While preparing for any exam, some questions often confuse and perplex students. Is giving a mock test worth the time and effort? How do mock tests help one progress? What is the right way to give mock tests?
The following article provides answers to all the questions above. To understand how mock tests strengthen exam preparation, the five W’s- Why, What, Where and When have been covered for your perusal.
In the student’s endeavour to completely cover all the topics and revise well, mock tests are often neglected as they require additional time and resources. But this is one of the most significant mistakes that one can make during exam preparation. This is because the lack of mock tests prevents awareness of the level of proficiency in a section or topic. This may confuse the student and bring uncertainty and self-doubt.
Hence, it’s an unsaid truth that mock tests are a crucial aspect of exam preparation and need to be allotted an appropriate amount of time in one’s preparation schedule. There are multiple advantages of giving regular mock tests.
Some of the benefits have been listed below-
- Exam-life environment- Mock tests are used to create the real-time simulation of an exam. This includes the same fixed time as in the actual exam, the same type and number of questions, and the same division of sections.
- Give a feel of questions- Many times, a student is good at a concept, but they find themselves unable to answer the questions in exams. This anomaly may be due to a lack of familiarity with the question type, pattern, and language.
- Provide feedback- Mock papers set forth the strong concepts and the weak areas of any student. They provide crucial details and insights on how to prepare.
- Important progress metric- Mock tests are a reflection of a student’s progress. The increase in knowledge, skills and more can be displayed by the change in the results of mock papers.
- Boost confidence- Mock tests are a great way to drive away any nervousness, hesitation, or anxiety before the exam. They give a realistic estimate of one’s capability and current skill set. They are a great way of feeling confident about one’s progress in preparation and setting foot into the examination hall with vigour.
After gaining an understanding of the benefits of mock tests, the next step is to learn how to give them. A step by step guide to giving mock tests is the missing puzzle piece in any student’s exam guide.
The correct way to give mock tests can be summarised in the following ten points,
- Plan- A well-planned timetable goes a long way in devising the right approach to prepare for exams. It’s essential to make a plan for yourself- addressing the subjects you wish to cover with the time required for each topic and more. It is recommended to give mock tests after a substantial amount of syllabus has been covered.
- Stick to your schedule- Once the student’s plan is made, ensure that it’s followed. Accountability for previously planned goals is the need of the hour. Both virtual and non-virtual reminders can help in sticking to one’s plan and respective goals.
- Choose reliable sources- It’s very crucial to choose sources that one can trust for the right questions and sample papers. One such source is available for CBSE Sample Papers for Class 6 English Mock Paper 1. Make sure the sources one refers to are verified and reviewed by others as well.
- Regularly appear for mock papers- Steadiness in giving sample papers will add stability to the preparation plan. It is recommended to give two-three mock papers in a week, depending on the individual’s level of exam preparation.
- Timed environment- Proper time management is key to doing well in an examination’s environment. By sitting for mock exams, a student is able to simulate the same timed environment that is present in the actual exam.
- Revise mistakes- The primary objective of mock tests is to recognize the weak areas and work on strengthening them. This is done by a thorough analysis of all the errors in the various mock papers. By this methodology, a student can spend time understanding and practising the weak topics.
- Make an error bank- Growing from one’s mistakes is a significant value that can elevate performance in exams. An error log or sheet with the incorrect questions and the rectified approach and answer can help the student stay aware of their mistakes. Patterns in errors may also be identified or observed upon careful analysis by the student themselves or with external help.
- Note-making from mocks- Learning is limitless, and hence, important insights for different topics can also be gained from the mock papers themselves. One may highlight the important questions and visit them later. Marking meaningful solutions may also prove to be helpful while revision at later stages.
- Improve in every step- It is recommended to improve weak topics before giving the next mock by noting down the issues in which mistakes were made. The student then may study those concepts again and strengthen their understanding. Practise questions may also be taken for the particular topic before going for mocks.
- Track progress- It is suggested to ensure to keep track of the final marks in the mock papers. It helps the student be aware of whether they are improving and thus, make changes in the preparation strategy accordingly. This can be done by noting down the topic wise marks and the total marks for every paper with the number of correct and incorrect answers.
Therefore, mock papers are an essential resource that cannot be missed during exam preparation. They are your go-to resource to finish the last leg of preparation with flair and finesse. The voyage of exam preparation certainly sails much smoother by the dedication of sufficient time in giving and revising mock tests—the waves of uncertainty decrease, and shores of confidence surface more. Mock exams ensure a bon voyage for any student!
