As students navigate the labyrinth of revision, they are faced with a myriad of revision techniques which only adds to the considerable stress that they are under when preparing for GCSEs, A-Levels, IB or other exams. Among the range of techniques at their disposal, one stands out both for its simplicity and efficacy: completing past exam papers.
This approach, when combined with the judicious use of mark schemes for self-assessment, provides a robust framework for enhancing understanding and boosting exam performance. This blog delves into the various benefits of this strategy, as well as how to maximise these benefits.
How to Use Past Papers
Past papers are a tremendous resource for revision, and seemingly obvious as to how to use them. However, we are firm believers that there are tricks which can elevate your revisions. This is a repeatable process designed to make the most out of each past paper, identify weaknesses, and develop a well-rounded, yet specific, knowledge that will lead to eventual success in the exam.
1. Initial Revision: Before attempting a past paper, choose one individual topic that you would like to revise. Firstly, ensure that you have adequate notes on this topic. If not, spend the time making these notes. Then take the time to try to fully understand this topic, learning the key material. This is your preparation for the past paper. Hopefully you will therefore score highly on this topic in the paper.
2. Past Paper: Complete the past paper in exam conditions. This means that there should be no access to either the internet or your notes, despite how tempting it might be to do a quick Google. Also complete the paper in timed conditions with one caveat – some exam papers take a considerable amount of time, so feel free to break up the paper into sensible chunks. For example, a two hour paper could be split into two, 1-hour sessions.
3. Self-Mark: Use the official mark scheme to mark your own paper. Doing this will draw your attention to the specific vocabulary that the examiner is looking for and you can then use this in the future. Mark your paper in a different colour pen and annotate corrections. This will be a crucial revision source in the future should you want to review past mistakes.
Make sure that you mark your paper honestly. It is always tempting to give yourself the benefit of the doubt. Ignore this temptation and mark strictly according to the mark scheme so that you receive an accurate assessment of your current level.
4. Independent Review: Go through your paper, identifying topics that on which you performed poorly. Make a note of these so that you can prioritise the revision of these topics. Write down any specific questions that you do not understand.
5. Tutor Review: Discuss your past paper with your Renewed Learning tutor. They can clarify your understanding on the content that you do not understand. By collaborating you can identify which topic you will revise next.
6. Repeat: Repeat this process, revising a different topic each time in collaboration with your Renewed Learning tutor. Your independent revision can then lead to specific questions for your tutor, or requests for them to cover a particular topic.
The Benefits
1. Familiarization with Exam Format and Question Types: Engaging with past papers allows students to familiarize themselves with the exam format and the variety of question types they may encounter. This familiarity breeds confidence, reducing the anxiety and stress that exams can cause. When a student finally steps into the exam hall, the paper in front of them will be no different to the previous papers that they have completed, and therefore less stressful! It demystifies the examination process, reducing apprehension and helping students to feel confident.
2. Time Management Mastery: Practicing with past papers under timed conditions is a critical exercise in time management. It helps students gauge the amount of time they need to allocate to different sections of the exam, improving their ability to complete the exam within the allotted time. Furthermore, completing past papers helps students to navigate questions with increased efficiency. This ultimately helps students to showcase their knowledge comprehensively during the actual examination.
3. Mark Scheme Knowledge: Utilising the mark scheme to mark one's own work is a brilliant exercise. It requires students to adopt a critical eye towards their answers, recognizing areas of strength and pinpointing inaccuracies or omissions in their responses. Honest self-assessment fosters a brilliant positive mindset, encouraging students to acknowledge and learn from their mistakes rather than shy away from them. It can also enable students to identify subtleties in the answers that examiners are looking for.
4. Identifying Areas for Improvement: Mark schemes serve as detailed roadmaps, outlining not just the correct answers but the rationale behind them. This insight allows students to identify specific topics or skills where they may be lacking. It transforms the revision process from a broad sweep of the subject matter into a targeted, efficient method focused on bolstering weak areas before subsequent practice. This strategic revision informed by the insight of past papers enables students to use their time most effectively, concentrating effort where it is most needed and thereby maximizing the potential for improvement.
Conclusion
The results of this focus on past papers ensures that students see a cyclical pattern of improvement as they steadily receive higher marks as their targeted revision enables them to slowly improve topic by topic.
It is always invaluable for students to seek feedback from their tutors. The experienced Oxbridge-educated tutors and mentors at Renewed Learning ensures that they can provide deeper insights into the mark scheme, offer tailored advice to bridge gaps in understanding, and develop your exam technique to improve your future scores.
