GAUTENG PROVINCE

Department: Education
REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA

tips for matrics

1. Divide the total marks for the exam by the total number of minutes to see how much time a question should take. If a 3 hour (180 minutes) exam is for 400 marks, you should spend about 2 minutes per mark. A ten mark question should take about 22 minutes. 2. Dont spend too much time on one question. Move on, there could be other questions you can answer more easily. 3. Markers like to mark quickly as they have many scripts. Make the key points of your essays stand out. Clarify your position in the introduction and conclusion. The first line of each paragraph should clearly introduce the main points. 4. Markers award marks for specific key points. When studying, think about what the most important points are that markers are looking for. Organise these in a way that you can remember them. 5. Make up sentences using the first letter of each word you need to learn. For example, to remember levels of classification in Life Science (Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species) memorise this sentence: Kings Play Chess On Flat Green Spaces 6. In multiple choice questions, if you see 2 or 3 correct options, then all of the above is a strong possibility to be correct. 7. In multiple choice exams where you do not lose points for incorrect answers, always guess, even if you do not know the correct answer. 8. Maths questions with many parts (such as 2a, 2b, 2c etc) are structured so that you usually use the solution for each part in the following part. 9. In essay questions, dont include facts that do not support your statements or arguments.You will not get extra marks for irrelevant facts. Writing these wastes time and may irritate the marker. 10. For maths and accounting, do as many problems as you can. Dont just read problems like you would for history. Working problems out will help burn them into your mind. Use old tests. 11. Do not study a topic only once. If you have more time you can revise for your studies twice or thrice, but only if you have a lot of time and have revised for all your other subjects at least once. 12. Read aloud.You may feel like you sound silly but, believe it or not, this is a better way to learn than just reading silently. 13. History is about 6Ws: What, When, Who, Why, Where and hoW. Check that you have thought about these questions in your answers. 14. Study actively using the RCRC method: 1. Read a section. 2. Cover the notes. 3 Recite what you read in your own words. 3. Check what you said and go over points you missed. 15. SQ3R Study method: Survey the whole section; Turn main points into Questions; Read the section and note points for answers to your questions; Recite the points out loud; Review the section. 16. Question Instructions: Contrast: state differences. Define: say what something means. Explain: give reasons. Identify: name or select features, (eg. from a map or diagram). Describe: say what you see/notice.

Making education a societal priority

17. Remember to put units in your answers if they are needed, such as km, ms2 etc 18. Work through past year examination papers. Answering these questions will help you to become familiar with what examiners look for. You will develop abilities to perform better under exam conditions. 19. Use the SSIP materials with past examination questions. Work through questions on your own then do this with a friend. Mark each others work, using the answers provided. Ask your teacher for help. 20. Look at the number of marks allocated to a question. Often a 4 mark question needs 4 points or steps. A 4 mark comprehension question may require you to agree or disagree and to explain 3 or 4 points. 21. Once you are told you can begin the exam, read quickly through the entire paper. This may assist you to choose the easy questions. Do them first and then tackle the more difficult ones later. 22. For comprehension questions, read through the passage once. Then read the questions. Then read the passage again. As you read through it the second time you will see some of the answers. 23. Dont panic if you cant remember how to answer a question, move onto the next question. Often the answer will come a bit later, when you have relaxed a bit. 24. Try to avoid repetition of phrases. Dont waste time writing things like Another point / idea / function is or In addition or Furthermore Avoid long and flowery introductions. 25. Show each step when solving maths problems. This helps avoid making mistakes. It shows that you know what you are doing. Even if the final answer is wrong, you can get marks for correct workings. 26. There are no trick questions.You will not be given irrelevant information. Ensure that you use all the given information in answering questions in subjects like maths, geography, sciences and accounting. 27. You can check your answers to problems in maths by substituting simple numbers like 2 or 3 for x and y in your answers. If your solution is correct, the expressions should be true. 28. 3 rules for learning to do calculation problems in accounting, science and maths: Practice, Practice, Practice. It gets your mind used to using problem solving techniques, even though you are not aware of it. 29. If you run out of time, answer in point form instead of complete sentences. Write down anything you know that is related to the question. 30. Plan essays by writing down the main ideas and key words. Then decide on the best order to write them in. Once you just start writing, it is difficult to insert ideas that come to you later on. 31. If you finish with time to spare, check your work. Check high mark questions first. Then check medium mark questions and lastly check low mark questions. 32. Resolve expressions in algebra in this order: Parenthesis, Exponents, Multiplication, Division, Addition, Subtraction PEMDAS for short.

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Making education a societal priority