How to Study for the O Levels Effectively

  Study for the O Levels in an effective way and get your As. The days before the O levels can be a stressful period for many students. I have been there many, many years ago and I know how it is like for you to struggle and feel like it’s unchartered territories to conquer subjects and skills you never knew existed. Filled with last-minute studying and dedicated revision plans, it is during these final few days that all of the studying you have done for the O Levels really kicks in. There are ways however to make the process of studying for your O Levels exams less stressful and more efficient as possible. In this piece, we’ve shared with you every single vital advice we know to study for the O Levels. This piece of article is written by Mr Sebastian Lim from Seb Academy, the principal teacher from Seb Academy. Have a question? Leave it in a comment! Now, without further ado…

Step 1 – Create A Study Plan to study for the O Levels effectively

Before all you plan-haters tuck your tail between your legs and run away, let me just tell you that I dislike strict plans too. But, I have huge respect for people who follow them down to the last minute. A plan doesn’t have to be detailed, or diligently constructed, or even written on paper – it can simply be in your head. Nonetheless, writing it on a piece of paper would help you to map out the tasks on hand, the timeline, and the things you have to deliver and this will help you keep your tasks on track to study for O level well, like your subjects, Chemistry or A Math. If you’re reading this article a year away from your exams, now is the time to bust out the latest edition of your subject’s syllabus and carefully go through the points, marking the ones you’ve completed already (it’s okay if you haven’t). For the points that are remaining, tackle a chapter at a time. For instance, maybe you want to finish the Respiration from O Level Biology over the next three days – focus on that. Electrolysis from Chemistry can be daunting: You got to map out what are the skills required and set a plan to revise and stick to it. With that, you will be on track to study for the O Levels efficaciously.

Step 2 – Make Cheat Sheets

This one’s for all of you, and especially those of you who’s exams are approaching soon. Cheat sheets are honestly the best prep guides you’ll ever make. Take a pen and a paper and begin with a single chapter. Note down definitions, formulas, key concepts, answering techniques and basically every nugget of important knowledge you can learn out of that chapter. Try to write as concisely as possible and do not include irrelevant information. Making cheat sheets like this not only helps you revise the whole syllabus, but they will also come in extremely useful for last minute exam preparation. Thankfully at Seb Academy, we have a Chem Bible, which is a revision guide, to help you ace Chemistry and stud for the O Levels Chemistry subject quickly. It has benefited many students in the past!

Step 3 – Eat and Rest

Why? Without them, you simply can’t study. You may be able to function for 6 hours, 10, a day, in extreme cases 2 – but, your fatigue will eventually catch up with you. And the resulting crash that will happen when it does will ruin both your exam preparation and your mental and physical health. Balance is key when studying for a rigorous exam like the O Levels, so make sure to take plenty of breaks in between your study sessions. Rewarding yourself with breaks and treats like this after a period of studying also works an amazing incentive! I do not advocate laziness, nor setting too long a break where nothing gets done. A short break which I recommend is a stroll away from your work desk. It can be below your block, and for a short time of 5-15 minutes. Avoid phone usage. You know your limits well and you know it can possible derail the plans you have set to study for the O levels well.

Step 4 – Maximize the Use of Mark Schemes

If your teachers are anything like mine were back in the day, you may hear someone say not to rely on mark schemes. What they actually mean to say here is do not go around memorizing mark schemes. Mark schemes are invaluable in the preparation and study for the O Levels because they list the concise points that examiners look for when grading a paper. The best way I have found to use mark schemes is at first reading the question I have in hand, outlining the answer on paper or in my head, and then looking at the mark scheme I’ve got open to check whether I’m right. Even if I did get the answer right, in this way I would also be able to look at the myriad of other right answers, thus improving my knowledge. This is a great note especially for the gentlemen: you have gotten most concepts for chemistry right, but you miss out on keywords which will score you points for the exams! Do note this for your study for the O Levels, be it Chemistry or other subjects like Geography!

Step 5 – Don’t limit yourself to a single source

The internet has undoubtedly become the largest, most enriched resource for education the world has ever seen and most likely will ever see. Google a question and you see the results. Have a question? Whatsapp your teacher or pop the question on Instagram and you have a solution in minutes. Study the classic textbooks of course, but if you’re struggling with something, don’t be shy to look elsewhere for answers. A simple Google search can yield a lot of results. However, the quality of curated answers is indeterminate. I suggest the best is to always consult your teachers which is why in our O level and IP Classes we strongly advocate our students to actively seek whatsapp consultation with our tutors.

Step 6 – Brain dump

Not sure how much you know about a particular topic? Well then, this step is for you. Take a blank white piece of paper and a pen. Start with a simple word – for example, if I’m going to do this for the Organic Chemistry section of the O Levels syllabus, I would start by just writing the word ‘hydrocarbon’. And then I’ll write that it’s made of carbon and hydrogen; and then, with some luck I’ll have everything I know regarding the topic sprawled on to a single page. It’s okay if you leave the paper blank – because, now you know exactly where you need to study.  

Step 7 – Practise TYS

You should be practicing the TYS religiously to prepare for the O levels. By going through the style of questions asked, you will be able to handle what can be asked of you, and to study for the O Levels better.  

Step 8 – Keep your phone away.

Remove sources of distraction. This is the key for many students I see today. “Mr Lim, I need a break from work and I just want a moment to see my social media feed.” Guess where that leads after 2 hours? A short mobile game can be alluring but the painful truth is you know you do not have self control, it is better to have the phone off limits. But what if you need the phone to contact your parents or teachers? If you are desperate for help for the O levels and need to concentrate on studying well to get your A for the O levels, I suggest deleting the app like IG or TikTok for the temporary period to help you focus. Procrastination and worry are like rocking chairs: you do something on it, but it does not get you anywhere. You need to know your priorities and set aside time to study for the O Levels. If you need help, I’m always at the centre at Bishan on Mondays for consultation and studying sessions. Let’s do it together! Contrary to popular one, there is more than one way to excel at an exam. Though these 8 tips helped me do well in my exams, there is a chance that may not work the same, or even at all for you. Keep at it and come up with your own advice as you do so. Nothing can stop you from excelling if you try hard enough.   Seb Academy Tuition Centre specialises in teaching O level Chemistry, A Level Chemistry to secondary school and JC students in Singapore. Our tutors deliver results consistently through engaging lesson plans, encouragement and constant follow-ups with their homework to ensure learning is on track to their A! Our O level Classes & IP Classes provides a comprehensive package for understanding chemistry concepts for the O Level Syllabus. The Program is rigorous and would provide a seamless transit for students looking to further tertiary education at A Levels H2 Chemistry or polytechnic courses. Also, do check out our new lower secondary classes offered! Seb Academy also offers virtual classes and a full fledged student’s portal where you can access a resourceful library of curated lectures, mini lectures, assessment and key answering shortcuts to help you to secure your A! Our Sec 3/4 Classes are helmed by Mr Sebastian Lim and Ms Sera, and Mr Sam Lee heads the A Level Chemistry Tuition Class division. Do read our interesting articles on our blog page for other content on academics, exam insights, Chemistry in every day lives. If you want to find more about our classes, do contact us today for more information!