How to Use Matric Past Exam Papers to Improve Your Marks
Past exam papers give you a chance to practise the way questions are asked, how much detail an answer needs and how to divide your time. They are also useful after you finish writing. Your marked answers can show whether you need more work on a topic, more practice reading instructions or a better plan for completing the paper on time.
Choose a paper that matches what you are studying
Check the subject, paper number and language before you begin. Ask your teacher whether the paper is appropriate for your current curriculum, especially if it is several years old. Keep the memorandum nearby for marking after the attempt. If you are still learning a topic, start with a few relevant questions before moving to a full paper.
Practise both content and timing
For topic revision, give yourself time to work through the method and write out your reasoning. When you are ready to test your pacing, attempt a section or full paper under timed conditions. Use the materials your exam allows. If time runs out, note where you stopped and which earlier questions took longer than you expected.
Read the question before deciding what to write
Look at the instruction and mark allocation. A question that asks you to list two causes calls for a different response from one that asks you to explain how those causes contributed to an outcome. If a calculation asks you to show your working, include the steps you used so the reader can follow your method.
Use the memorandum to find the reason for each error
Mark your attempt and write a short note beside each mistake. Perhaps you used the correct formula with the wrong units, left out evidence in an essay or misread which graph you were meant to interpret. Ask a teacher to check answers where the memorandum gives several acceptable responses and you are unsure whether yours qualifies.
Try the difficult questions again
Revise the topics that caused the most trouble. After a day or two, try a similar question without referring to your earlier correction. Keep the questions you still find difficult in one place so you can bring them to class or include them in your next study session.
Bright Nerds Solutions suggests starting with one paper and keeping a record of the three mistakes that cost you the most marks. Use that record to choose what to revise before attempting the next paper.
About The Author
