Every year, usually around the start of September, high school students start to panic. Exams are just over the horizon. Before you know it, they'll have to keep their date with destiny and... Okay, that was a bit dramatic, especially the 'destiny' part.
Year 12 students know how important these exams are. They've (hopefully) spent months preparing for them. They may have formed study groups, established study schedules and found a few mobile applications to keep them on task. Those are all good moves.
As exam day gets closer, many want to step up their review. Most want additional tools and resources months ahead of their exam. Whether you're the student who accesses every possible advantage from the get-go or the learner who gets going late, this guide is for you.
Tools to Review HSC Maths
The New South Wales Education Standards Authority (NESA) arms students with the best possible review resources: past papers and marking schemes. You'll learn all about them later in this article. For now, let's just say they only have one flaw: they're not dynamic. They don't present concepts in novel ways.
Do review materials have to be dynamic? Not necessarily but it helps if they are. Studies show that organising information in different ways helps those reviewing it remember it better. Manipulating information helps you process it. Thus, to 'work' the information to your advantage, you need some tools.
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Note-taking is highly effective, especially if you do it by hand rather than typing them into a computer. Writing by hand is a form of information manipulation. As you move your hand, your brain builds new pathways that cement what you write into your memory.
Flashcards are a portable review resource you can make yourself. On one side of the card, write a Maths-related keyword - maybe 'cosine' or 'loan'; words that feature in your study materials. On the card's flip side, write or draw what that keyword represents.
Many exam candidates find that organising their maths topics reduces confusion over what concepts belong to which topic. Mind maps give you an at-a-glance overview of each topic and all of its related concepts. Consider creating one map per topic. And, of course, draw them by hand for maximum learning power.
Is it really so bad to use technology to take notes and organise information? Of course, it's not. In fact, you might feel more at ease using a mobile application or typing into your computer. As long as you're working with information in novel ways, you're helping yourself.
Apps like Anki and Quizlet are free to use; you only need to create an account. And then, you can build all the flashcard sets you need. Note-taking apps like SimpleNote and Notion let you colour-code and organise your notes. MindMeister is a free-to-use application to create and share mind maps.
Keep in mind that you'll likely lose some of your study effectiveness by not getting hands-on with your review materials. Still, any additional review is better than no review at all. These and other review tools will help you prepare for your HSC Maths exam.
HSC Maths Review: Keeping a Schedule
Procrastination is many students' undoing. Sure, you'll review your topics in school nearly all the way to exam day. You still have to revise at home, though.
Procrastination of the 'I've got plenty of time to study!' variety is just one reason why students neglect their review sessions. Another, the more prevalent reason is that there's just so much to go over! The task seems insurmountable; discouraging. What if you broke your information load into digestible portions?
The best way to manage your review time is to schedule it. On Monday, you'll review English. On Tuesday, Maths. On Wednesday... you get the idea. Or you could limit your daily review time to, say, two hours. You'll spend the first hour on Maths, the other on... With a short break in between subjects.
For maximum efficiency, give yourself a visual reminder of your commitment to revise. You can make a colourful schedule on poster board and hang it in your study area. You could even set up a calendar on your mobile or another device if you prefer. To keep yourself on track while studying, also download a productivity app.
The Pomodoro time management technique involves setting a timer before you start your task. When the timer goes off, you put the pencils down and take a break. Get something to eat, check your messages, and walk around a bit... And then, you reset the timer for another study block.
You can use your mobile's timer or download one of the free Pomodoro apps. The Forest productivity app is part-timer, part game. Once one study block is done, it lets you play for five minutes before sending you back to work. This type of study design certainly boosts your chances of a good result on your HSC Mathematics exam.
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NESA Past Papers
Your teacher probably told you about NESA past papers. Have you downloaded them? If so, good on you. This next bit is trickier: do you know how to use them to your maximum benefit?
The idea behind reviewing past papers is to get a feel for the exam. Going over them will show you how the exam is structured and what kind of questions you can expect. Also, you can get familiar with the language used on those test papers. Sometimes, questions you went over in class (or your review sessions) are worded differently on the exams.
When you download these papers, don't forget to also claim a copy of the marking guidelines and feedback. Only going over past exams leaves out the most helpful information. Also, as long as you're downloading, you should grab a copy of the Mathematics Advanced exam so you can look for differences between it and your Standard test.
Past Papers and Marking Guidelines
Past exam papers are easy to understand. You can use them in your review to analyse the types of questions you're likely to face. You can also practise your test-taking strategies. Those might be answering easy questions first, planning how much time you'll spend on each question and more.
Marking guidelines give you a point-for-point breakdown of what constitutes an acceptable answer. For instance, if you addressed the question's intent, you'll earn an extra point. However, if you failed to recognise the intent, you'll lose a point even if your answer is correct. Pro-tip for using these two resources: before you start your review, complete the exam. And then, compare your answers to the marking guidelines. That will show you which topics you need more work on.
Marking Feedback
The marking feedback gives you a detailed analysis of what the examiner found while marking that version of the exam. It spells out the expectations for each question. And then, it reveals pitfalls that may cost students points. Finally, it lists suggestions on how future students can do better.
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Private Maths Tutors: Your Best HSC Maths Review Guide
You enrolled in HSC Mathematics for a reason. Now that exams are around the corner, it's no time to panic. It's time to find a mentor to coach you into the band you belong in.
Qualified HSC Mathematics Standard tutors know your test. They have developed test-taking strategies that have led their former students to achieve passing marks. Most importantly, they know your subject material backwards and forwards. They know maths and networking, as well as aspects of finance, statistics and algebra.
More importantly, your maths tutor will keep your studies on track. Working alone or in a study group, it's easy to put off opening the books. And besides, your mate wants a chat, you've been playing this game, the dog needs a walk... Such distractions can throw your whole study schedule off, putting you on the back foot, study-wise.
Your tutor's schedule doesn't have room for such antics. Your sessions only last one hour so they'll be sure to keep you focused and productive the whole time. They want what you want: good marks on your exam. They have the skills to get you there despite distractions.
Best of all, your private tutor is there for you. Sure, they're there to explain maths concepts and help you work through algebra problems. They can help you work through other problems, too. If you struggle to get organised, they can help you sort things out. If you're growing more anxious the closer testing day gets, they can share relaxation techniques and ways to keep your focus.
Of all the advantages having an HSC Mathematics tutor brings, academic coaching sits atop the list. The best tutors have a knack for taking things down to brass tacks. Of getting to the bottom of your anxiety and frustration; even keeping a healthy perspective and managing your expectations. A NESA exam pack or two, a few apps and your maths tutor: just what you need to revise for exams!
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