Are you preparing for your upcoming IGCSE tests? The most practical and efficient way to be ready for the IGCSE exams is to use IGCSE’s previous papers. Why is using IGCSE prior tests as practice for the exams so important and useful? The key reason behind this is that the structure and format of the prior examinations and the upcoming exams are remarkably similar. Therefore, students can get a head start and become comfortable with the paper by simply practicing enough of these IGCSE old papers.
Although practicing IGCSE past examinations is one of the best ways to get ready for the exams, there are other strategies that can be used to assist students to review more efficiently and successfully for their IGCSE exams. Of course, practicing IGCSE past exams helps, but where can pupils locate these exams? Here are a few websites and portals that students can utilize to access papers from earlier years.
How can I make the most of the IGCSE past exams?
The marking system
The official Cambridge Board releases the mark scheme for teachers’ and candidates’ use. Additionally, it lists the examination requirements and illustrates how the examiners evaluate the work. The mark scheme can help candidates and students understand how the examiners will mark and grade them. For instance, there are particular words and phrases that candidates must include in their responses in order to get points and be able to identify them in the marking scheme. Additionally, mark systems assist students in identifying the parts of their responses that they may have missed. Up other words, students who are having trouble with harder subjects can use the mark scheme to figure out what they missed and fill in any knowledge gaps. Students should also be aware that their work must be precise and step-by-step. This is due to the fact that steps in between are only given half marks, and if you were to omit these important steps, you might only receive the response mark rather than the working mark.
Examiners’ notes
Students can identify some of the usual errors that students make by reading the examiner’s notes or report. The essential elements the examiners are looking for in students’ answers are also highlighted in the examiners’ notes, which also instruct students on how to react to questions. Knowing the typical errors made by students can assist students steer clear of them and grasp the correct terminology and essential elements of the solutions.
Take note of the paper’s organization and format.
The exam papers for the IGCSE normally adhere to a particular pattern and structure. Exam practice from previous years’ papers is an excellent technique for pupils to get ready for their forthcoming test. Students can reduce exam anxiety and feel more confident about their exams by familiarising themselves with the format and organization of the exam papers. Here are some tips to help pupils comprehend how exam papers are formatted.
- How is the exam divided up?
- How much time should be allocated to each segment?
- What are the normal test questions and which area are you weakest in?
Since the questions that students are answering don’t have to be answered in any particular order, those who are familiar with the format of the exam can skip right to the area where they excel. Students benefit from a head start and confidence boost at the beginning of their exam in this manner.
4 Formula sheets
They give students a list of formulas to refer to during exams, particularly in areas like physics and math. The provided formula sheets are always the most ignored section of papers from previous years. Why so? Students only have access to the formula sheet both inside and outside of the test. The formula sheet should be used to its fullest potential by students by having them consult it when making adjustments. The formula sheet can also be used by students as a study tool for physics and math classes. The benefit is that students can make notes on their own formula sheet and use it as a reference for revising. This enables pupils to become familiar with the formulas on the formula sheet and aids in the development of muscle memory. As a result, when handed a new sheet, students are better able to recall their notes and calculations. IGCSE prior year papers can be obtained on a variety of websites and offer pupils various advantages for revision.
