Study Tips and Exam Preparation
Exams are, understandably, a very stressful thing. This article should hopefully help you understand how to study for these exams and how to prepare for them in the days coming up to it.
Study Tips
I know everyone says it, but it is repeated for a reason: STUDY EARLY. I can’t exactly say I am the saint of studying when I should, but some study is always better than none. The best tip I can give you in this entire article is to do a little work whenever you can. Practice makes perfect, as they say.
Also, please, avoid cramming. By cramming, I don’t mean ‘doing a lot of questions in the day leading to exams’, I mean ‘doing ALL of your study in the day before exams’, because you are way more likely to forget what you have done. Try to expand your time to a couple weeks before your exam AT LEAST.
The following steps will help you complete study in this time:
- Find out what works best for you.
This not only means ‘what do I learn off of best’, it also means ‘what works best with the time you have available to you’.
Flashcards work well for some people, and are a great study choice for people that may not have the time to lock in for a few hours writing notes. I also find that the process of making flashcards is incredibly useful to helping with my understanding of the topic. If you do not know what flashcards are, they are pieces of paper with a question on one side, and an answer on the other. You are given the question, answer to the best of your knowledge, and then check the correct answer on the back of the card. Using a program such as ‘Anki’ is quite helpful as it makes the process much faster and will extend the time between flashcards if you find it easy, and will make harder flashcards repeat more often. Flashcards will work well for certain subjects that are based on information retention, such as science and humanities subjects, but are generally not as good for English or Math (unless there is information you need to remember from either).
Writing/rewriting notes also works for some people, usually in conjunction with other study techniques. This simply means copying out the notes you or someone else has made about a topic, and re-writing what you find especially hard. While not the most efficient way of studying, some people find it useful.
Practice questions are by far one of the best ways to study ‘application subjects’, such as Math or English. This study technique is based on practising questions in a textbook or other sources over and over until you have a solid grasp of the process needed. While not good if you do not understand the process in the first place (which can be solved by asking a teacher or peer), practice questions will help you avoid ‘blanking’ on an exam. It is also good at exposing you to different types of questions that may turn up in the exam.
Teaching others is an excellent way to help you memorise processes and other theory concepts while also helping others. Do not underestimate the power that this technique has. Explaining chemical processes etc to your parents or friends can immediately help you memorise them. This technique is best for science subjects, but can absolutely extend to the humanities.
Pomodoro timing: this can be used to help schedule breaks between study sessions that help to prevent burnout during your study time, allowing you to study more efficiently in the long term.
Preparing for exams
In the weeks leading up to exams, it is important not to overwhelm yourself. Make sure you address each subject equitably.
Practice Exams are likely the most essential study material you can use when preparing for an exam. These papers will give you an excellent idea of what the question will be like, and what topics are emphasised. When in year 12, you have a multitude of exams at your disposal from previous years, as well as other private companies who make their own. Below are some links that you can use to access these papers:
VCE: https://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/assessment/vce-assessment/past-examinations/Pages/index.aspx
QCE: https://www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/senior/senior-subjects
HSC: https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/11-12/resources/hsc-exam-papers
(Note: Year 11 and 12 curriculums are very similar between states, so if you run out of exam papers for the state you are in, it is reasonable to try the other states.)
Try to complete one of these exams every day without looking at the answers. Then, once done, look at your notes or textbooks to mark your own work. Finally, look at the answer key to see what exactly will receive marks in a given question so you know what to look for. Repeat exams when you feel it is necessary.
A vast majority of errors I have seen in my students have come from students stressing themselves out in exams, leading them to blanking once in the exam. Of course, I am not going to say, ‘do not worry about an exam’, because that’s almost impossible, but it is good to practice techniques that help you address questions with a clear head.
Don’t forget to reach out to one of our tutors if you are looking for additional help in your studies. We understand how intense school can be, and it is important to remember, you don’t need to do it alone. Our qualified and friendly team are always ready to help you out.
