Revision without practice papers is like strawberries without cream, summer without sunshine. You get the drift!
As a revision tool, practice papers are a goldmine of information that you can’t afford to miss out on – whether you’re studying GCSEs or A Levels.
Why are they so essential?
Be on top of question types
Knowing what to expect can help you use your time wisely, especially if you’re following a revision timetable. Every exam will include repeated exam question types.
This is important as you can start to understand exactly what exam boards are going to include and how they lay out questions.
Once you are familiar with what each exam paper covers, you can then narrow your revision down to areas you are weakest at.
Scour Mark Schemes
All the major exam boards now publish previous exam papers, along with mark schemes and examiners’ reports. More on the latter later…
Here’s how to use a mark scheme.
- Rather than sitting a paper under exam conditions first, download a previous paper – with its mark scheme. Read each question in turn, then go through the corresponding answer on the mark scheme. This way, you’ll see how marks are allocated.
- Once you’ve studied this, then tackle an other exam paper section or question type to compare your response to the correct answers. You could even correct what you got wrong, and tick what you got right.
Marking your own work in this way can help you narrow down the areas you are great at and those you need to spend more time on. Voila!
Tap into Inside Information
Many exam boards publish specific subject examiner reports. They make fascinating reading, and can transform how you use practice papers.
For instance, AQA GCSE English Language reports go through each question in turn. The chief examiner gives feedback on what students did well on and what students struggled with.
Brilliant inside info that can show you exactly what examiners are looking for – and what to AVOID!
Practise Makes Perfect
Armed with tips, tricks and techniques, then practise a paper under timed conditions. Afterwards, use the mark scheme to mark your work. Each time you do this, you’ll move forward several steps.
Noting what you still struggle with is worth its weight in gold too. Know your enemy, as they say! You can then build specific subject types into your revision schedule..
Of course, if your head is still tied in knots and you just can’t fathom something, it’s worth getting outside exam support. A personal tutor can spot exactly where you are going wrong, and help you fix it.
- Image courtesy of BBC News site
Tags: exam boards, exam feedback, exam paper mark schemes, examiner reports, revision timetable, revision tool, understanding exam questions