Ever wonder why you STILL score a C5-6 grade even though you do school work/ studied at home/pay attention during lessons?
seems no justice ?!?
Well, justice can prevail ... read more to find out......
(1) Know what is the most/more important ideas of the topic
It is no use memorising the whole topic......
there are times pupils memorised chapters/practise a particular concept and spend 1 week for revision of a topic where it will only be of a weightage of less than 3 marks in exam!!!
the next question you would ask ," but we don't know what is important for the exams? "
then, you have to (1) ask the teachers; (2) see which questions are usually/ frequently tested in the past year papers!!!
(2) Know the mark allocation of the question
Most pupils waste their time by writing more than 4 sentences for a 1 mark question!!!
Pupils need to know that [1 mark] is approxiamtely 1.5 minutes.
Hence, every sentence you write will be equivalent to almost [ 1/2 mark ]. In other words, pupils should not have any 'waste move'. again, if pupils do not know the mark allocation for the question, please seek teachers advise!!!!
(3) Know how to identify the question to the chapter and to link common answers to the question
This is an extremely important strategy!!!!!
Usually, pupils failed to identify the question to the relevant chapter. As such, they have difficulty in suggesting reasonable answers.
Example,
sodium chloride and chlorine gas are substances of chloride. Explain why sodium chloride has high melting point while chlorine gas has a low melting point.
Suggested answers from pupils :
sodium is a metal and chlorine is a non-metal, hence sodium chloride is high melting point; chlorine gas is a non-metal, hence low melting point.
Does this solution make sense?!?
Firstly, this solution does not need any information from the topic-bonding. Any secondary 1/2 will be able to identify whether sodium is a metal or not from the periodic table!!!!
Strategy: When a pupil sees this question. The pupil MUST identify the topic which is bonding.
From bonding, try to recall the words-' ionic bonding' and 'covalent bonding'.... ( no other chapters talks about bonding, so it is very obvious )
from ionic bonding-- try to link it to electrostatic forces of attraction while covalent bonding, link it to weak intermolecular forces of attraction.
Generally, teachers will inform pupils to memorise the reason for high melting point. The sentence goes like this, " sodium chloride is an ionic compound, a large amount of energy is needed to overcome the strong forces of attraction between oppositely charged ions, hence high melting point. On the other hand, chlorine gas is a covalent molecule. A small amount of energy is needed to overcome the weak intermolecular forces of attraction between the molecules. Hence low melting point. "
If you can remember the topic correctly, should be able to ring a bell and will be able to write a few sentences from the 'standard answers by teachers'......
that's all for my sharing :)
May the force be with you
