Important Tips for All Candidates

[jafar]

Last-minute revision tips
Although time may be short, you can still make a difference to your grade. Try and prioritise; do what you can.

Use your revision tools (prompts, diagrams etc) to check final facts
Keep calm and consolidate your existing knowledge rather than trying to learn new topics
Don’t stay up all night revising; being overtired will not help you to do your best

Dealing with exam nerves
It is natural to feel nervous before an examination. The more prepared you feel, the easier it will be to conquer your fears.

Create a revision plan to help you feel in control of the process
Plan your work carefully around the topics you need to focus on. Being aware of gaps in your knowledge can create nerves, but having a plan of how you will fill these will make you feel better.
Find out what is involved in the exam:
where and when it will take place
how much time is allowed
how many questions you need to answer
Think positive
Keep the exam in context – even if you do badly, there will be other options open to you
Allow yourself some fun-time each day to relax
Eat sensibly – your brain cells need energy to function well. Make sure you drink plenty of water to avoid becoming dehydrated. Dehydration makes you tired and reduces concentration

Exam tips – sitting the exam

Be prepared; find out what is involved in each of the examinations that you are going to sit. Organise yourself the night before and get plenty of sleep.

Check you have the correct equipment with you before you leave the house (pens pencils, ruler, scientific calculator, etc)
Do take a watch or clock so that you can time your answers
Leave for the exam in plenty of time
Look through the paper first and mark difficult questions/initial thoughts
Select the questions that will best enable you to demonstrate your knowledge to the examiner
Look at the marks available and read the questions carefully, following instructions given in the paper (e.g. to show all workings, word limits etc)
Use the information provided on the paper (the answer’s often nearly all there)
Pace yourself and allow enough time to answer all the required questions
Write as neatly as possible to help the examiner to mark your work. Marking untidy writing is difficult
For longer answers, take a few minutes before you begin to produce a structured plan of what you are going to include in each section
Allow yourself ten minutes at the end to read through your answers and correct any mistakes
Cross out anything you do not want the examiner to read (e.g. an earlier answer to a question)

Exam tips – after the exam

It is easy to fall in to the trap of wondering how well you performed and to discuss this with your fellow students. Your time would be better spent looking ahead to your next examination.

Don’t panic – you won’t be the only student who is anxious about their answers
Don’t compare your answers with those of other students – this can create negative feelings
Have some fresh air and food and take time to relax before you start revising
Don’t rush to your textbooks to check your answers – there is no point at this stage
Focus on the next exam and how you might improve your exam technique
Have a quick look at your revision plan. Do you need to adjust it?
Think positive!

 

[jafar]

Cambridge students and social media
Cambridge students are good communicators and enjoy using social media websites, like MySpace, YouTube and Facebook. We encourage students to communicate widely, particularly with students from other countries or cultures.

Rules for Cambridge international examinations
A notice to candidates is displayed inside and at the entrance to all rooms where examinations are held. The notice states clearly that if students cheat, try to use unfair practice, or break the rules of the examination through malpractice, they may be disqualified from all their subjects and their results withheld.

Against the rules
The following activities are against the rules. Candidates who are caught doing any of these things, risk losing their qualifications and being barred from examinations for five years.

Obtaining unauthorised access to examination material, including examination papers
Bringing unauthorised material into the examination room
Using a calculator when this is forbidden
Collusion or attempted collusion with other people during the exam
Copying from another student
Pretending to be another student
Plagiarism
Any attempt to reveal the content of exams outside the examination room for 24 hours after sitting the examination

Behaviour online
The same rules apply when students are online. Anyone asking for, or providing, information about exam papers within 24 hours of sitting the exam is cheating.

During the examination session, it is best to avoid discussing exams at all on social networking sites – especially before, or on the day of your exam.

You could be getting yourself or other students into trouble. It is also wise to treat what you read online with suspicion – ninetynine per cent of speculation about examinations online is wrong, or deliberately misleading. Ask yourself what someone has to gain by telling you about things that might be coming up in an exam. Are they hoping to make you do worse in your exam by giving you false information?

Be safe online
We want students to enjoy their experiences while online and to be safe. Don’t forget to take the usual security precautions; be very careful about revealing personal information and only visit websites you know are secure.

 

[studentno1]

thanks, these are wonderful tips.

 

[yousafs c]

Ya and I totally agree that you shouldn't discuss your answer as it puts you under greater pressure. Rather look forward to the next exam! But I do not get why people don't understand this!

 

[ramith]

PERFECT

 

[jafar]

Thanks All......
Examiner's Words

 

[mish]

Nice tips!