CBSE Class 12 Exam Tips: ‘Use technical and scientific terms in the answers’

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has slated the Psychology exam for March 8, 2024. Students must have already completed their initial round of prep for the exam. However, studying the chapters needs to be complemented by solving several question papers to ensure one is exam-ready.

To make it easier for students, Dharini Sahni, PGT Psychology and School Counsellor at Apeejay School, Pitampura shared some important tips not just for what to do a day before the exam but also for how to attempt the question paper on the final day of the exam.

5 things to do a day before the exam

1.       Students should have quick-reference materials like flowcharts, tables, and mind maps ready for last-minute revision. These tools help in recalling important terminology and concepts without needing to delve deeply into the text.

2.       Trying to learn new topics just before the exam is not advisable. Instead, students should focus on revising what they have already studied. If necessary, they can skim through the keywords of less familiar topics to make educated guesses on the exam.

3.       It’s important to attempt all questions in the exam, even if the student’s knowledge of a topic is not thorough. Making an intellectual guess can help secure partial credit and avoid zeroes.

4.       Students with several days between exams should use this time wisely. For those aiming for high scores, practicing past papers can improve recall of different chapters, manage time better during the exam, and ensure critical keywords are not missed in answers.

5.       In a subject like psychology, the length of an answer is less important than its content. Students should focus on including relevant keywords and concepts rather than writing lengthy responses.

“Students confident in their knowledge might focus on practice papers to refine their exam technique, whereas those less confident should concentrate on understanding key concepts from each chapter before doing a general review. Psychology as a subject teaches you a lot about human behaviour and their social dynamics. Each student needs to embrace the knowledge and understanding of this discipline to flourish as a sensitised and empathetic individual,” Sahni advised and shared tips that students should follow on the day of the exam.

This year application and case-based questions have a high weightage. Do regular practice by attempting as many questions as you can. Focus on the cues given in the statements to identify the correct and suitable concept for that case or situation. Read the complete question and DO NOT conclude based on a few words read in the first few lines.

Psychology as a discipline has a technical and scientific vocabulary. Use appropriate terminology and underline to make it visible. This will help the examiner understand your efforts and clarity of concepts.

Use reading time (15 minutes) wisely in the exam. Divide the time you will give to each section based on the weightage and word limit. Also, read your application-based questions carefully and formulate your writing strategy to save time later.

Multiple-choice questions should never be given a back seat while doing the preparation. Use practice paper books, sample papers, and papers attempted in this academic session to get the maximum exposure to such types of questions.

Learn the researcher/psychologist associated with the theory/therapy/research. It will help you answer the questions where only the name is mentioned.

Create a table of psychological distress or disorder and the most appropriate therapy to be given in that condition. This will help you avoid ambiguity of thoughts while correlating these two aspects in a case.

There are some concepts where we get confused while answering and end up thinking, like — whether I should include the points from the process of attitude formation or the influencing factors. There are coping strategies given by two different psychologists. Am I quoting the one that is the best fit? Read the questions based on them carefully and develop cues to differentiate.

The presentation of the paper is a reflection of a student’s personality and clarity of mind. Write neatly and draw a line after each answer/section. Use a pen that does not leave a stain and is suitable for your handwriting.

Mind mapping, table formation, and flow charts work wonders for your last-minute reference and organise the information better in your memory system.