Exam Preperation

Planning your studyThe final three months before taking your GCSE examination are important In achieving your best grade. The earlier you begin your revision, the easier it will become before the exam approaches. No more than 40 minutes revision at a time. Allow breaks between sessions. Get a drink, Stretch your legs and give your brain a break! Set realistic amounts of material to revise during each session. Be proactive! Simply reading notes will note help - so make notes, mind maps and use colours. Don't Panic! If you are organised you will do fine. Regular revision is a lot better and effective revision a day before the exam.

After completing a topic in school, go through the topic again at home. Copy out the main points again. A couple of days later write out the main points from memory. Check differences between what you originally wrote and what you wrote later. Make sure you keep all your revision material for later. Try some questions from your revision guide or from past papers and check your answers. When you have decided you have mastered the topic, write down any weaknesses you think you have.

The Exam: Planning your time: Make sure you know how many questions you have to answer and plan how much time you have on each question. Read the question carefully: It helps to highlight keywords through the question as you read through it. Command words (e.g. Describe, Explain, Compare) are usually the first words in a question as they tell you exactly what the examiner wants you to do. Give enough detail: If a question is worth three marks then you should give at least three separate points of develop one fully. 25% of the marks are awarded for questions answered requiring long answers. So practise writing around 8-20 lines of text to answer a question worth 8-20 marks. Use key terms correctly: It is important you use key vocabulary correctly in your answers and that you spell them correctly. Using the correct term in the correct place will show you understand the topic. Also use the right terms when labelling diagrams. When revising, make a list of key terms with their definitions.

Mind Maps: Start at the CENTRE: This gives your brain freedom to spread out in different directions Use IMAGES: A image is worth a thousand words. These also help you remember key points. Use COLOUR: Colours help emphasise key terms and make your work more interesting. Connect your main branches to the middle: This will help you to understand and remember more easily Use Keywords

Healthy Body and Mind: Eat well Stay Hydrated Socialize Get plenty of sleep Ask for help when needed

In General people in a learning situation retain:10% of what you read20% of what you hear30% of what they say50% of what they hear and say70% of what they talk over with others80% of what they use and do in real life95% of what they teach someone else to do

Exam Preperation