Explore the advice below to help you revise and prepare for the examinations. It is divided into general advice for all papers and more specific advice for each of the papers.
Find out when the examinations are and plan your revision so you have enough time for each topic. A revision timetable will help you
Find out how long each paper is and how many questions you have to answer
Know the meaning of the command words used in questions and how to apply them to the information given. Highlight the command words in past papers and check what they mean. There is a list on page 11 of this guide
Work for short periods then have a break. Revise small sections of the syllabus at a time
Build your confidence by practising questions on each of the topics
Make sure you practice lots of past examination questions so that you are familiar with the format of the examination papers. You could time yourself when doing a paper so that you know how quickly you need to work in the real examination
Look at mark schemes to help you understand how the marks are awarded for each question
Make sure you are familar with the technical terminology that you need for this syllabus. Your teacher will be able to advise you on what is expected.
Read the instructions carefully and answer all the questions
Check the number of marks for each question or part question. This helps you to judge how long you should be spending on the response. You don't want to spend too long on some questions and then run out of time at the end
Do not leave out questions or parts of questions. Remember, no answer means no mark
If a question has several parts, then the parts with more marks will need more time and more developed answers
You do not have to answer the questions in the order they are printed in the answer booklet. You may be able to do a later question more easily then come back to an earlier one for another try
Read each question very carefully. Misreading a question can cost you marks:
Identify the command words – you could underline or highlight them
Identify the technical terms and perhaps underline them too
Try to put the question into your own words to understand what it is really asking.
Read all parts of a question before starting your answer. Think carefully about what is needed for each part. You will not need to repeat material
Answer the question. This is very important!
Use your knowledge and understanding
Do not write everything you know about a topic. Only use the information you need to answer the question.
Make sure that you have answered everything that a question asks. Sometimes one part requires two things, e.g. 'Calculate...' and 'Show your working.'. It is easy to concentrate on the first request and forget about the second one
Always show your working. Marks are usually awarded for using correct steps in the method even if you make a mistake somewhere
Don't cross out any working in a calculation until you have replaced it by trying again. Even if you know it's not correct you may still be able to get method marks. If you have made more than two attempts, make sure you cross out all except the one you want marked
Make sure all your numbers are clear, for example make sure your '1' doesn't look like a '7'
If you need to change a word or a number, it is better to cross out your work and rewrite it. Don't try to write over the top of your previous work as it will be difficult to read and you may not get the marks
Don't write any pseudocode answers in two columns in the examination. It is difficult for the examiners to read and follow your working.
Always use the logic gate symbols from the syllabus when drawing logic circuits
Always use the opcodes given on the syllabus or shown on the examination paper when writing assembly language instructions
Try and use capital letters when writing assembly language opcodes, SQL, or pseudocode commands so they can be clearly recognised as commands by the examiner
Where possible use SQL and pseudocode commands that are given in the syllabus, any other commands should be identified and explained.
