How to face the A/L exam effectively

1. How to face A/L
exam effectively
by
Aurora Computer Studies
(auoracs.lk)
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2. Agenda
• Strategy
• Pre-game activities
• Facing MCQ papers
• Facing essay papers
• Facing structured papers
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3. Strategy
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4. The strategy
• Take it as a challenge
• Have a reasonable & challenging
objectives
• Mange it rather than just do it
• Do not expect miracles to happen in
the exam day
• Do not cheat !
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5. Take it as a challenge
• We all like challenges
• So take exam as a challenge and do
your best
o When you do your best you should be able to accept
what ever the outcome
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6. Reasonable objectives
• By the time of the exam, you must
have a reasonable evaluation of your
position
• Set the objective according to your
capabilities
o Too high objectives mere stress you
o Too less objectives waste your potential
• Be realistic, yet reasonably
challenging
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7. Manage
• Plan everything
o But make your plan agile
• Make sure you have organize the resources
for the paper
• Periodically check if you go according to the
plan and take control measures or
adequately change the plan
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Plan Organize Control

8. No cheating
• Tendency to cheating is natural
• You may gather few marks by
cheating also
• But thought of cheating completely
ruin your focus
o Harm is much bigger than the gain
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9. Pre game
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10. Exams eve
• Make sure you have collected
o Valid Identity card
o Admission card
o Correct time table
• Good health
o Have relax mind set
• Too much study make you stress & fatigue
o Have good night sleeps during exam days
o Reduce eating from out side to reduce risk of possible
stomach problems
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11. Exam day(s)
• Have alarm set and also inform reliable
person to wake up you in time
• Before leave home, double check all
required documents and stationaries
o Valid ID card
o Admission
o Pens & pencils
o Any other special stationary required
o A bottle of water
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12. Exam day(s)
• Have proper meal before the exam
• Leave in time
• Have backup transportation arranged
and/or enough money in hand in case
of need to transport in a private
vehicle
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13. At the exam
• First thing you do is write your index
number correctly
• Gather enough extra papers and do
not hesitate to ask for more whenever
needed
• If you face any reasonable issue like
unclear printing, missing pages give it
to the attention of the examination
duty officer
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14. At the exam (cont.)
• Do not disturb others
• Finish everything at least 5 minutes
before schedule end time and use
final 5 minute to do any verifications
or final work.
• Take maximum time and never leave
early
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15. Facing MCQ Papers
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16. Answering MCQ papers
• Calculate the time for each question
and manage time accordingly.
• Answer in rounds (In general in three
rounds)
o 1 st round – Answer simple and less time consuming
questions
o 2 nd round – Answer intermediary level questions
o 3 rd round – Answer complex and time consuming
questions as time permit
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17. Answering MCQ papers (con.)
• Answer all the questions
• But do not answer any of the
questions on mere believe in luck
o Use elimination method to increase probability of
correct answer(s)
o For each successful elimination of an answer, you
increase the probability of getting marks
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18. Facing Essay Papers
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19. Facing essay papers
• Check the number of questions to
answer and if there are mandatory
questions
• Calculate the time for each question and
manage time accordingly.
• Answer in rounds (In general in three
rounds)
o 1 st round – Answer simple and less time consuming
questions
o 2 nd round – Answer intermediary questions
o 3 rd round – Review answered questions and attempt
more difficult questions if time permit
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20. Facing essay papers (Cont.)
• In general, answer simple, straight
and brief
o Too short answers show that you lack details
o Too long and indirect or irrelevant answers show that
you lack confidence on the subject.
• Do not write too general points, rather
present specific points.
o .Do not answer like throwing stones at a tree without
real aim, hoping one or two will be hit.
o Examiners know this 
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21. Facing essay papers (Cont.)
• Play close attention to terms like
define, state, explain and discuss.
• Write your best points first.
• Sketch diagrams where necessary
• Provide examples where useful.
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22. Facing essay papers (Cont.)
• Use clear (not necessarily beautiful)
hand-writing.
• Use a pleasant language.
• Write interesting and unique points
when relevant.
o Especially, in answering discuss type questions.
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23. Facing Structured Essay
Papers
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24. Facing structured essay papers
• Most of the points are same as for
answering essay papers
• But, the answers are mostly
o Short
o Specific
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25. Further resources
• How to select study stream &
subjects for A/L
o https://www.slideshare.net/auroracslk/how-to-select-
the-study-stream-for-al
• How to do your Advanced Level (A/L)
studies successfully
o https://www.slideshare.net/auroracslk/how-to-do-your-
advanced-leve-al-studies-successfully
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26. Thank You !
Presented by
Aurora Computer Studies
(auoracs.lk)
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27. "We are what we repeatedly do.
Excellence, then, is not an act,
but a habit."
~ Aristotle.
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28. Premier Study Center
Aurora Computer Studies,
Summerset College,
# 135, 3rd Floor,
DFCC Building,
High Level Road,
Maharagama.
City Study Center
Aurora Computer Studies,
Summerset College,
# 88/2, 2nd Floor,
BOC Building,
High Level Road,
Kirulapone, Colombo 06
Details and enquiries :
Call - 0719 842030
E-mail – info@auroracs.lk
Web - www.auroracs.lk
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