The months are running by quickly, and that only means one thing — the clock is ticking and the JC and secondary Physics exams are nearing. With both the ‘A’ and ‘O’ level exams drawing in close, the need to properly manage your time in school and studies becomes more apparent. As students kick into high gear to revise for their Physics papers, gaining a thorough comprehension of the in-depth content structure of the school syllabus can prove challenging. From coherently understanding all theoretical concepts that cover everything from energy and matter to physical behaviours of the universe, there is another key component of the Physics exam that leaves many students in the dark when it comes to their intense revision sessions — their practical exams. Given the heavy 15 to 20% weightage that the SPA in Pure Physics and general practical exams have on a student’s final grade, the fact that there are a lot fewer practical classes in school only adds to the stress of figuring out ways to ace the paper. But fret not! Here at the Physics Academy, we’ve not only compiled a list of tips to consider to ace your Physics practical exams but we’re also holding a September Holiday Workshop that will get you all prepped and ready for the major exam!
How to Score Full Marks in Your Practicals
It is common for schools to hold practical classes once a week to provide students with a hands-on experience to better understand the scientific phenomena, facts, laws, concepts and theories in their textbooks. However, as mentioned, the frequency at which such classes are held can make students feel less confident about their preparation for their practical exams. From coming up with their own experiment to structuring it so that ideal results are attained post-experiment, the approach to revising for a practical paper is worlds apart from studying for a written theory paper. Consider the following to be fully prepared for your Physics practical exams:
1. Revise Past Works
Unlike revising for theory tests where doing Physics past year exam papers have been proven beneficial, there is no clear-cut way to revise for practical exams. The best way to navigate this is to revise all the past practicals that you have done in school. This does not mean skimming through all the practical tests and notes, but rather, taking the time to study all past mistakes that were previously made. Beyond that, be sure to keep a lookout for must-have keywords to include in the paper and the type of questions raised. This is because despite testing completely different aspects of the Physics curriculum, both theoretical and practical papers tend to utilise similar questions that have been rephrased to throw students off guard.
2. Understand the Differences
Even though Physics is a general subject that tests a student’s ability to apply concepts, the practical exams take this up a notch by testing one’s ability to apply theoretical knowledge through detailed experimentation. Understanding this key difference in and of itself can prove beneficial to many students as it can drastically improve and shift their perspective when revising.
3. Revise Theoretical Concepts
Building a solid foundation in Physics is crucial in acing any exam — be it theoretical or practical. And since theories and concepts remain relevant in the practical exams, it is important to have all the key theories and formulas memorised so that the right methods are applied during the practicals to attain a final answer or result. Of course, it remains true that one of the main reasons why many students struggle with Physics is because they assume that blatant memorisation will suffice in scoring an ‘A’ for their papers. This could not be further from the truth. Take the time to fully comprehend and understand the formulas and in which scenarios they are applicable.
4. Understand the Format
Whether you are a secondary 3, 4, or JC student, before sitting for any examination, it is important to understand how to best deliver your answers. In Physics practical exams, students have to do everything from planning their own experiments and the procedure to identifying any possible errors that they expect to see. To ensure that no key component is left out from the original plan, it is best to memorise the format to accurately and succinctly structure the experiment.
5. Be Meticulous and Aware
During any exam, reading the instructions and questions carefully is always a must. However, there are other factors such as paying attention to details, making accurate calculations, and keeping track of the time that can make or break one’s final results. As such, keep focused on your own experiment and avoid getting distracted by your lab partner and always keep track of time so that you are able to finish the experiment and paper.
The Physics Academy September Holiday Workshop
Think you need more help besides the aforementioned tips to ace your Physics exams? If you find yourself questioning if you need Physics tuition now or later, we have just the answer for you. Offering a well-structured learning plan that aids students in speed-learning during this critical period is Physics Academy’s September Holiday 2-day workshop. Whether you are preparing for your Secondary 3 End of Year examination, Secondary 4 ‘O’ Levels paper, or JC Physics exams, Mr. Bryan Lai, the founder of Physics Academy, will impart his vast knowledge and experience to guide you on the path of success.
Having developed the PhysicsProf Learning System that has aided over 91% of Secondary and Junior College students in scoring an ‘A’ or ‘B’ in their finals, Mr. Lai and our proprietary learning system have a proven track record of consistently producing excellent results for our students. Understanding the stress and challenges many students face as their exams draw close, our September Holiday Workshop acts as an intensive revision programme to facilitate students in mastering all Physics concepts. Our 2-day crash course that will be held for 2 hours each day, includes:
- Secondary 3 Physics tuition – End of Year intensive revisions to re-learn all Physics concepts and gain a thorough understanding of everything Physics-related.
- Secondary 4 Physics tuition – Prepares students for their ‘O’ Levels Pure Physics exams with the inclusion of practical training, which will cover ways to plan questions for their exams.
- JC 1 Physics tuition – Intensive revision for Physics Promo Exams.
- JC 2 Physics tuition – Prepares JC students for their ‘A’ Levels Physics exams with both intensive revisions for theoretical concepts and practical papers.
Be a Part of the Physics Academy September Holiday Course
Don’t miss the opportunity to clarify your doubts swiftly and gain first-hand guidance from experienced Physics tutors who can help you move in the right track. Once the September holidays are over, and you return to school, you might not have enough time for full-scale revisions with all the drilling sessions and class assignments. Reserve a slot now in our 2-day crash course for the best preparation for your secondary and JC Physics exams! Alternatively, contact us if you wish to attend a free trial class to get a feel of what our Physics tutors and Physics tuition classes in Singapore have to offer.