I can’t seem to improve in chemistry

I’m year 12 I was steadily improving and got a B at the end of the year but this year, I’ve been consistently doing horrible
I keep getting D’s and never anything below
I just don’t understand any of organic chemistry or the aromatic chemistry module
Even if I revise it, when it comes to questions, I can’t seem to answer anything
Any advice in improving, I need a B to get in to the uni I want

Reply 1

username5567480

When you have revised the content, it’s important you also do past papers, so that you can apply your knowledge to exam style questions. If you’re aiming for a top grade, practicing exam questions is always the best choice :yes:

Reply 2

Blue_skies124

So after revising the content, should I do some past paper questions followed by an exam paper?

Reply 3

username5567480

Original post by Blue_skies124

So after revising the content, should I do some past paper questions followed by an exam paper?

Just do exam questions for now. You can use physics and maths tutor, that website is really helpful for exam style questions. You can do past papers in Y13 (once you’ve learnt all the A level content).

(edited 3 years ago)

Reply 4

Euapp

Your revision method is probably wrong. Reading lesson notes is not enough. The secret is to do questions and more questions. Start by watching YouTube worked examples, then the worked examples in revision guides, and finally revision questions where the solutions are at the end of the book. Just reading questions is not enough. You'll think you've understood, but as you've said, once you're in a test situation you're lost. By doing questions, you'll find out where you get stuck, and eventually you'll recognise types of questions and will know exactly how to attack them. Good luck!

Reply 5

username5567480

Original post by Euapp

Well said

Reply 6

Euapp

Original post by DSKE

Well said

Thank you ☺️

Reply 7

EierVonSatan

It's easy to trick yourself to think that you understand the content because you can follow along in lessons.

If you go to the past papers too soon, before you get a deeper understanding then you will go round in circles. You do a question but score low, check the MS, do a very similar question get the answer right get a good score. But then you do a very different question and you score badly again and repeat. You spend huge proportions of time memorising answers but not understanding much more.

I would instead try to ask yourself why does this happen? What is the reason for this, why doesn't it do that instead? Then look for answers in your notes, online, textbooks, revision guides, ask your teacher and so on. When you stop coming up blank to these why questions then you should move to past papers. The results of those will then tell you if you understand it or not.

Reply 8

Blue_skies124

So first I should know the content, be able to answer exam questions and then attempt past paper questions to check my understanding?
The answers for aromatic chemistry are so subjective even if they’re the same type of question and I feel like even if I understand the textbook,the question answers differ

Reply 9

EierVonSatan

Original post by Blue_skies124

Not just know it, but understand it - this is hard and takes time. It's difficult to tell the difference between them too! This is where past paper questions help you figure it out. Whilst there is some wiggle room/inconsistencies from markscheme to markscheme and annoying features of them I wouldn't call them subjective.

I'm trying to come up with an example! So, you probably know that in electrophilic substitution that you need a positively charged electrophile to react with the ring because benzene's ring is unreactive. This is knowledge. But if I gave you a different kind of ring like naphthalene (two benzenes fused together) could you predict if it is more or less reactive to those electrophiles - can you apply your understanding of benzenes reactivity, past just benzene?

If you can, you probably understand why benzene is unreactive.