Exam Tips Overview

What separates a 4 from a 5* is rarely "more knowledge". It is technique, time discipline and avoiding self-inflicted wounds.

Universal advice (both papers)

1. Read the question twice. Underline command verbs (explain, identify, write, design).
2. Plan before you write. 30 seconds of structure beats 5 minutes of rambling.
3. Mark allocations are your stopwatch. A 1-mark sub-question gets 1 minute, not 5.
4. If you don't know, write what you do know. Partial marks add up.
5. Use diagrams. A clear diagram earns marks faster than a paragraph.

Quick links

• Paper 1 strategy
• Paper 2 strategy
• Common mistakes
• Programming pitfalls

The 1-2-3 review

After each past paper:

1. Mark yourself honestly.
2. Tag every wrong answer with module + sub-topic.
3. Build a personal "weak topic" deck.

That deck is your single most valuable revision asset in S6.