In Singapore, science teaching starts at primary school. Pupils are taught the basic science concepts in physics, chemistry, and biology. This helps to build a strong foundation early enough. However, most students cannot wait to drop the subject due to its complexity. Are you tired of your unsatisfying grades in physics? Do you feel like giving up on physics and continue sinking in the pool of unsatisfying results? There is a way out for you. You can improve your physics results with time. There is still hope to do better in physics.
Whether you are in O or A-level, you can still make a difference. You can move from scoring D’s to A’s and B’s. It is a matter of time and commitment to see you improve your physics result. Moreover, here is a guide to help you climb the ladder of success.
Tips to help you improve in physics
1. Keep asking questions
Unanswered questions concerning physics concepts need to be clarified. Do not sit back without raising your hand to ask the teacher for clarification. This is because if you doubt a particular theory, you won’t be in a position to answer a question during exams.
Having your questions answered have several benefits. First, it allows you to take your physics tuition or school notes. As a result, you have an easy time doing your revision before the exams. Also, you improve your physics results when you revise well.
Second, it allows you to learn from your mistakes. During your private tuition test session, ask the tutor to take you through the areas you failed. As you revise those areas and ask questions, you understand where you went wrong. It allows you to learn more and hence improve your physics results.
2. Create enough time to study
Physics is a diverse subject, and therefore it requires sufficient time to study. Through enough study sessions, you can make a difference in your physics grades. This is because you have enough time to master the concepts. When you have the content at your fingertips, you will tackle your exam without trouble.
Also, enough time to study allows you to cover the syllabus on time. After your school sessions, have an hour or two to attend a physics tuition centre. This way, the tutor helps you to go through all the theories, formulas, and calculations you are expected to cover before exams.
Finally, enough study time allows you to ask questions, clarify any doubt, and realize your past mistakes. Spend some time after school to do your studies. It helps you go through what you learned in school and O-level physics tuition. As a result, you get the concepts in detail.
3. Be attentive in class
To improve the physics results, you need to be alert in class. It helps you achieve a lot during the sessions. It allows you to capture all that your teacher taught. In the end, you take proper notes for your revision.
Also, being attentive allows you to participate in class. When your teacher asks a question, you are in a position to answer correctly. This makes you keep the concepts in mind. In addition, you test yourself to see where you need to put extra effort.
Therefore, avoid any disruption that steals away your concentration. Do not make unnecessary noise while the teacher is teaching. Also, avoid sleeping during your class sessions. It is a sign of lack of interest and disrespect to the teacher.
4. Keep practicing
Never get tired of practicing physics problems. Get yourself as many questions as possible. Look for textbooks and other materials that have physics questions. Do a lot of tests to understand how you should answer questions.
If you have H2 physics tuition you attend, ask the tutor to give a test after every topic you learn. Do the tests and after the marking, ask the tutor to help you do a thorough revision. This way, you will have every concept in the palm of your hand and hence improve your physics result.
Besides, practice allows you to handle challenging physics problems. When you do several tests, you can point out the areas you need to put extra effort into. As a result, you work on those concepts before the exam bell rings. In the end, you improve your physics results each time.
5. Prepare before you go to class
One of the best ways to prepare before you attend a class is going through the lesson’s notes. It gives you an idea of what you expect the teacher to teach. This helps to prepare your mind for what you will capture. As a result, your mind is in a position to digest the information slowly by slowly.
Moreover, when you read ahead of the teacher, you can point out the concepts you didn’t understand. This will help you to pay close attention when the lecturer is tackling those parts. Therefore, make it a habit-perusing your textbook before you attend your physics classes, and you will see your physics grades improve.
Also, make sure you have a pen and a notebook to write your notes. Notes have the power to improve your physics grade. When you take your notes systematically and review them properly, you can move your performance a bit higher in your coming exams.
6. Work on your math skills
If you want to improve your physics results, be good at all physics formulas and calculations. Most physics concepts carry a large part of the math. Therefore, you must master the mathematical formulas to perform your best.
To work on math skills, you can invite a physics math tutor to assist you. The tutor helps you solve physics problems that require calculations. This makes you a champion in math and thus improve your physics grades.
7. Make use of drawings
Drawings in physics allow you to understand, think critically, analyze, and finally solve the problem. If a concept has a drawing illustration, make use of it to get it clear. When doing your physics revisions, illustrate theories using the necessary drawing.
To know better how to use drawing, practice with physics questions. When answering the questions, try and make drawings to illustrate the concepts you have applied to solve the problem. This way, you get more ideas to use during your physics exams.
In addition, it is not a must you use drawing from your textbooks. You can come up with one to explain a physics theory. This is a great way to understand complex concepts. As a result, you improve your physics results.
8. Master the basics
The power of the basic physics theories, formulas, and calculations is crucial in performing your best. This is because the basic concepts build up complex concepts. Therefore, it is necessary to make sure you have the basics to improve your physics results.
To avoid the stress of assimilating complex theories in physics, first work on the basic ones. Practice using diagrams to achieve in this area. It helps you to get the relationship between each concept.
Also, make sure you have the basic equations at your fingertips. Mostly, a complex physics problem needs the application of these formulas to solve it to the end. Therefore, do not spend sleepless nights mastering the complex concepts while you still don’t have the basics.
9. Always double check your answers
During any physics exam, try and double-check your answers. Time yourself and leave about 30 to 40 minutes to double-check your answers. This is because most complex problems require several calculation steps to solve. In case you leave out a point, you fail the whole question.
Therefore, confirming whether you have answered the questions correctly is necessary. It improves your results in physics. It allows you to correct any errors.
You can double-check your answers in different ways. First, you can redo the questions. This allows you to point out any error. Second, you can use common sense. For instance, if a problem requires you to find the momentum of a moving forward object, you don’t expect your answer to be negative.
10. Make use of every available physics help
The road to improving your physics result is worth involving other people. You can do so by attending discussion groups, A-level physics tuition, watching physics movies, and reading extra materials. This helps you to have a lot of knowledge that you can apply during your physics exams.
For a discussion session, it gives you a platform to master concepts better by teaching your fellow students in areas you are best at. You also learn from them the theories they can help you.
Watching physics movies allows you to understand physics more broadly. It always you to know the origin of some physics theories you learn at school. This makes you keep such concepts in mind and improve your physics results during exams.
Improving your physics results is a journey. Embrace the above points and make a difference in your physics grades.