How Can Students Check if Their Exam Practice Questions Are Correct?

Asked by Anonymous in our Parent Webinar Series.

Another fantastic question from our parent community! We've listed 4 ways to check practice exam questions below.

1. Practice Exam Question Books

Many publishers offer practice exam books, which are an excellent resource for students. These books often feature past exam papers and fresh practice questions for subjects like science and maths. Most of these books come with answer keys, making it easy to verify your answers. However, humanities exams are a bit trickier. Since they involve longer, more detailed responses, it’s harder to fit comprehensive answers into one book. Look for practice books with exemplar answers or comprehensive guidebooks that provide model responses.

2. Teachers

Our research showed top students often have a closer relationship with their teachers. By the time they reach Year 12, many students see teachers as part of their support team rather than authority figures. This mindset encourages them to ask for help, including feedback on practice exams. Teachers are often willing to review practice tests, especially if they see a student putting in extra effort. That said, teachers have their own workload, so students should understand that this help isn't always available. However, showing initiative and motivation will increase the likelihood of receiving valuable feedback.

3. Tutors

Using a tutor effectively can significantly improve your exam preparation. After completing a practice exam, ask the tutor to mark it and identify areas for improvement. Tutors can then guide students through targeted practice and strategies to address weak points. This focused support can accelerate learning and ensure that students are prepared for the real exam.

4. Self-Marking and Peer-Marking Practice Exam Questions

Self-marking and peer-marking are powerful tools for exam preparation. These techniques help students view their work from a marker's perspective, improving the quality of their responses. Without marking their practice exams, students may forget that examiners are looking for specific things, such as clarity, relevance, and structure.

To self-mark effectively, students should access the marking criteria and review examiner notes from past exams, available on official education department websites. By understanding what markers expect, students can use this information to assess their own work. Peer-marking is another valuable option: students can exchange practice papers with friends and review each other's responses using the same criteria.

Click here to read our article on when your child should be doing practice papers.