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How To Study Chemistry In Secondary like Pro
Super Tutor’s Advices from Sophia Education
Chemistry is deemed a necessity in almost every Singaporean student’s academic journey. Just check the prerequisites of science courses into local universities: they almost always state a satisfactory grade in Chemistry as a prerequisite. However, Chemistry is not so easy to excel in. This article shall discuss some tips for students to do well in this Pure Chemistry subject.
How To Study Chemistry In Secondary like Pro
Firstly, let’s take a look at the O Level Chemistry syllabus. There will be 3 papers that students will sit for.
| Assessment | Content | Marks | Weighting / % |
| Paper 1 (1 h) Multiple Choice | 40 compulsory multiple choice questions (MCQs), each MCQ will have 4 options to choose from. | 40 | 30 |
| Paper 2 (1 h 45 min) Structured and Free Response | Section A (50 marks) – A variable number of compulsory structured questions. Section B (30 marks) – Consists of 3 questions. The first two questions are compulsory questions, where one is a data-based question. The last question will be presented in an either/or form and will carry 10 marks. | 80 | 50 |
| Paper 3 (1 h 50 min) Practical | Areas of assessment:
| 40 | 20 |
| Topics | |
| Inorganic Chemistry | Organic Chemistry |
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Now then, here are some tips on how to study Pure Chemistry like a pro, from our very own Super Tutors at Sophia Education:
1. Set some time aside everyday to memorise
Firstly, memory work is inevitable. There’s a lot to memorise for Chemistry, so you need to devote a good amount of time doing so before your examinations. It would be wise to set aside specific times and sessions to memorise your chemistry content, long before your exam season. Memorising the content over a long period of time, as opposed to in short bursts days, or hours before your exams, is way more effective in the long run as your brain is able to better retain the information that you learnt.
There are many techniques of memorisation, so you should experiment with a few to see which works better for you. Some popular techniques are:
– Creating mnemonics: This involves creating short, catchy phrases or words to help you remember a certain concept or process. For example, the mnemonic H2O = H–O–H can be used to remember that water is a polar molecule because it contains a hydrogen bond.
– Writing out notes: This is a rather old-fashioned way of learning, but it definitely works for some people! Handwritten notes have been proven to be more effective in helping people remember information, as opposed to typing them out on a computer. If you’re someone who prefers this method, get a good quality notebook and start taking down notes!
– Drawing mind maps: Mind maps are a great tool for visualising complex concepts and organising information in an easily comprehensible manner. You can use them to break down the different topics in chemistry, and map out the relationships between different concepts, especially for organic chemistry where many topics are inter-connected. This will make revising for your examinations a lot easier as you’ll be able to see the bigger picture and remember everything in the right context.
– Repeat, repeat, repeat: This is probably the most common way that students learn. Reading through your notes multiple times will help embed the information in your brain, and before you know it, you’ll be able to recite them in your sleep!
2. Understand, don’t just memorise
Of course, it is important to be able to regurgitate the information that you’ve learnt for your examinations. However, being able to understand the content is just as, if not more important. Try to see the connections between different concepts, and how they link together. When you are able to understand why a certain concept works in a particular way, you will be able to apply that same concept to different situations. For example, if you understand that aluminium oxide is very stable, you will be able to apply this knowledge to answer different questions with the same concept like “Why does aluminium not corrode easily?” or “Why does aluminium not react with water?”
3. Get plenty of practice.
Practice makes perfect! Do not shy away from practice questions – in fact, embrace them! The more questions you attempt, the better you will get at solving them. Many students make the mistake of only completing a question if they know how to answer it correctly. However, this is not the right approach – even if you get the answer wrong, you would have at least learnt how NOT to solve the question, and even know your misconceptions in order to correct them.
In addition to paying attention in class, there are many other resources available that can help you study O Level Chemistry more effectively. These include assessment books, past year papers, prelim papers and online resources.
On our Sophia Education website, we provide both concise notes for every chapter and examination papers from many different schools. These resources can serve as a great reference for you to go over content and practice problems before your O Level Chemistry exam. Only with a lot of practice can you answer the examination questions fluently and accurately once you clear all your misconceptions and get the hang of it!
4. Analyse the question carefully
Once you read the question wrongly and write a whole bunch of irrelevant content, it is ultimately over for you. This is why question analysis is so important, always remember to highlight or underline the key words and phrases indicating the topic and question types. Make sure that your answer meets the question requirements.
Words like “define”, “state”, “describe”, “explain” will tell you about the question type, which decides how much you have to write. “Define” and “State” questions often require shorter and direct answers, while “Describe” and “Explain” questions require longer and more in-depth answers showing your understanding of the concepts.
5. Manage your stress levels
Another important thing to remember during examinations is to manage your stress levels. While a certain amount of stress is necessary to keep you motivated and focused, too much of it will only serve to hinder your performance. If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed by the examination, take a few deep breaths and try to relax. Remember that you have prepared for this and that you can do it.
One way to manage your stress levels is to have a study plan and stick to it. By knowing what you need to do and when you need to do it, you will feel more in control of the situation and less stressed about the examination. Furthermore, make sure to take some time out for yourself to relax and de-stress. This can be in the form of reading, listening to music or even going for a walk.
Burnout is a serious problem that many junior college students face, crippling them and stunting their potential moments before the major exams. To avoid this, portion your time well between study-time and rest-time. During your rest-time sessions, do anything that makes you feel energized and happy! Play a sport, hang out with friends, read a book, maybe even take a nap!
Time used for self-care is not time wasted at all!
By following these tips, we are confident that you will be able to do your best for the O Level Chemistry examination. If you are looking for chemistry tuition in Singapore, look no further than Sophia Education!
Sophia Education is one of the leading chemistry tuition centres in Singapore. Our experienced and qualified tutors are dedicated to helping students understand complex concepts and ace their O Level Chemistry examinations.
At Sophia Education, we understand that everyone has different capabilities and backgrounds, so we offer both 1-to-1 and small group classes to cater to the needs of all our students. This allows them to have a better understanding of the topic before they move on to more challenging topics. Such small class sizes also allow tutors to formulate customised lesson plans for each student according to their individual strengths and weaknesses.
With our personalised guidance and concise notes, your child will have a much better understanding of the concepts and be able to score higher grades in their exams. Contact us today to find out how we can help you achieve your academic goals!
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