How to Prepare for TSA Oxford

The Thinking Skills Assessment (TSA) is one of the stranger admissions exams offered at university level, in that there isn’t a subject-specific curriculum that you need to learn. Unlike the MAT or NSAA, you won’t have to learn a syllabus of information before this exam. Alternatively, it directly tests your ability to use problem-solving and critical thinking skills.

You must take the TSA test if you’re applying to Human Sciences, Philosophy, Politics and Economics, Psychology, Philosophy and Linguistics, or Experimental Psychology. Students that are applying for Economics and Management or History and Economics will only need to take the first half of the paper.

In this article, we’ll explain everything you need to know about TSA Oxford, helping you to prepare for the exam and arrive on exam day with a total understanding of what’s going to come up.

How is Oxford’s TSA Exam Structured?

The TSA is divided into two parts, consisting of a 90-minute Thinking Skills Assessment and a 30-minute essay-based task. In total, students will have two hours to complete the exam.

The two sections are very different, testing distinct thinking skills and challenging a student’s ability to organize ideas, use critical thinking skills, and find reason in language.

Section 1 of Oxford’s TSA

The first section of Oxford’s TSA has a total of 50 multiple-choice questions. Each of these questions tests a different skill, ranging from everything to numerical reasoning to understanding arguments and general problem-solving skills.

Within this section, marks are not deducted for any incorrect answers given, so it’s always a good idea to attempt all 50 of the questions on the paper. A standard exam will contain 25 Critical Thinking questions and 25 Problem-Solving questions. As the exam continues, the questions become harder, with the first being the easiest and the last being the most challenging.

In these circumstances:

• Problem-Solving - Refers to a student’s ability to gain insight into unfamiliar problems. All the questions are either about identifying similarity, finding procedures, or relevant selection.
• Critical Thinking - When constructing an augment, you must suggest reasons to satisfy your conclusion. In this exam, you’ll have to find conclusions and reasons that naturally concur.

Across these two segments, you’ll have to answer 50 questions.

Section 2 of Oxford’s TSA

The second section of the TSA focuses entirely on writing skills, with applicants having to create an essay in thirty minutes. This essay will be based on one of four different questions asked in the section, with the student only being allowed to write two sides of A4.

When deciding on a question, be sure to carefully read all of the questions in their entirety. If you don’t fully understand what a question is asking, then that is not the question for you. When reading through, if you’re torn between several possible essays, then select the one that you believe has the more thought-provoking issues surrounding it.

Source.

The essay should follow a typical structure that you’re used to in subjects like English Literature A-Level or History A-Level, moving through an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

This section is slightly more straightforward, as it is only testing your ability to think quickly, formulate an opinion, and write a convincing essay.

How to Prepare for the Oxford TSA

As the skills and processes tested in Section 1 and Section 2 of the TSA are so different, we’ll split up our revision and preparation tips into specific sections.

How to Prepare for TSA Section 1

The first section of the TSA can be complicated for students that aren’t used to the paper. The skills needed to perform well are actually fairly simple, but they are something you need to practice if you want to be able to access them quickly.

The single best way to get better at the skills needed in TSA Section 1 is to do past papers. Going through the last couple years of past papers will allow you to attempt hundreds of questions, helping you to build up your critical thinking and logic skills over time.

Be sure to work methodically through the questions, then using the mark scheme to find exactly where you went wrong. You’ll also be able to see the answer, helping you to then work backwards and understand what you missed. Over time, this will build up your speed and efficiency in this section.

How to Prepare for TSA Section 2

The essay writing section tests your thinking skills and the ability of a student to rapidly come up with a nuanced argument. Due to this, there are a few ways of going about TSA Section 2 revision:

• Essay Practise - Just like for many humanities A-Level subjects, essay writing practice will ensure that you have a fluid command of language and are able to rapidly produce an essay.
• Past Questions - When reading through past papers, you’re likely going to pick one question out of the four. However, use the other three as practice, allowing you to test your abilities.
• Planning - Part of the test is being able to make a precise argument, which means you need to learn how to plan out several points rapidly. Practice with previous questions in order to develop this skill.

While you cannot radically train your thinking skills in such a short amount of time, approaching past papers and lifting questions for practice essays will be one of the best methods available.

Final Thoughts

The TSA exam is, so to speak, very thought-provoking. As a test that directly tests your ability to think logically, draw conclusions, construct arguments, and understand language, this is an exam that many find difficult to prepare for.

Alongside following our outlined revision tactics and tips for the TSA, we also recommend that you work with an online TSA tutor. At TutorChase, our top TSA tutors have all taken the TSA exam, having performed exceptionally well and landed a place at Oxford. With your tutor, you’ll be able to work through past papers, discuss exam technique, and get tips that will radically shift how you approach the exam.

If you’re sitting the TSA soon, then we wish you the best of luck!