Before an exam, some students cram for it. Even if you're a genius, you'll have to do some revision. If the exam happens every year, you can revise by looking at past papers.

Some things can be memorised or learnt off by heart, but rote learning is not sufficient for most subjects. It is also possible to use mnemonics. However, all things considered, the best idea is to bury yourself in your books and to study intensively until you know the subject inside out.

B. Academic writing

Composition. Could be just fifty to a hundred words, often used for schoolwork.

Essay. Longer than a composition. More serious. Hundreds or thousands of words.

Assignment. A long essay, often part of a course. Usually thousands of words.

Project. Like an assignment, but emphasis on students' own material and topic.

Portfolio. A collection of individual pieces of work. May include drawings and other examples of creative work, as well as writing.

Dissertation. A long research-based work, perhaps ten to fifteen thousand words, for a degree or diploma.

Thesis. A very long original research-based work, perhaps eighty to a hundred thousand words, for a higher degree. For example, a PhD.

It's a good idea to start with a mind map when preparing an essay. Always write a first draft before writing up the final version. Your essay should be all your own work. Plagiarism is a very serious offence in colleges and universities. It is an increasing problem because it is so easy to cut and paste from materials available on the internet, and students have to sign a plagiarism form to say that the work they are handing in is all their own and that they acknowledge any sources they have used. There is usually a deadline.

After the essay is submitted, it will be assessed and usually you can get feedback.

Key aspects of higher academic study. University academics carry out research and are expected to read academic journals, which publish papers or articles on specialised subjects. If a library does not have a copy of a book or journal, you may be able to access it online, or you can usually get it through an inter-library loan. Open educational resources are particularly convenient for many students. Academic study can be very demanding and some students drop out, but the majority survive till finals and become well-qualified members of their future professions. Opportunity and equality. All education systems may ultimately be judged in terms of equality of opportunity. This is often referred to in the debates over selective versus comprehensive schooling. The main issue is whether everyone has the same opportunities for educational achievement, or whether elitism of one sort or another is inherent in the system. League tables for schools and colleges may actually help unintentionally to perpetuate inequalities, while claiming to promote the raising of standards. Inevitably league tables divide educational institutions into good and bad, success and failure, resulting in a two-tier system or at least that is how the public perceives it. The ability of better off parents and well-endowed schools to push children towards the institutions at the top of the league may, in the long term, have the effect of depressing opportunity for the less well-off or for children from home environments that do not provide the push and motivation to excel. Financial support of different kinds can help to make educational opportunity more equal. There are, for example, scholarships or bursaries that make it possible for less privileged youngsters to afford tertiary education. Student loans allow undergraduates to pay for their tuition fees and living expenses while they are studying. But few would claim that real equality of opportunity has been achieved.

b. Other debates and issues

Some people think we should return to an emphasis on the three R's, the traditional, basic skills. Literacy and numeracy are skills no one can afford to be without. Curriculum reform is often done for political reasons rather than for good educational ones.

Nowadays lifelong or continuing education is an issue and creating opportunities for mature students is important. Special needs education is expensive because class sizes need to be small or one-to-one. Children are unhappy at school if there is a lot of bullying. Some headteachers complain that getting to grips with constant new government guidelines on what schools should be doing is a distraction from what they ought to be focusing on. a. A job ad

FDR Bank Careers Customer Service Assistant

Do you have excellent communication skills and a genuine passion for customer service?

Are you looking for a challenging role within a fast-paced working environment?

FDR Bank has several new openings for customer service assistants. Reporting to the customer service manager, you will be responsible for dealing with customer enquiries on the phone and via email. No previous experience is necessary as full training will be given.

The post offers excellent career prospects to candidates who demonstrate leadership qualities as we are keen to promote and develop talent within the company.

We offer a competitive salary and an attractive benefits package including pension, health care plan and subsidised meals. If this sounds like the job for you, then click here to fill in the online application form including details of your salary expectations.

b. A cover letter You want your application to stand out so you should include a clear, well-written cover letter which highlights key points from your CV. Here is a letter sent with the application for the job in A above.

Dear Sir or Madam, Please find attached my CV in support of my application for the position of Customer Service Assistant. I have just completed my degree in Business Studies and am keen to gain hands-on experience in this area.

During my course, I chose to study several modules on banking and finance as I have always been interested in working in this field. In addition, I have worked as a part-time sales assistant in a large department store for the last two years. This has given me valuable customer-facing experience as well as developing good communication skills both with customers and the rest of the team. I am a team player and am keen to develop my career and gain managerial experience in the future. Thank you for taking the time to consider this application and I look forward to hearing from you. Yours faithfully, Rebecca White.

Be sure to specify the job you are applying for at the beginning of the letter. Mention any studies or training courses you have done which are relevant to the role. It is important to mention any relevant experience you have to show your suitability for the role. If you can, provide examples of specific projects you have carried out.

If you have previous managerial experience, you can say, In my previous role as Sales

Manager, I led a team of four people. When companies are recruiting, they often have a set of criteria, for example, three years of experience in the field, or a degree in a relevant area, which they use to find the most suitable candidates. If you are shortlisted for an interview, make sure you do your homework first. Find out as much as you can about the company, its products, markets, competitors, etc. If you can, ask a friend to do a trial run with you. This will help boost your confidence. The interview may be conducted by a panel, a group of people, probably including your future line manager. Don't forget to make eye contact with all the interviewers while you are talking. As you arrive for the interview, body language is important. Give a firm handshake and speak up. This will help to create a good first impression.

b. During an interview. These are examples of things that might be said at a job interview.

So can you talk us through your CV?

Well, I studied engineering and then took a job as a trainee at F3 Telecom.

I'd like to ask about opportunities for professional development.

We have a very good in-house training programme for new recruits.

Can you give us an example of how you've worked well under pressure?

How would your colleagues describe you? How would your supervisor describe you?

I'm keen to take on more responsibility.

We're looking to fill the post fairly quickly. If you are successful, how soon could you start?

The notice period on my present job is just two weeks, so I could start very soon.

c. A job offer.

Dear Mr Moulton, thank you for attending the interview last week. We very much enjoyed meeting you. We are delighted to offer you the position of trainee programmer. We believe your qualifications and experience will be an ideal fit for the job. Please review the attached document outlining your salary, benefits, including paid leave, and reporting structure, and sign where indicated. Return the document within five business days. Once we have received the paperwork, we will contact you to arrange your start date. We look forward to welcoming you as part of our team. Kind regards, Melanie Stevens.