Query on doing past paper questions (2 Viewers)

[s8891]

I'm confused on how I should approach the past paper questions, in regards to topics.

Is it better to do questions on topics already covered, or, should i just focus on doing past questions on the topics i will be learning in the coming term, and then (prior to the trials) doing past questions for the topics learnt in term4 and 1?

Dont know if i made any sense :S


Also, any tips on past paper questions? should i set a time limit? how many questions per week? how much time should i be dedicating?

thanks

 

[Shadowdude]

I think you should do a few past papers in exam conditions. That's what they're meant to be for.

 

[OzKo]

What's the point of doing a question on something you haven't learnt yet?

Just focus on the questions you have already covered.

 

[Nooblet94]

I think you should do a few past papers in exam conditions. That's what they're meant to be for.

I agree with this entirely. I don't see the point of doing past papers not under exam conditions, because that's basically the same as working through a bunch of questions from a textbook (although I do realise that sometimes exam questions can be in a different style to textbook questions).

Personally, I like to do 2 past papers on the day/night before the exam because I feel that it gets me in the right mindset. Sort of like an intellectual warm-up. That being said, lots of people find that doesn't work for them - some of my friends get exhausted even doing one past paper - so you might want to do past papers under exam conditions throughout the week before your exam.

tl;dr whatever floats your boat.

 

[Carrotsticks]

There are a plethora of past papers, so this is my suggestion:

When practising a topic, just open a couple of past papers and pick out the questions that you CAN do. No time limit or any pressure, just get used to the questions.

When you are confident with the topic and want to add a bit of a challenge, THEN implement the time limits.

The primary bulk of my study was from past paper questions, reading their worked solutions and explanations, and learning from them.

 

[deswa1]

I agree with Carrotsticks here. I find doing past papers even open book without time limits is very helpful. For example, when we did titration in chem in class I didn't really get it and the textbook wasn't that helpful. There was however an 8 mark past HSC question on titration that basically required you to know the whole process. I looked at the sample solution, the marking guidelines and the textbook and then wrote out a full solution- end result now I know titration properly and could answer any question on it.

I recommend whenever you finish a topic, go through past papers and do some of the 4+ mark questions on that topic and it really helps to consolidate knowledge. Don't worry about running out of papers- there's more than enough.

 

[will_]

different people have different ways of doing it. i prefer to do them topic by topic by reading the index but i havent got to it yet

 

[kingofthemisc]

bot bot ding ding