How to Do Well in Your SPM Physics Examinations
Writing a physics test doesn’t have to be a scary process. Most students scored well in their tests if they studied for the examination during their course and followed a few crucial methods while they were writing the exam.
The students who did best in physics used an organized filing system for their assignments and study materials, did all of their assigned work, asked me lots of questions to make sure that they understood everything, took notes even when they weren't asked to, studied regularly, and solved many practice problems. The problems comprised ones that I assigned, ones that I advised, and ones that the students discovered by themselves.
When they answer questions on tests, the most successful students make sure that they work attentively, express their logic clearly when answering difficulties, and verify their work before turning in the exam. Usually, the students who earn the greatest scores are the ones that remain in the examination room until they are needed to give in their work instead than leaving the room early.
Some individuals say that they can operate in a cluttered setting, but for most of us a neat and organised one works best.
Organize Information, Time, and Study Areas
Your physics test will run for only a few hours on one specific day, but your preparation for the exam should begin when you’re purchasing your school supplies before you attend your first physics lesson.
There are a lot of selections that you need to make when acquiring school supplies.
Where are you going to put your notes, the handouts that your instructor sends you, your assignments, your lab reports, your practise problems, and your practise test questions? Are they all going into the same binder or will it be more convenient to split them into more than one binder or notebook?
Do you need dividers for your binders? They can make searching for information more efficient.
Where will you put incidental information like valuable web URLs, names of additional resources that your instructor advises, and test and exam hints?
Do you have an agenda or calendar to record essential dates, data, a to-do list, and your study schedule? (You are going to develop a study programme, aren't you?)
Even if your instructor needs you to set up your binder in a certain manner, try putting up a second form of storage if you believe that this would benefit you. You may arrange a second binder or a file box in any manner that makes sense to you.
You also need to construct a nice and orderly study place at home, with appropriate lighting and no distractions. Your desk or table has to have adequate room for your writing tools and calculator, your open textbook, your notepad, binder or paper, and your agenda and study plan.
A computer is a tremendous instrument for a physics student, but it must be utilised intelligently. A pencil (or pen) and paper are still useful for pupils.
Computers are a tremendous resource for physics students. The pull of computers for other uses, such as for entertainment or social media accounts, may be quite great. A successful student manages to (largely) utilise a computer, laptop, tablet, or phone for the appropriate reason at the right time. Self-discipline is required.
Use a Computer or a Phone as a Learning Tool
Useful Electronic Organizers
A computer or a comparable device with an Internet connection may be a highly beneficial learning resource. In addition, some individuals utilise an agenda application or app on their computer, łaptop, tablet, or phone and also establish their study timetable on one of the devices. Back up your data often if you do this and only switch on the gadget or put it near you if you need it. It’s quite simple to be sidetracked by the fun that computers provide.
Preventing Distraction While Studying
Though an electronic gadget may be quite beneficial for a student, you need be honest with yourself about whether it is helping or harming you study sessions. If your phone or tablet is a common distraction for you, consider setting an alarm and promising yourself that you won't glance at the gadget until the alarm goes off. Putting a phone in a separate room until it must be used may be a good technique. If you live in a multilevel house, keeping your phone on a separate floor while you are studying may also be useful. The necessity to travel up or down stairs to reach the item can deter you from utilizing it.
Exploring the Internet
Searching for physics knowledge and practise problems on the Internet is a good idea, but do this outside of your designated study time to avoid filling the time with Internet searches. You'll discover that there are numerous physics materials online, including information, explanations, videos, experiment demonstrations, graphing applications, podcasts, example problems, and practise problems. Bookmark valuable sites as you discover them and arrange your bookmarks folder on your computer so that you can quickly access a certain site again. If you don't have a computer or comparable device at home, make sure that you look at physics information on a school or public library computer.
Do you really need your phone alongside you while you study?
Work Effectively During Your Physics Course
Even if you employ strong exam-writing skills throughout your physics test, you’re unlikely to achieve a decent grade if you haven’t acquired knowledge during the physics course and prepared efficiently. Here are some strategies for acquiring information.
Attend all of your physics lessons.
If you have to skip a class due to unforeseen reasons, receive the information or assignment that you missed from your instructor or from a trusted student.
Complete all your tasks throughout the course.
When you get your marked assignments, rectify any mistakes that you made.
If you don't grasp anything, either contact your instructor or another competent person for aid or consult a reference source.
Copy example problems that are displayed on the blackboard, white board, or overhead projector.
Make notes regarding the facts that your instructor gives. You won't be able to write down everything that the instructor says or demonstrates, so utilise point form and abbreviations, jotting down only the main ideas. If a teacher is showing you a web page, jot down the address so that you may visit the site later. Check your notes on the same day as the lecture, filling in any gaps, clarifying them, and rewriting them.
File all the material that you obtain in the right location and keep it structured in order to make studying effective.
Become extremely comfortable with how to operate your calculator, as well as your backup calculator if you are permitted to carry it into the exam room.
Don't just copy answers from your calculator. Always take a little minute to assess whether the response sounds acceptable. If the answer is ludicrous, you know that you've either used the calculator wrong or the gadget is destroyed.
Tips for Solving Physics Problems
Use Good Study Techniques
Study regularly for short durations instead of sometimes for extended periods.
Create and follow a study schedule.
Most physics examinations feature a lot of word problems. It's consequently extremely vital to undertake active studying in physics. You need to solve issues and then check an answer key to determine what your mistakes are, if any. You also need to repair any inaccuracies by solving the tasks again. Simply reading over problem answers (passive studying) is important, but active studying is vital if you want to perform well on your physics test.
Collect practise problems to solve. Look through your textbook for problems, look on the Internet, and ask your instructor where you may find more problems.
Don't forget to solve complicated issues as well as simple ones. Working with tougher issues is wonderful training for your brain and provides you confidence that you can cope with whatever challenges occur on the actual test.
If a practise test has multiple choice questions, don't just mark the right answers. Write down the answer technique or important data alongside the questions so that the test becomes a study resource.
If you are able to access copies of prior tests, after you have studied all the course content do mock exams with the same time restriction as the actual exam.
You will undoubtedly have to learn information even in a problem-solving course. Make notes regarding these facts depending upon what you learn in class or what you read in your textbook. Study these notes.
Active studying is more effective than passive studying for learning factual knowledge. Try thinking up questions concerning the material in your notes and then answering the questions without glancing at the notes. In addition, try describing any facts that you have just read without looking at the content. Talk openly even if you are on your own.
You need to be honest with yourself about where you study best. Some individuals feel that studying outside is useful while others find it distracting. The same guideline applies to studying at a coffee shop.
More Physics Study Skills
Add group study time with your pals to your solo study time. Helping each other tackle physics issues is a fantastic learning approach. However, in order for group study to be effective, you need to make sure that the group concentrates on physics issues instead of socialising.
Try teaching a subject to your pals. Teaching something is another fantastic method to learn.
If your school provides academic assistance time, tutorial sessions, or homework classes, make sure you attend these activities if you need help in physics.
Create diagrams to help you study. For example, construct flow charts that demonstrate the sequence of events in addressing certain sorts of issues. Practice sketching graphs that demonstrate connections. Draw illustrations to depict facts, laws, and regulations.
If you will be handed a formula sheet in the test, be sure that you can utilise each formula not just as it's stated on the sheet but also in its rearranged versions.
Sometimes a teacher may allow you bring one page of information into a physics test. Start preparing content for this sheet well in advance of the test date so that it may be altered and fine-tuned before you reach the exam room. Study this sheet even though you're permitted to have it with you throughout the test.
Hints for Solving Word Problems
Practice the Steps for Solving a Word Problem
The fundamental stages for solving a word problem are outlined here. You may like to follow various methods, which is OK, but if your strategy for dealing with word issues isn't trustworthy you may want to attempt the following sequence of events.
Draw a diagram to illustrate the issue wherever feasible.
Label the diagram using the data provided in the issue or list the data.
Identify the information that you are being requested to discover.
Choose a suitable formula or formulae to discover the needed information depending on the provided data.
Substitute the data in the formula or formulae.
Solve for the needed information.
Check your answer.
Prepare for Your SPM Physics Exam
Pack everything you will need for the test (such as writing utensils, an eraser, a ruler, a geometry set, and a calculator) the night before the exam. Make sure that your calculator is in excellent working condition and has a new battery if it requires one, or carry a spare battery with you. Select the comfy clothing and shoes that you’ll wear the following day and store them in one spot for fast access. Pack extra items that you may need during the test and are permitted to bring inside the exam room, such as a water bottle.
Try to obtain a decent night's sleep before the test and for many nights leading up to the exam. Don't get up particularly early on the test day to prep. You will most likely be weary and mentally disoriented when you enter the test room if you do this.
Don’t attempt a new meal or drink immediately before the test. Eat your normal breakfast or lunch, but don’t eat or drink anything that you know may create issues when you are writing the test. For example, don’t eat or drink anything that will make you want to use the bathroom often.
On the day of the test, make sure that you leave home early in case you experience a traffic congestion or an unanticipated transit difficulty. You need to arrive at school with enough time to use the bathroom and compose your thoughts before the test begins.
Preparing for a Multiple Choice Exam
Writing the Exam
Make sure that you only take allowed electronic devices into the exam room. Don't forget to leave your phone outside the room or wherever the test supervisor wants you to put it, particularly if you're accustomed to carrying it about in a pocket.
Read the test instructions attentively before commencing the examination so that you don't make procedural mistakes. This will also allow you time to collect your ideas and calm you down if you're worried.
Answer the questions that you can do first. If you're spending a long time attempting to answer one specific question, don't become discouraged. Leave the question and come back to it later once you have finished the remainder of the test. By then you may have discovered how to answer the question that sounded tough when you first read it.
Work carefully while you answer the test questions, but keep track of the time so that you know when you're taking too long to finish a part of the exam. Some tests include recommended time limitations for each component. Be mindful of these constraints.
Try to answer multiple choice questions in your head before looking at the list of potential responses and then select the answer from the list that best fits yours.
If you're having problems deciding on the proper answer to a multiple choice question, consider eliminating the incorrect alternatives.
Follow the fundamental methods for solving word problems if you are finding an issue tough.
For word problems that demand a written answer, demonstrate all your mathematical steps clearly and in the sequence in which they're accomplished so that the marker can follow your reasoning. This will aid you in several ways: it will help you obtain the maximum number of marks for the problem if you complete the answer; it will increase the likelihood that you will get at least partial marks for the problem if you get stuck halfway through the answer; and writing the start of the solution may help you to think of the rest of the solution.
If you are provided blank paper to utilise for rough work, make advantage of it. If you can't think of how to solve an issue, "play" with data, mathematics, and statistics, or employ brainstorming approaches. These stages may allow you to think of a solution for the issue.
Writing Multiple Choice Exams
More Tips for Writing Physics Exams
Write in all measurement units, not just in the final solution but in the calculating phases as well. You will likely lose marks if you don't do this. In addition, if you type in all the units you are more likely to notice when you have to complete a unit conversion in order to obtain the proper result.
Make sure that you use significant figures (or significant digits) if they are necessary.
Draw graphs cleanly, using your ruler for the axes. Don't forget to name the axes and explain the measurement scale that you are using.
Never leave blank spots on your response sheet. If time is running out and you have no clue what the proper answer for a multiple choice question is, circle any of the choices. If there are four alternative responses, you have a 25% chance of being accurate. If you can remove a clearly erroneous answer (or responses), your likelihood of picking the proper solution rises.
If you can't answer a word problem, list the facts, create a graph or a diagram that you believe could be significant, or write a formula or fact that you think might be linked to the issue. You can earn half scores for your response.
Check all your answers before you hand in your test. When you're writing the test, add a note beside issues that you leave out so that you know you have to come back to them at the end.
If you have to answer multiple choice questions by shading in circles on a computer scan sheet, be sure that you've indicated the circles that correlate with your intended responses.
If you realise that you've made a mistake on a multiple choice question, alter the answer very explicitly, particularly if the answer is recorded on a computer scan sheet. Erase any stray markings on the answer page.
If you're not totally positive about how to answer a multiple choice question, it can be a good idea to go with the initial answer that you choose instead of second-guessing yourself.
In British Columbia, the last year of high school (or secondary school) is known as Grade 12. Other nations may use other terminology for this year.
Don't Be Intimidated by an Exam
A previous principle of a school where I once taught liked to deliver the following advise to Grade 12 students: "Don't be scared by the test. You intimidate the exam." He obviously wasn't pushing them to be overconfident, but he was encouraging them to be confident in the knowledge that they had prepared well and that they would pass the test if they made an honest effort.
"Intimidating" an exam could be not be achievable if you haven't worked throughout the course or have left studying till the final minute. A physics test will be lot less daunting for you if you study for it instead of worrying about it just before the exam date. Working carefully and effectively from the outset of the course will offer you the greatest possible opportunity of mastering your physics curriculum and having a successful exam experience.
While many individuals feel a bit uncomfortable as they start an exam, if you've studied correctly your anxiety should quickly go and you will be able to not only pass your physics test but also obtain a high score to reward you for your efforts during the course.
A Useful Resource: Physics Practice Problems
The questions in the material described below are based on the British Columbia Grade 12 Physics curriculum. Answers are provided and can be checked once the quiz is finished. Even though the curriculum may not be similar to yours, some or many of the questions may be valuable to you. Try to discover practise examinations for your own curriculum as well.
Questions & Answers
Question: How should I prepare for a Physics exam?
Answer: To some degree, the answer relies on your schedule and the physics curriculum that you are pursuing. I propose that you do the following, though.
1) In your textbook, read the chapter introduction and/or the review at the conclusion of the chapter for each subject that you need to know.
2) Answer a couple of the questions at the conclusion of each of the relevant chapters to refresh your recollection. Try to chose the questions that you believe are most significant, as there probably won't be enough time to complete them all. You may tackle more issues if there's time remaining at the conclusion of your evaluation.
3) Read the notes that you made throughout the course.
4) Try a few questions from each worksheet or lab report that you completed throughout the course. Once again, select problems that you believe would be most beneficial or that cover the most things that you need to know, because your time is limited.
If you decide to adopt these guidelines, you need to adapt them to your own scenario. If your course didn't utilise a textbook or your teacher seldom referred to it, for example, you will probably have to overlook the first two ideas. If you have a big binder crammed with your work, you need to think about whether the notes or the worksheets are the most significant areas to examine.
One thing that I observed is that you wondered how you could comprehend the material in a week. If you are highly puzzled and believe that you've learnt nothing in the course, I'm sorry that one week is probably likely not enough time to comprehend the course. If you mean that you want to know how to refresh your memory regarding things that you do understand, then a lot can be done in a week (though the results probably won't be as excellent as they would have been if you had begun to study earlier).
You should study physics every day. Make sure that you get enough sleep, however, or you will be too fatigued to write the test. If there are a few areas that puzzle you, make sure that you receive aid from your teacher well before the week is complete.
Remember that my ideas are merely recommendations. The nature of your course and your understanding of the study approaches that work best for you will alter your strategy.
