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Hi, I’m revising for an Early Modern Philosophy final (UCL) in about 10 days, and I’d really appreciate some advice.

The course covers Descartes (method of doubt, mind–body), Hobbes, Cavendish (matter & perception), and Spinoza (substance monism, mind–body), along with some context on Galileo and post-Newtonian experimental philosophy.

My current plan is to go through lecture and seminar notes, and then practice exam-style questions. However, I’ve run into a few issues:

1.	No access to past papers (and no model answers)

I haven’t been able to find any past exam questions, so I’m not sure what the exam typically looks like.

•	Where do people usually find past papers for philosophy courses (especially in the UK)?

•	If they’re not available, how would you recommend reconstructing likely exam questions from the syllabus?

Relatedly:

•	What does a strong philosophy exam answer actually look like?

•	How can I evaluate my own answers without model solutions?

2.	Secondary literature

Given the time constraint, is it worth reading any secondary sources, or should I focus entirely on primary texts and lecture material?

3.	What makes a high-scoring exam essay?

•	Should answers be primarily argumentative or explanatory?

•	How much textual detail is typically expected?

4.	Turning understanding into argument

I feel like I understand the material, but my answers tend to become descriptive rather than analytical.

I also struggle to structure arguments clearly and concisely under time pressure.

So my main question is:

→ How do you train for writing strong philosophy exam essays, especially without past papers or model answers?

Any advice, strategies, or examples would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Hi, I’m revising for an Early Modern Philosophy final (UCL) in about 10 days, and I’d really appreciate some advice.

The course covers Descartes (method of doubt, mind–body), Hobbes, Cavendish (matter & perception), and Spinoza (substance monism, mind–body), along with some context on Galileo and post-Newtonian experimental philosophy.

My current plan is to go through lecture and seminar notes, and then practice exam-style questions. However, I’ve run into a few issues:

1.	No access to past papers (and no model answers)

I haven’t been able to find any past exam questions, so I’m not sure what the exam typically looks like.

•	Where do people usually find past papers for philosophy courses (especially in the UK)?

•	If they’re not available, how would you recommend reconstructing likely exam questions from the syllabus?

Relatedly:

•	What does a strong philosophy exam answer actually look like?

•	How can I evaluate my own answers without model solutions?

2.	Secondary literature

Given the time constraint, is it worth reading any secondary sources, or should I focus entirely on primary texts and lecture material?

3.	What makes a high-scoring exam essay?

•	Should answers be primarily argumentative or explanatory?

•	How much textual detail is typically expected?

4.	Turning understanding into argument

I feel like I understand the material, but my answers tend to become descriptive rather than analytical.

I also struggle to structure arguments clearly and concisely under time pressure.

So my main question is:

→ How do you train for writing strong philosophy exam essays, especially without past papers or model answers?

Any advice, strategies, or examples would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Hi, I’m revising for an Early Modern Philosophy final (UCL) in about 10 days, and I’d really appreciate some advice.

The course covers Descartes (method of doubt, mind–body), Hobbes, Cavendish (matter & perception), and Spinoza (substance monism, mind–body), along with some context on Galileo and post-Newtonian experimental philosophy.

My current plan is to go through lecture and seminar notes, and then practice exam-style questions. However, I’ve run into a few issues:

1.	No access to past papers (and no model answers)

I haven’t been able to find any past exam questions, so I’m not sure what the exam typically looks like.

•	Where do people usually find past papers for philosophy courses (especially in the UK)?

•	If they’re not available, how would you recommend reconstructing likely exam questions from the syllabus?

Relatedly:

•	What does a strong philosophy exam answer actually look like?

•	How can I evaluate my own answers without model solutions?

2.	Secondary literature

Given the time constraint, is it worth reading any secondary sources, or should I focus entirely on primary texts and lecture material?

3.	What makes a high-scoring exam essay?

•	Should answers be primarily argumentative or explanatory?

•	How much textual detail is typically expected?

4.	Turning understanding into argument

I feel like I understand the material, but my answers tend to become descriptive rather than analytical.

I also struggle to structure arguments clearly and concisely under time pressure.

So my main question is:

→ How do you train for writing strong philosophy exam essays, especially without past papers or model answers?

Any advice, strategies, or examples would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Hi, I’m revising for an Early Modern Philosophy final (UCL) in about 10 days, and I’d really appreciate some advice.

The course covers Descartes (method of doubt, mind–body), Hobbes, Cavendish (matter & perception), and Spinoza (substance monism, mind–body), along with some context on Galileo and post-Newtonian experimental philosophy.

My current plan is to go through lecture and seminar notes, and then practice exam-style questions. However, I’ve run into a few issues:

1.	No access to past papers (and no model answers)

I haven’t been able to find any past exam questions, so I’m not sure what the exam typically looks like.

•	Where do people usually find past papers for philosophy courses (especially in the UK)?

•	If they’re not available, how would you recommend reconstructing likely exam questions from the syllabus?

Relatedly:

•	What does a strong philosophy exam answer actually look like?

•	How can I evaluate my own answers without model solutions?

2.	Secondary literature

Given the time constraint, is it worth reading any secondary sources, or should I focus entirely on primary texts and lecture material?

3.	What makes a high-scoring exam essay?

•	Should answers be primarily argumentative or explanatory?

•	How much textual detail is typically expected?

4.	Turning understanding into argument

I feel like I understand the material, but my answers tend to become descriptive rather than analytical.

I also struggle to structure arguments clearly and concisely under time pressure.

So my main question is:

→ How do you train for writing strong philosophy exam essays, especially without past papers or model answers?

Any advice, strategies, or examples would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Hi everyone,

I'm currently a first-year undergraduate student in UCL and I have a final exam tomorrow afternoon.

I'm experiencing a sudden and severe episode of dysmenorrhea (menstrual cramps). This is significantly worse than my usual symptoms.

Right now:

• I am basically bedbound and unable to sit upright for long periods

• I cannot concentrate or function properly

• I have taken paracetamol and ibuprofen (OTC standard doses, as directed) but there has been no improvement

• I have a prior history of dysmenorrhea, but this episode is much more severe than usual

Because of this, I do not think I am medically fit to sit the exam.

I have already started the process of submitting

Extenuating Circumstances (EC) via my university system, but I am unsure about the evidence part.

My questions are:

1. Is severe dysmenorrhea generally accepted as valia grounds for EC in UK universities?

2. What kind of evidence is typically required for cases like this (e.g. GP note, NHS111 record, pharmacy receipts, self-certification)? If I do not yet have access to a GP appointment, is it still acceptable to submit the EC first and provide evidence later?

3. Given that I am currently in severe pain and essentially unable to leave bed, attending the exam does not seem physically possible. In this situation, is it still advisable to attempt the exam before EC is processed, or is it acceptable to rely on the EC outcome?

I have also registered with a GP, but the process will take a couple of days, so I will not have immediate medical documentation before the exam.

Any advice from people familiar with UK university EC systems would be really appreciated.

Hi everyone,

I’m currently a first-year undergraduate student in UCL and I have a final exam tomorrow afternoon.

I’m experiencing a sudden and severe episode of dysmenorrhea (menstrual cramps). This is significantly worse than my usual symptoms.

Right now:

•	I am basically bedbound and unable to sit upright for long periods

•	I cannot concentrate or function properly

•	I have taken paracetamol and ibuprofen (OTC standard doses, as directed) but there has been no improvement

•	I have a prior history of dysmenorrhea, but this episode is much more severe than usual

Because of this, I do not think I am medically fit to sit the exam.

I have already started the process of submitting Extenuating Circumstances (EC) via my university system, but I am unsure about the evidence part.

My questions are:

1. Is severe dysmenorrhea generally accepted as valid grounds for EC in UK universities?

2. What kind of evidence is typically required for cases like this (e.g. GP note, NHS111 record, pharmacy receipts, self-certification)? If I do not yet have access to a GP appointment, is it still acceptable to submit the EC first and provide evidence later?

3. Given that I am currently in severe pain and essentially unable to leave bed, attending the exam does not seem physically possible. In this situation, is it still advisable to attempt the exam before EC is processed, or is it acceptable to rely on the EC outcome?

I have also registered with a GP, but the process will take a couple of days, so I will not have immediate medical documentation before the exam.

Any advice from people familiar with UK university EC systems would be really appreciated.

Thank you.