Dealing with formative results and preparing for exam season

As we prepare to go into December, many of us are receiving marks from formative assessments, which for the majority of us, will be the only opportunity to receive feedback on a specific module prior to submitting our summative assessments.

While for some, this may be encouraging, it can also feel extremely overwhelming. If you are experiencing these feelings, it is important to remember that formative marks do not define you, and do not reflect the grade you will achieve on your summative. Instead, this is a valuable opportunity to identify your strengths and weaknesses, to ensure you deliver the best work possible before summative season.

Firstly it is important to give yourself time to process this feedback and spend some time doing what you enjoy. Having a break is crucial not only academically but will also help you to avoid burnout, meaning that when you return to this piece of work, you will view it with a clearer mind and hopefully feel more motivated to work towards improving it.

 If you are unsure of how to go about this, the 301 Academic Skills Centre is a great resource (available here https://students.sheffield.ac.uk/301) which provides helpful information on independent study, as well as academic writing and research skills.

I would also recommend booking into the marker's feedback and consultation hours, having the opportunity to speak about your work can make the summative assessment seem much less daunting and provide a great source of encouragement. Lecturers are also very accommodating and will often be willing to do this meeting online if getting there is any obstacle. As a final-year student, I can confidently say that this has been invaluable to me and I would encourage you all to do the same.

Finally, it is important to remember that there is still time, while December is a very busy time of year at university, there are still almost two months until the end of the semester, two months ago, we were only just starting our modules for the year and think of how much you have done in that time.

Remember that receiving formative grades does not need to be stressful, make sure to process your mark and take the time to speak to someone about how you feel.

Alexander Lewis
Wellbeing Ambasador
School of Law