Completing part or all of an assignment through the use of a mind map and extensive reading may work well for some subjects. Maths is an exception. It doesn’t involve brute memorisation of facts and figures; rather, it involves the utilisation of knowledge in a context and in solving a scenario under certain pressure. Consequently, such revision activities will also require a different approach.
To boost your confidence on the day of the exam, here are some useful suggestions on how to revise for the Maths GCSE effectively.
Effective Strategies to Revise for GCSE Maths
Tip 1: Complete a Variety of Practice Questions.
Doing Maths is the best form of revision for the discipline. Just reading through worked examples or explanation texts will not help the skills to beimplanted, and, as such, some form of interaction with problem-solving is required. Begin as early as possible and practice at intervals. Over time, devoting as little as 20 or 30 minutes every day can have a significant effect.
If your goal is to achieve a certain grade, incorporate some more difficult questions in your practice. For those in the lower grade range, firstfocus on the most essential skills, which are most frequently tested in exams.
Tip 2: Rotate Topics witha Set Frequency
It is important to vary the order in which you do the revision. After doing algebra and geometry one day, then reverse the order the next time you revise these topics. Rotating the revision in this way maximises retention and should ensure an improvement in your grade.
Systems, such as CorbettMath’s “5-a-day,” offer the perfect balance needed for retention.
Tip 3: Attempt Past Exam Questions Early
You should integrate practice from past exam papers at the early stage in Year 11. To begin with focus should be on the easiest 1st part of the exam. When you consistently get these questions correct, then you can move on to the harder questions in the 2nd part of exam.
Tip 4: Build to Exam Conditions
You may begin using your notes to answer exam questions. Gradually, shift to answering the exam questions without notes. Several months before the exam, you should be answering entire papers without notes and within the time limit. This builds mental stamina and helps you stay calm and collected.
Tip 5: Stop Losing Marks for No Reason
You should all know that exams are not only about the tough questions that are placed at the end of the paper. A good number of marks are available for simple, basic steps, units, or clear working. Anytime you do not know how to complete a question, make an attempt to write something down; more often than not, you will be able to get the first mark for using the first method.
And do not ever, ever leave multiple-choice questions blank. Guess if you really do not know.
Tip 6: Justify Your Reasoning
One of the best ways to get the correct answer to a question and earn full marks is by justifying your answer clearly and logically. Justify an answer fully as if you were explaining to a peer how you arrived at the solution, using short notations, key phrases, and/or arrows to clarify your process. This is not only beneficial to the examiner in terms of mark allocation but also in helping you grasp the concept more fully.
Tip 7: Use Your Time Efficiently
In most papers, you’ll find you have just over a minute to answer a question. A time allocation of 10 minutes to a 2-mark question is not justified. You are better off attempting the question and moving on to other parts of the paper, returning if you have time. Practising under time constraints will help you become more aware of pacing yourself.
Do You Need More Help?
Studying on one’s own can be extremely difficult when faced with certain abstractions that appear difficult to conquer. This is exactly where PKay Tutorial is most helpful. The tutor Philip Kay offers GCSE Maths tuition that enhances student confidence, identifies knowledge deficits, and helps students achieve the examination success to match their availability.
Whether you would like to achieve a Grade 5 or Grade 8 or 9,youwill find sessions at PKay Tutorial customised to assist you in achieving your aims.