Student’s CD

Examination technique
After you have spent so much time and energy learning, ● Show all your working in calculations.
understanding and revising the course thoroughly, it would be ● Make sure you quote your final answer to the appropriate
a shame if you did not work to the best of your abilities in the number of significant figures.This could be the number
examination. specified in the question or, if none is specified, the number
There are several ways in which good students sometimes of significant figures in the data.
lose marks. It is important to be aware of these, so that you ● Be clear about the units and make sure that every final
can improve your examination technique. answer has the correct units written by its side.
The following is general advice, which is applicable to every ● Check carefully when balancing chemical equations. If you
type of examination paper. find that an equation is unbalanced, do not be tempted to
add H2 or O2 on one side or the other to make it balance,
● Read the question twice – slowly and thoroughly –
as some students do. Almost certainly, the lack of balance is
underlining important key words such as ‘outline’,
due to missing out a multiplier somewhere, or writing an
‘describe’,‘explain’,‘suggest’,‘increasing/decreasing’,‘not’.
incorrect formula.
For example, if a description is asked for in the question, no
explanation needs to be given; if the question asks you to Here is some more advice on answering multiple-choice
explain, just a description is not enough. questions.
● Make sure what you write is actually answering the
● On your answer grid, make sure you underline a response
question! Many students write a lot about what they know
to every question, even if you have no idea of the answer
or have just revised, without making sure that it is relevant
or you are running out of time.You have a 25% chance of
to the actual question on the paper.This is a waste of time
underlining the correct response, so make use of it!
that they could be spending on other questions.
● Calculation questions can be time-consuming. If you are
● Take note of the marks allocated to each question and
spending too long on one, leave it and go on to another
the space available for your answer.This will give you an
question (but make a note of the question number, so you
indication of how much you need to write or how many
can return to it at the end).
points to mention in your answer. If you look at past mark
● Read each question, and the four possible responses,
schemes, you will see that one mark is often allocated per
slowly and carefully, being particularly aware of negative
point, so if there are two marks for a question, the answer is
questions (such as ‘which of the following is NOT true?’).
likely to require at least two points to be mentioned.
Cross out any responses you know are incorrect, so that
● On the other hand, do not be tempted to include all the
you increase your chances of eventually choosing the
points you think might be relevant. If some of them are
correct one.
incorrect, you could be penalised, even if you have included
● Don’t be tempted to avoid answering B, for example, if this
the correct points too.
has been your answer to the previous couple of questions.
● Make sure you give yourself enough time to finish the paper.
There is no reason why there cannot be a string of Bs (or Cs,
If you get stuck on an answer, make a note of it, but leave it
etc.) in one part of the paper.
and go on to the next question.There will be easier marks
● If you have allocated your time correctly, there should not
that you can gain in later questions, and it would be a shame
be much time left at the end of the paper. If you do have
if you did not have time to answer them. If you have spare
some time at the end, only use it to go back to questions
time at the end of the paper, you can return to the difficult
you left out the first time round. Do NOT be tempted to
question then.
alter any of your other answers. If you were to re-read a
● Write clearly, legibly and concisely. If you want to change
question in a hurry, you may not pick up the subtleties
an answer, cross it out neatly and write your new answer by
you were aware of the first time round, and come to an
the side or in a spare space somewhere else on the paper
incorrect conclusion.
(making sure you show clearly which question it refers to).
● Finally, make sure you have underlined only ONE response
Do not try to fit your new answer into the same space as
to each question.
the old one – that often makes it impossible to read. As a
last insert, you can ask the invigilator for an extra sheet on
which to write your answer.

Cambridge International AS and A Level Chemistry © Peter Cann and Peter Hughes 2015