How to overcome the most common student pitfalls
There are many definitions to know in both the Unit 3 and Unit 4 Psychology curriculum, one common pitfall is that students invest a great deal of time into memorising the definitions, however very little into understanding the concepts fully. The examination is broken up into about 30% of knowledge questions, (i.e. knowing definitions), and about 70% of understanding questions, (i.e. the effect of damage to a part of the brain).
Students commonly spend more time studying the parts of the course they feel the most comfortable and knowledgeable about. Using study cards is a great way of identifying terms and concepts which require further revision. Split the cards into two piles, one pile of the concepts you fully understand and another pile of those which required further revision. By focusing more of your attention on the lesser known concepts you are more likely to gain marks in the examination by being better prepared on all outcomes.
A common mistake by students is while studying students simply read and re-read their notes and the text, a more effective study technique is use more active learning and memory strategies, this include re-writing concepts and definitions into your own words and testing your ability to recall required information by testing yourself.
How to study more effectively for Psychology
Psychology is s subject of precise definitions and logical applications. Ensure you know definitions for all the key terms in the dot points of the study design.
One of the best strategies to ensure you have a comprehensive set of summary notes is to use the Unit 3 & 4 Psychology study design as a basis. The study design identifies all topics that will be covered in the examination, include a definition, written in your own words and an example for each, use your textbook and class notes to help you do this.
Use the topics in the study design to develop your own examination questions. This will help you to identify all key topics and highlight those in which you require further revision.
How parents can help students attain a better study score for Psychology
Get involved. Ask your child to explain to you some of the specific information that they are learning in class. Get hold of a copy of revision cards, test your child on the concepts, ask them for different examples of concepts, this will test their understanding.
Academic achievement drops sharply for children who watch more than 10 hours of television a week, or an average of more than two hours a day. Limit the amount of viewing, or use the television as a reward, to be watched AFTER homework is finished.
Designate specific areas for homework and studying. Possibilities include the child's room or the kitchen or dining room table. Eliminate as much distraction as possible. Computers are great but only if they are used in an effective way, most VCE subjects do not require the use of a computer to study effectively.
How to maximize results and minimize stress in Psychology
When answering multiple choice questions ensure you read all alternatives before deciding on the response you believe to be correct, in many cases there are only subtle differences between the alternatives, you are trying to identify the most correct alternative, make sure once you have made your decision the others can be eliminated. Never leave a blank response line to multiple choice questions, you do not lose marks for an incorrect response. Ensure you are correctly marking the response line that corresponds to the question you are answering.
When answering the short answer questions take note of the allocated marks for that question, this will provide an excellent guide to how many points are required to obtain full marks. In answering short answer questions use dot points or simple, precise sentences, check your responses to ensure they read clearly. Underline key aspects of the question to help you focus on what information is required. Completing easier questions first often prompts your memory to recall information for the more difficult questions.
Complete as many trail, practise and past examinations as possible, complete these in examination conditions, i.e. allow yourself 15 minutes reading time and 90 minutes writing time, without any breaks, use the examiners and answers to correct your responses and take note of the answers which were incorrect, direct further study towards these topics.
Always read carefully over your answers, often marks are lost by careless errors.
The night before the exam, concentrate on reviewing all outcomes, focus on recalling definitions and get a good night's sleep.
Good luck!