Start taking mock tests for each subject

Class 12 board exams are just around the corner. All of you must be busy studying hard. This period should be utilised taking at least three-four mock papers of each subject so that you can prepare for D-day. Let’s look at some of the most common mistakes that students do while writing the exam.

1. Drawing tables and diagrams: In subjects such as accountancy, physics or maths, you will need to draw a lot of diagrams and tables. Make sure they are drawn clearly and legibly. Use rulers and pencil and make the slots big enough for you or the paper checker to refer to. Incomplete and messy diagrams result in confusion. Diagrams play a key role in getting good marks. So, use as many as you can.

2. Wrong calculations: This is true for all subjects. Sometimes in a hurry we do our basic calculations wrong. That results in you getting the incorrect answer or wasting a lot of time in locating the incorrect step when you get an improbable answer. Make sure the rough work is clearly done and you have enough space for a long calculation.

3. Reading instructions: Instructions are the backbone of the question. Don’t miss the intricate details or the special conditions that might have been mentioned in the question. Even if there is a question in the paper which is similar to the one you have already done or practised, make sure you recheck it to be doubly sure and then proceed.

4. Missing a question: Make sure you see the full question paper before you begin to answer to ensure that you know how many pages it has. Also, keep on ticking each question you finish to ensure you don’t leave any unanswered.

5. Wrong nomenclature: Students tend to get stuck with topics or subjects which require remembering tough names or standard definitions. Make sure in subjects like biology, you don’t use your own language for definitions; stick to the one in your textbook. Also, make sure that you are labelling the diagrams correctly by understanding the difference it can make if you go wrong. For example, in biology, mixing non-coding and coding strands while answering questions related to the DNA is a very common mistake.

6. Answering in paragraphs: As far as possible, avoid writing long paragraphs. Points well written are good enough to get you good marks. Don’t forget to underline headings and the main points. The length of the answer should depend on the marks assigned for its question.

7. Mentioning the formulae: In subjects like physics, maths or economics, formulae play a very important role. So, make sure you correctly write the formula you used to solve the question.

8. Units, signs and rounding off: After calculations, make sure that units are properly mentioned. Remember answers without the proper unit (if any) are useless. Also the sign of the answer — positive or negative — is an integral part of the answer. Missing that may prove costly. Don’t forget to round off calculations in the final answer.

9. Ignoring the basics: A lot of steps go wrong because students tend to ignore the basics and concentrate only on getting the final answer. For example, while solving maths problems, one should not cancel out variables without checking the possibility of the value of the variable being zero or not.

10. Ignoring revision: Last but not least, keep some time to revise your answers after you have attempted all questions. This way you will get to remove some silly mistakes, which helps to increase your score substantially.

Authored by the Academic Team of Studymate- Learning Centers from Hindustan Times.
Published in Hindustan Times, New Delhi, February 05, 2013.