Study Skills
Parents should be watchful to ensure that home study time is not wasted with unnecessary work that fails to add value to student understanding and knowledge.
Some study suggestions include:
- For each topic, develop one A4 page of notes comprising relevant formulae, worked examples with correct setting out (including how to use the calculator to respond to certain questions) and tips (dos/don’ts) regarding how marks are awarded and/or deducted.
- Re-do a sample of questions from your notes, handouts and the text exercises, showing full working/setting out. Check the answers for correctness.
- Borrow a supplementary text or homework/revision book from your teacher and practice these questions.
- Finally, start the process of learning the material, committing to memory those critical concepts identified as part of your note-taking task.
- Schedule in study time, make it a habit, reward yourself for this commitment.
- Remember to eat healthy and exercise as part of your ‘train the brain’ learning.
Examination Tips
These hints are designed to prepare students for the rigors of progress assessments and examinations. The aim is about banking as many marks as possible in the shortest time.
- Read all instructions carefully. You must answer ALL questions.
- Always do those questions you are confident of being successful first. Leave the harder questions to last.
- Presentation is just as important as the answer. Ensure you set work out correctly and use the right units as required.
- Check the required degree of accuracy (say, to 2dp).
- Be mindful of the time. Do not waste time by taking an inordinate amount of time to work through a question that may only be worth a few marks. Leave it and return later if time permits.
- Check that you have answered the question and not provided a solution that is not relevant.
Note: there are no half marks given by teachers. A question worth 2 marks can only be awarded 0, 1 or 2 marks!! If you finish early check over the paper. Do not just sit there idly doing nothing. I bet you could graft a few more marks by being vigilant and thorough.
