Sunday, 6 November 2011

Preparing for WACE exams: tips for using old exam papers

It might seem like a pretty straightforward task, but there are some tricks to using old WACE exam papers. One of the biggest traps is using the old exam paper as the ultimate guide to what you should be studying, but really, the WACE syllabus is your best bet because it includes ALL the possible content you may have to answer questions about. If you haven't already got a syllabus, ask your teacher or download them here.

Past exam papers for all written exams are available from the School Curriculum and Standards Authority website.

Answers are not provided because it is recommended that once you have practiced the exam you go through it with your teacher. If you are studying with friends you could also compare how you answered questions and go through them together.

Below are some pointers for using old exam papers from year 12 teacher and WACE marker Graham Braid. You may remember Graham’s tips and reminders in this top tips for maths post.


Next steps:



Monday, 24 October 2011

How to maximise productivity in your study space



When it’s time to put your thinking caps on, choose a study spot where you are inspired to get work done.
 We wanted to share this great article with you all from the 99 percent website on increasing productivity as it can also apply to studying for WACE exams. It’s good to consider the environment where you choose to study and what distractions are nearby.

The article isn’t crazy long so if you can have a quick read do, but for the seriously time deprived amongst you, here are the key take-outs:

1. The places where you do study (or attempt to study) will naturally draw you into that ‘study’ state because your brain has learned that when you sit in that place you are in ‘study’ mode. For example a desk in your bedroom.

2. Associate places with activities and keep a consistent link between place and behaviour e.g. study at your desk but move to the lounge room to enjoy free time such as checking Facebook, talking on the phone or watching a movie.

3. Keep all the tools you need organised together and within arm’s reach - this means you won’t need to keep getting up to get something which distracts you from your task. For example if you are studying for Maths, have all your calculators, rulers, pencils, erasers and pens nearby and ready to go.

4. Be aware of what motivates you and what distracts you, for example do you work better with or without music playing? Are you less likely to distract yourself if you turn off your phone and disconnect from the internet?

5. Make the space you study in a place that you don’t mind being in and make sure you can be comfortable there. Keep the area free from clutter and perhaps add inspiring pictures or quotes on the wall nearby – these can help to motivate, but also add a sense of place to the area that you choose to study – which leads back to the first take-out above.

Where do you like to study? Share with your fellow students on our facebook page or in the comments below.

Tuesday, 18 October 2011

Top tips for your WACE Economics exam

“You can only achieve 10% in the exam with the text book”


Looking for more general advice on using past exam papers? Read our post on how you can use them to study effectively!

This is true for most subjects as expanding your general knowledge on the area will help you to provide real life examples and case studies in your essays. 

So for all you future economists out there you may find these online resources useful in broadening your understanding of economies and current market situations:
The Financial Review – we suspect you already are onto this one but here’s the link anyway. You could even get all old school about it and buy the paper version (yes it exists!) and read it over breakfast, it will make you appear super smart as you sip your morning OJ.

The Economist – to expand your general knowledge of the world and all its economical situations. Good for compiling some current case studies to use in your essays.

Greg Mankiw Blog – Although targeted toward students studying Economics at uni, this blog presents information often in a light hearted way. Greg describes his blog as “random observations for students of economics” and you might enjoy the various videos and cartoons that he uses to dissect information.

Try this video on the 10 principles of economics. It made us chuckle. Who knew economics could be such fun?

Have more fun practicing with the 2012 WACE Economics exam paper.

Next steps:

Monday, 17 October 2011

Top tips for your WACE Media and Production exam


Here are  the top tips that came out of our previous WACE seminars for Media and Production:



Let’s do a quick recap of Top tip #3 - what is narrative structure?

Narrative structure is the ordering of a story into a meaningful pattern and acts as the framework for the plot. A typical structure is divided into 3 stages:

1. Beginning – the Exposition or setup of characters, scene and situation
2. Middle – introduction of conflict and rising action to set the story in motion
3. End – the final act where the problems in the story erupt and characters are usually forced to confront issues so that all elements of the story come together resulting in a resolution.

For all you media students looking for some inspiration and additional film text examples (may help you with top tip #6) check out the Australian Centre for Moving Images (ACMI ) website for some handy education resources and study guides.

Some are free to download directly (an Education Kit on The Gothic Imagination of Tim Burton piqued our interests) or there are some study guides focusing on particular texts such as Lantana, Gattaca and Buffy the Vampire Slayer for purchase at the not so unfriendly price of $20.

For further practice download the 2012 WACE examination for Media Production and Analysis.

Looking for more general advice on using past exam papers? Read our post on how you can use them to study effectively!

Next steps:


Monday, 26 September 2011

Top tips for your WACE History exam

Looking for more general information on using past WACE exam papers to get the ATAR score you want? Read our top tips to really be able to use them effectively.

In previous study seminars students have come away saying, that as far as studying for the history exam goes, these are the top 10 tips:


We really do hope that you have all been to the Alexander Library before now but if you haven’t (shame on you!) it is a pretty cool place even if you’re not studying for History. There are plenty of nooks and quiet seats to settle in and do some learning, gets you out of the house and makes an ideal alternative study spot if there are too many distractions at home (like ice cream in the freezer or noisy brothers and sisters). Additional bonuses: the library provide past papers and study guides in the Group Study Area on the first floor and you can access FREE wireless courtesy of the Perth Cultural Centre.

And, since analysing cartoons was a popular topic here is a quick de-brief on what to look for in political cartoons of the past:

Caricature – exaggerations and distortions of people and objects that aim to provide humour. For example Tony Abbot is always depicted in cartoons with extremely large ears.

Stereotypes – an oversimplified view of something which is often insulting but provides a way of quickly communicating a point. For example “cashed up bogans” was a term introduced into Australian dialect to describe people from blue collar backgrounds who now earn a rather generous salary and noticeably spend their earnings on expensive consumer items.

Determine the audience for whom the cartoon was intended – where and when was it published and what portion of the population was it aimed at (hint: the publication it appears in will help you determine this).

Symbols and metaphors – symbols stand for another thing (people, place, event) and are often easily recognisable. For example, the Kangaroo is often used to symbolise Australia, how the Kangaroo is portrayed will indicate how the cartoonist is representing Australia. A tired and hungry looking kangaroo may indicate a slumped and weak Australian economy.

Get practicing your Modern History and download the 2012 WACE exam papers. Or if Ancient History is more your thing the 2012 WACE examinations are also available.

Next steps:

Top tips for your WACE Human Biology exam

Here are some top tips that students have suggested in past years for how to effectively study for the Human Biology exam:



To help you with top tip #3, download the 2012 WACE Examinations for Human Biological Science.

Remember that information like the WACE syllabus and past exam papers can be useful tools to help you get the ATAR score you want. Check out our blog post on using past exam papers!

Next steps:



Wednesday, 21 September 2011

Top Tips Roundup: a summary of key advice from the WACE preparation seminars

To help year 12s prepare for Maths exams we asked expert Graham Braid to share his top study tips with you. Graham is a year 12 maths teacher at Canning College and has marked Year 12 WACE Mathematics Exams for 6 years. Through his time he’s seen some fantastic exam results, which he thinks is a result of students  doing as many practice questions as they can, and starting a solid study program at least 4 weeks before the exam.
Here are Graham’s 9 Top Tips to a great study plan for Mathematics :
  1. Download the Mathematics Syllabus from the School Curriculum and Standards Authority and check-off every thing (check for any changes made to the syllabus).
  2. Build up your confidence by doing problems you’re good at – gradually get better by tackling harder ones.
  3. Do everything from your textbook – and only check the answers when you get stuck.
  4. Use your teacher!  If you don’t understand something – make sure they explain it to you.
  5. Use the Academic Associates Study Guides, or free online tutoring programs such as Maths Online.
  6. Put together exam notes as you study.  Piece together your 2x A4 written exam notes as you go - include worked examples you know are right.
  7. Practice in exam conditions – no music, internet, or TV - use only what you’re allowed in a exam. Give yourself a time limit and stick to it!
  8. Test yourself.  In the week or two before your exam, complete a 2012 WACE Mathematics exam paper  under exam conditions.  Check any areas you need to work at.
  9. Do lots and lots (and lots) of questions!