IGCSE Physics help
Today, BartyED’s expert IGCSE Physics tutors have a look at the common issues faced by Physics students and some tips to remedy them.
Tip #1: Do not just memorise formulas
The IGCSE Physics syllabus covers a number of formulae that students tend to just memorise. However, this is not enough to obtain a high grade, and revising this way usually means that students end up conflating the many formulae they must memorize. An integral part of consolidating mathematical skills for the IGCSE Physics examination is practicing the math questions. By only memorising the formulae, students may gain theoretical knowledge, but will not feel confident in applying it. For developing the skills needed to recognize which of the many equations need to be applied for each question, students have to learn how to extract key information from the question by practicing. Practice leads to confidence selecting the right formula, not the other way around.
Tip #2: Formulate quality notes
As with any other subject, it is important to compose quality notes to study from throughout the IGCSE Physics course. It’s not uncommon for students to half-heartedly scribble notes and study from their textbooks, but there isn’t much of a point in doing that. To excel in the IGCSE Physics examination, it is crucial for students to write notes based on the syllabus to recognize the key points they must understand. Aside from this, the exam tends to ask questions which require students to draw out diagrams. For such questions, it is necessary to have an ideal drawing method obtained from the markshemes to ensure you are not losing out on points. To aid in the memorisation of the many definitions and formulas, students should make use of flashcards with clear labelling of different variables.
Tip #3: Do not start from the complex concepts
While studying, it is tempting to dive right into complex topics and skim over the foundational knowledge or forgo studying it completely. But our tutors have found that this approach is futile when it comes to studying for the IGCSE Physics examination. Employing this strategy often leaves students frustrated and lowers their morale. Scientific concepts in the IGCSE Physics syllabus are built up slowly in complexity, hence it is integral for students to understand concepts thoroughly at a basic level to achieve a good comprehension of the complex topics. This makes it essential for students to begin their study process by going back to the basics.
Tip #4: Practice the papers
Possibly the most important part of any public exam preparation process is completing past papers. When it comes to the IGCSE Physics examination, it is not enough for students to just practice the calculation questions. To score top marks, students must do exercises which cover all possible question types. This enables them to recognize key words they must utilize in their answers to obtain full marks. Practicing varying question types also allows students to easily scope out any trick questions in the exam.
Need more help with IGCSE Physics?
We hope these tips will help you with the IGCSE Physics course, and make the exams less daunting. Our IGCSE Physics tutors have found that students often struggle because they lack the right guidance, and with an experienced tutor, consolidating the necessary theoretical foundations and getting top marks is only a matter of time. If you feel that you could benefit from extra support, feel free to check out our website here for more information on our IGCSE Physics teaching programmes, or reach out today at (852) 2882 1017 or enquiries@bartyed.com.