GCSE/IGCSE Prep
I took the Cambridge IGCSE examinations in October/November 2019, and spent quite a bit of time preparing for the exams. It was all worthwhile, and I received stellar scores in the five subjects I took. I want to give you all a couple of tips that I learned while studying for the exams, so scroll below for some advice/tips! These tips also work for those of you writing GCSE's!
Test Prep Tips
-
MEMORIZE THE MARKING SCHEME:
-
​I cannot stress how important this tip is. It's a very important of information that I was fortunate enough to stumble upon, so I recommend that you use it too. IGCSE exams are graded based on a marking scheme, so however accurate your answer is, if it's not in the marking scheme, you won't get the point.
-
When I say to memorize the marking scheme, I don't mean to memorize the marking scheme for each past paper you do. I mean that you should understand the grading behind the repetitive, simple questions. There are certain questions on the exam that are repeated quite often, and ask you to define words, provide examples, etc. A lot of the times, you can get the answer to these questions right by actually looking at the marking schemes of past exams.
-
They tend to be repetitive across tests, and often ask for the same thing. Knowing the specific key words or phrases given in the marking scheme for past tests can help you gain 3-4 easy points.
-
​
-
Describe vs. Explain:
-
​These are two question stems that occur quite frequently on the science exams, and can also occur in the same question.
-
When they ask for you to "describe" a certain process, they want you to provide details about the process (color changes, temperature changes, etc.). When asked to "explain," you should elaborate on the science behind the process, and explain why the perceived changes are occurring.
-
Now, this can change from board to board, so I suggest you to refer to previous past papers for your specific subject, and look at how they are grading the two questions. Take note of the phrases given in the marking scheme, and note the difference in responses for the "describe" and "explain" questions.
-
​
-
Do Past Papers:
-
This is probably the most important thing you could do to improve your score.​
-
Taking frequent practice tests is the only way you'll be introduced to the format of the test and questions.
-
Sometimes, schools require you to do past papers as homework, but if not, then I encourage you to take advantage of the numerous past papers throughout the internet.
-
Being comfortable with the format of the test is just one way to ensure you achieve a top score.
-