Another 21 days until VCE Chemistry students hit the desks and smash out that two-and-a-half-hour paper. Time is running out, but how prepared are you?
Just think – VCE Chemistry is generally regarded as one of the most difficult subjects there is, perhaps second only to Specialist Maths, so just having made it to this point in the year is a MASSIVE achievement already! And there’s only 21 days – 3 weeks – until it’s mission accomplished. So just hang in there for a little longer!
Know your data booklet
The VCAA Chemistry data booklet is something close to every VCE Chemistry student’s heart. Hopefully you’ve been able to establish an intimate relationship across the year – it’s definitely one of those things that grows on you (I’m still reaching for my VCE data booklet, even in uni! *sigh*… #vcelife)
Knowing your data booklet back to front is crucial to progressing through your exam efficiently. Thus, it’s really important to make sure you know:
What information is contained in the data booklet
Where that information is located
How to interpret that data (i.e. what it all means!)
Which types of questions might require the data
You may ask, ‘we can look everything up in the exam, so why should I bother?’ There are quite a few reasons why you should!
Most importantly, you don’t have the time to waste hunting around for the value of the Ka of nitrous acid – you should be able to jump straight to it!
Additionally, how will you know you need to find something from the data booklet in the first place? VCAA won’t tell you ‘in order to solve this question, you need to look up (X) from p.4 of the data booklet’! Instead, you’re expected to figure out what information you have, what information you need, and what information you can obtain from the data booklet. And knowing what’s IN those 11 pages of pure accent is really really really important.
‘Too long; didn’t read?’ Make sure you know it well!
Use the study design
As with all VCE subjects, the VCAA study design is the go-to reference for all things assessment. Right now is a very good time to read it through. The study design gives a comprehensive list of the stuff you should know (and hopefully should have already revised!)
Print it out and go crazy with highlighters and annotations!
For each dot point in the study design, test your own confidence with the topic, and tick them off as you revise. Found a gap in your knowledge? Take a look through your textbook, study notes, or pop us a question on the VCE Chemistry Questions Thread!Practice, practice, practice
You’re probably doing those practice papers like there’s no tomorrow, and sometimes we just feel like dumping that massive pile of stapled A4 exams in a vat of concentrated HNO3 and watch its demise with manifest malevolence.
Reality check.
Sorry for ruining that chemical fantasy, but we’ve got an exam to prepare for, and practice exams are a vital part of exam prep, so you’ve got to keep doing them. But wait, there’s more: are you managing to squeeze out every last bit of learning from each new exam you do?
One really important way to make the most out of exams is to set up an exam log – for each exam you do, record your score, time taken, what you got wrong and why, as well as additional comments. This way, you’ll have all your successes and failures recorded in one place, available at a single glance. Look through your log regularly, taking note of any mistakes you habitually make (e.g. misreading the question!). Importantly, TAKE ACTION to resolve any mistakes you (a) habitually make, or (b) don’t understand.
Feel like an analytical chemistry genius but break a cold sweat looking at the electrochemical series? Take a break from practice exams and get back to basics – your textbook and other topic-specific resources (e.g. textbook practice questions, notes, etc.) are as relevant as ever if you need to brush up on any specific parts of the course. There is little point in proceeding to more practice papers without stopping as necessary to mend those gaps here and there.
Be good at explanations!
It’s very common for students who are highly confident with number-crunching questions to have trouble finding their feet when asked to explain why ‘bio-ethanol is a renewable source of energy, while nuclear fission is not’. Honestly, it’s hard to find the motivation to write out a paragraph on this – but consider that explanation questions count for a heck of a lot of marks on the exam!
If you’ve tried out a few explanation questions, you’ll know that there’s a big difference between knowing a concept, and being able to explain it concisely. Practice makes perfect – so make sure you do plenty of it, and where possible, read sample responses. Note those aspects (e.g. key words) which make it stand out as an ideal response, and work to improve your own style.
Be neat
If you’re like me, what’s on paper is a reflection of what’s in my brain. So if my working is super messy, my brain is too! Keeping your working-out neat for numerical questions on the exam is really important in preventing silly mistakes due to forgetting what’s where, or even misreading your own handwriting. This is especially helpful for long-winded questions with a lot of steps.
This also keeps things simple for the assessor, so it’s more likely that they’ll be in a good mood (and maybe therefore predisposed to give good marks?). idk #vcepsychThat’s all from me for now, enjoy your last few weeks of VCE Chemistry, and remember – you’re nearly there! Keep going!
