The Benefits
of Studying Past Exam Papers
Studying past papers are a valuable part of exam
preparation and help keep revision focused on important themes whilst
practicing exam style questions.
Past exam papers are one of the most helpful tools
available to prepare for both internal and external examinations as they
provides students with practical insight into how the forthcoming exam paper is
likely to look and the key themes or subject areas most likely to be covered.
Before starting revision for a subject it is always worth taking time to seek
out past papers.
Where to
Find Past Exam Papers
If the exam one is revising for is external, then
find out the address of the exam board associated with the paper and request
some copies. Past exam papers provided by external examination boards will
likely include a small charge but it is well worth it given how much of an
advantage it is to be able to practice exam style questions. If the exam is an
internal exam, then it is much easier to access old papers by talking to one’s
lecturer, personal tutor or making an appointment with the course head.
For those of you that are in Matric, you can
download past exam papers from 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 (Feb/March and November)
and 2012 (Feb/March) from the Department of Basic Education’s website.
Languages papers in all eleven official languages are available. Papers fore
non-languages subjects are also available to view or download.
Benefits
of Studying Past Exam Papers
There are many benefits associated with using past
exam papers including the following:
- Helps
understand likely exam time length; - Indicates
typical number of questions; - Identifies
number of choices provided; - Helps
work out time required for each question; - Identifies
style of exam questions (short-answer, multiple choice or essays); - Helps
practice exam techniques; - Helps
identify key subject areas to focus on in revision.
One of the most significant benefits of practicing
past papers is that it helps students to understand the most likely topics to
be included in the exam. As most courses have a broad range of associated
topics, looking over past papers will help save a lot of potential time wasting
on subjects which are not likely to be on the paper thus making one’s revision
much more efficient and productive.
Past Exam
Papers Improve Time Management
Another key benefit relating to using past papers
is that it helps one develop practical time management skills which are
essential in order to achieve the best possible grade. For example, if Lindiwe
spends too long on short answer questions and then has little time to write an
essay then this is an inefficient use of exam time. Therefore, if Lindiwe uses
practice papers to train herself in sticking to allocated times for each
question then it is more likely that she will be successful in the exam itself.
An awful lot of exam success if simply about technique as anyone can memorise
facts but it is the manner in which such facts are explained or evaluated
during the exam that determines overall grades.
Spending time practicing old essay questions and
using these questions to guide essay plans will also help you in developing
your answer and thus resulting in better marks. Practicing definitions and
short answer exam questions will speed up time required in this area where less
marks are allocated so that more time can be spent on the essay style questions
which allocate more marks.
If you have not used past exam papers before, I
hope you can know see the value in using them during revision and exam
preparation. Practicing past exam papers helps to fine-tune key exam techniques
and to refresh understanding of key phrases or terminology. It also helps in
terms of time management so that vital time is not wasted on short answer
questions which allocate only a few marks.
It Sharpens Your Skills
The
more you practice with past exam questions, the more you sharpen your skills.
These papers help you to recall what you have been learning in your class.
Besides, it allows you to apply the concepts you have been mastering during
your study times.
Therefore,
past exam papers are a perfect option in your revision for your upcoming exam.
Source as many as you can and go through them. You can also ask for assistance
from a tutor to get accurate answers.