation, for example.

During the exam:

As an exam candidate, you should take on an active role and use the opportunities to steer the conversation that arise during the exam. With a certain concept backing you up, you can present your knowledge solidly, raise your own questions, and present lines of argument to make your case. Try to make the exam feel like a specialist discussion. Your remarks should invite the examiner to open a discussion. Bring up your own thoughts and questions and invite discussion on them.

Engage the audience with an introduction. You can steer the exam using your outline, pointing to different questions and discussion points you would like to address.

Explore the problem or question, sketch out the big picture, and show the context for the thesis you are putting forward. Keep to your own context. Example: “Can I return to this question after I’ve addressed point B?”

Incorporate the examiner’s questions into your own line of argument: “That question can be addressed from different positions. Let me explain this position first before I try to answer it.”

You can also introduce your own interpretations: “I understand your question to mean...” This lends the question a certain nuance you choose. This can help you keep your calm and gives you a pause to sort through your thoughts and catch your breath. “There are several aspects to that question. Let me talk about aspect A first.”

“I’m not sure whether that question is aimed at this or that...” If you really have no idea: “I haven’t considered that issue so far because I was especially interested in aspects A and B.” If you are asked a question that raises problematic aspects or further issues, you can think aloud, sketching out possible approaches and solutions without having to choose one position right away.

“At this point I’d just like to point out that there’s an interesting issue in the details there,” and then wait to see whether the audience is interested in pursuing it.

If your examiners make comments of their own, briefly affirm or add to them with phrases like, “Yes, and further evidence of that is...” If you disagree, you can wait for another question or return to your introductory outline and suggest another point for further exploration yourself

You can also see the Self-care section for tips and tricks for dealing with stress and exam anxiety.

  • Keine Stichwörter