Exam day is always a stressful event for any student. And while it is important to prepare meticulously, learning how to study smart, and not just hard, will help improve both your study habits and exam performance. Here at Focus Chemistry, we teach your children the basics of O-Level Chemistry, along with helpful tips on how to get the best results. With that, here are 8 tips to help your child score well in their O-Level Chemistry exam.
-
Create notes to help with memory retention
We all know that repetition is key to memorisation. Because there are a lot of terms and formulas involved in Chemistry, it is vital to develop a way to make remembering all the terms easier. With that, creating notes and using flashcards will help you better retain all the information you need for your exam. However, it is important to know that this process is not an easy one. It takes a lot of time, preparation, and practice. You must remember to stay disciplined and trust the process.
-
Be familiar with the Periodic Table
When it comes to Chemistry, you must know how to navigate through the periodic table. This is because that single piece of paper provides a wealth of information about each element and helps you identify patterns between them. With that, it’s important to study it as much as you can beforehand. This way, you will be familiar with how to interpret information and where to look for specific information, like the mass number, proton or atomic number, and the like. Understanding each section will help save you on time and improve your performance.
-
Identify links between O Level Chemistry topics
With Chemistry being a broad subject, questions often link several topics. These subjects can range from redox reactions and electrolysis, atomic structure and chemical bonding, or acids, bases and metals. By anticipating these patterns, specifically how topics are co-related and mastering each one, you will be able to better address exam questions.
-
Plan which questions to tackle first
The great thing about exams is that there are some questions that are easier than others. While some may focus on actual problem-solving, others can be a simple identification question. Because of this, it makes it easier to narrow down the simpler questions from the hard ones. From there, you must remember to read the entire question first to identify any keywords that would determine how you should answer. Once you’ve gone over the question thoroughly, you need to decide your next step. If you foresee it to be a difficult question, it may be better to skip and go for the easier questions to not waste any time. Once all the other questions have been addressed, you can come back. It is important to re-read the question to see if you may have missed any vital information that will help make you understand it better.
-
Look at the keywords used
Keywords help you get an idea of what exactly the question is looking for. Some examples are:
- Describe – asking for what you observe/understand
- State – asking to define something
- Explain – asking to clarify what is happening
- Evaluate – asking to show both sides of an argument
- Economic or industrial – asking for the significance of the process and reaction to these sectors
Once you identify the keyword, you will know how to tackle the question and will be able to provide what is needed. In addition, you won’t have to waste too much time on it.
-
Number of marks gives a clue
When it comes to Chemistry O-Level exams, the number of marks on a question can help give you an idea on the difficulty of the question. With that, not only will you know how much time is needed, but how specific your answer needs to be. If the question requires a full-detailed answer, you can easily determine if all the steps in a computation need to be on the exam paper, and carefully enumerate each as needed. Additionally, this can help influence your decision which questions to prioritize, and allot the amount of time needed for each.
-
Apply concepts learnt
While it is important to keep formulas in mind, it also helps to comprehend how you can apply these to your exam questions. When you truly understand how you should arrive at an answer, you will need to apply critical thinking.This can be done by applying relevant information and experiences to the solution of the issue or problem at hand. Probing questions encourage students to think more productively and to evaluate the evidence. Practice critical thinking by evaluating possible answers when your teacher poses you a question.
-
Aim to finish the O Level Chemistry paper
The key to scoring well in an exam is to remember the goal at hand. This is to successfully finish your exam and turn in your paper. Because an exam can be quite daunting, it can be easy to get overwhelmed and lose track of time. If you keep in mind what you need to accomplish, you will be able to allocate the appropriate amount of time per question. It is also vital to not dwell on giving “perfect” answers, at least from the beginning. If you are too caught up with perfecting each item, it is just as bad. Having answers on your paper is better than having no answers at all. Once you have completed everything, you then have time to go over and polish the other items.
Ace Your O Level Chemistry Exams with Focus Chemistry
As daunting as exams are, it is always important to remember that rushing to get it over with is never the answer. You should always keep in mind that you have prepared to the best of your abilities and that all you need to do is remain calm and trust in yourself to do your best. When rushing, you are in danger of misinterpreting critical points. Being relaxed, you can understand each point, and have ample time to remember what you studied. Learn more tips on how to excel in your O-Level Chemistry classes with Focus Chemistry! Contact us via @dion.khoo@nexusconsutancy.org or call us at +65 9616 1651 today.