[nerd434]

I've decided to make yet another thread, this time for the upcoming Standard Grade Chemistry exam on Monday 14th May! Besides the French exam, I have 10 days to prepare so I thought everyone could share how they are doing, post any problems they may have and ask about any past paper questions they are having difficulties with!

What is everyone hoping to get in the exam? I'm hoping for a 1/1, my Chemistry teacher has been ace so that's really helped. How are you all feeling about it?

[TheFOMaster]

I hope your paper is easy I'm doing higher just now but last year I came out and thought I failed because I forgot what the number above the atomic number was called (I will remember forever that its called an isotope...)

Hope you get that 1/1!

[nerd434]

(Original post by TheFOMaster)
I hope your paper is easy I'm doing higher just now but last year I came out and thought I failed because I forgot what the number above the atomic number was called (I will remember forever that its called an isotope...)

Hope you get that 1/1!

Haha, how did you end up doing? Is Higher a big jump?

[Nessie162]

Hi There I started to revise for chemistry 2 days ago Doing some past papers and I'm having some problems with PS question, but hopefully those 10 days are enough to get them right I've got 1:1 in my prelim so hope to get that in the actual exam

[TheFOMaster]

(Original post by nerd434)
Haha, how did you end up doing? Is Higher a big jump?

I got a 1/1 and Higher is a big jump in my opinion. But I did it wrong. If you do Higher. ALWAYS PAY ATTENTION! Only advice I can give. I hardly payed attention the full year and now in every past paper I do I can't get an A always getting a B.

Not looking forward to the 14th xD

[tasha96]

Hi!

Only have modern between now and the chemistry so really starting to focus on the chemistry now. Got a 1:1 on the prelim and hoping to get the same in the exam. Taking it at higher next year.

Just a note on the past papers- if you are doing any really, really old ones (I think the one I came across this in was 1992) then don't do what my class did and panic if there is a question you can't do about detergents. We spent about half a period looking for the answers to the question but it isn't actually in the course anymore!

[anthonyfl]

(Original post by TheFOMaster)
I hope your paper is easy I'm doing higher just now but last year I came out and thought I failed because I forgot what the number above the atomic number was called (I will remember forever that its called an isotope...)

Hope you get that 1/1!

Is it not called the mass number?

[BigChimp]

(Original post by anthonyfl)
Is it not called the mass number?

Yes its the atomic mass number.

I'm hoping for a 1/1 in chemistry. It's the best science there is. I hope to take it all the way to advanced higher and beyond.

[anthonyfl]

(Original post by BigChimp)
Yes its the atomic mass number.

I'm hoping for a 1/1 in chemistry. It's the best science there is. I hope to take it all the way to advanced higher and beyond.

Me too but a 1:1 and 1:2 are a 1 either way I'm hoping to take it to advanced higher too, but only because I want to do medicine/dentistry

[BigChimp]

(Original post by anthonyfl)
Me too but a 1:1 and 1:2 are a 1 either way I'm hoping to take it to advanced higher too, but only because I want to do medicine/dentistry

To be honest I'd be happy with a two as that's enough to get me to higher. I'm hoping for a one though because of the work i've put in. I only want to take it to AH as i want to do chemical engineering!

[OpenArms]

I did SG Chemistry last year and got a 1:1. I hated chemistry throughout 3rd year and the start of 4th year cause I never actually got the hang of it. I didn't understand what it was all about and had no base understanding. After my disastrous prelim which i got a 7:1 in I realised I needed to get some work done. I walked out the exam hall last year thinking I had aced every question and hoped for a letter from the SQA but unfortunately I never received it Now chemistry is my most enjoyable subject! All I can say is good luck guys! and I think I'm pretty clued up on most things in SG chemistry now so PM if you need any help.

[nerd434]

(Original post by OpenArms)
I did SG Chemistry last year and got a 1:1. I hated chemistry throughout 3rd year and the start of 4th year cause I never actually got the hang of it. I didn't understand what it was all about and had no base understanding. After my disastrous prelim which i got a 7:1 in I realised I needed to get some work done. I walked out the exam hall last year thinking I had aced every question and hoped for a letter from the SQA but unfortunately I never received it Now chemistry is my most enjoyable subject! All I can say is good luck guys! and I think I'm pretty clued up on most things in SG chemistry now so PM if you need any help.

What method did you use to study Chemistry? How did you study so effectively?

[OpenArms]

Using a success guide and 2002-2010 past papers I created my own notes and linked the info with past paper questions. Before I did that I spent 3 hours with my chemistry teacher pretty much learning the basics you learn at the start of 3rd year as early on I paid no attention and regret doing this in my early secondary education.

[CameronMiller]

Im really worried about the chemistry exam. My teacher retired half way through the year and we got a probationer and I struggled with chemistry from the start! Im on track to get 1's for everything but a 3 in Chemistry! Any tips on last minute studying to pull it up to a credit 2?

[nerd434]

(Original post by CameronMiller)
Im really worried about the chemistry exam. My teacher retired half way through the year and we got a probationer and I struggled with chemistry from the start! Im on track to get 1's for everything but a 3 in Chemistry! Any tips on last minute studying to pull it up to a credit 2?

I would advise you to familiarise yourself with the first say, 5 - 8 topics. They contain the basics and foundations of the course and once you are confident with them, the rest of the course just flows and unravels so to speak.

Also, do as many Past Papers as possible! Mark them harshly and truthfully and identify where you are having difficulties. Say for example, you get a whole question on Iron Corrosion wrong and a whole question on Fermentation wrong. Go away and study all that content and memorise it until you feel confident. Then try another Past Paper and see if you can get those questions right now! If you continue this method, your knowledge just grows and you will begin to feel a lot more confident in Credit papers!

The Credit paper also contains a lot of straight forward marks from drawing graphs and carrying out calculations so try to learn all the calculations! (there is only around 4)..

Good luck!

[anthonyfl]

(Original post by CameronMiller)
Im really worried about the chemistry exam. My teacher retired half way through the year and we got a probationer and I struggled with chemistry from the start! Im on track to get 1's for everything but a 3 in Chemistry! Any tips on last minute studying to pull it up to a credit 2?

Well I know a girl who only done the second year of standard grade chemistry and she got a two! In the prelim she got a 7:7 though haha. She got a two by doing the past papers over and over and over again. You must realise there are only a certain amount of questions that can be asked. Once you perfect them, you're ready to go. If she can do it with about 6-7 months of standard grade chemistry then so can you!

[Aay]

Hey,

Yeah I used to be really bad at chem but a full day of looking over notes and doing pastpapers has got my conf right up!!

Evans2chemweb <-- a great site for notes.

Goodluckk!

[tasha96]

(Original post by Aay)
Hey,

Yeah I used to be really bad at chem but a full day of looking over notes and doing pastpapers has got my conf right up!!

Evans2chemweb <-- a great site for notes.

Goodluckk!

Evans2chemweb is an amazing site. For the first year of the course my class were having a terrible time with a teacher who didn't give notes/allow you to take notes properly and so most of us learned the first topics from the sites summary notes. They also have an excellent feature that allows you to practice balancing equations.
However, your school does need a subscription and if it doesn't have one you wont be able to access it.



Just out of interest, what study books does everyone have? I've used the "How to Pass" book since the start of 3rd year and love it, but have friends who prefer the "Success Guide". Is there that big a difference between books?

[nerd434]

(Original post by tasha96)
Evans2chemweb is an amazing site. For the first year of the course my class were having a terrible time with a teacher who didn't give notes/allow you to take notes properly and so most of us learned the first topics from the sites summary notes. They also have an excellent feature that allows you to practice balancing equations.
However, your school does need a subscription and if it doesn't have one you wont be able to access it.



Just out of interest, what study books does everyone have? I've used the "How to Pass" book since the start of 3rd year and love it, but have friends who prefer the "Success Guide". Is there that big a difference between books?

I'm using the Leckie and Leckie Success Guide!

[tasha96]

(Original post by nerd434)
I'm using the Leckie and Leckie Success Guide!

Do you like it? Does it have the little mini quizzes in it like the physics one does?
I'm just trying to work out whether it would be worth my while nipping down to the library to borrow a copy or if I should just focus on my revision cards/past papers at this point.