doing bad on SACs but getting good mark in exam?

[emchun]

Once again, I totally stuffed up my SAC. Last SAC (calculus) I got 32%...probably last out of the class. This is my second one and it is about functions and is an analysis task. It was separated to two parts, we did Part A today and Wednesday we are doing the next part.
The first part had 4 questions -> 45 marks in total.
I did some parts of question 1 and 4 but not completely and I believe that they are not entirely correct. Question 2 and 3 was confusing and I couldn't do it. I wrote some useless stuff for the first part of the questions and completely left blank for the rest since if I can't complete the first one there is no way to do the rest. And question 3 was linked in with 1 and 2 so I couldn't do that without the answers for 1 and 2. Usually, in these type of questions, I always have trouble with the first part then once I have values to use, I know where I'm going. It's because I really am bad at working how to find these values in the first place.
I just hope I do better on the second part of the SAC...

So this comes to my question...if I do horrible in SACs but do quite well in my exam, would my study score be lowered a lot?

I really feel like I can't improve on methods, those analysis questions really are confusing me, I always lose marks because of those. I was really determined to do well for methods this year, and I was thinking that I would be really bad at chemistry because I don't study for it as much as I do for methods, and I thought chemistry was the more confusing one because you have calculations and remembering information but I did quite well on my chemistry SAC (Rank 2). Funny how I hated chemistry and english yet I get way better marks for them...also for Biology and SD too,,,though I do like those two subjects.

[plato]

If you are consistently doing poorly on SACs for the reasons you give, it seems to me that you are unlikely to get exceptional marks in exams without a change in your study habits that help you to understand the questions being asked. This comes from much reading practice as well as actual calculation.

If you have not yet started, I suggest you regularly look at some past VCAA exam papers or Checkpoints or commercial trial papers. Itute has free practice exm papers on their website. Read through lots of their questions and maybe highlight the important information in the question. Initially just try to nut out what you are being asked to do - then, how would you start to do it? These two steps are necessary precursors to eventually answering any question.

If you are still stuck, it may be useful to go back to the question and see if you have considered how ALL of the highlighted important data will be used. However, note that some of this data may apply only in, say, question c and not in a or b. But it would be most unusual to be given numerical information that will not be applied at all in the entire exam question.

VCAA and commercial exams will present searching questions that test your understanding and ability to work out which mathematical method is needed to find the solution. Checkpoints, and other publictions, give you mostly-correct worked solutions that you should only look at after you have read the questions and worked out how to start. Then, preferably, have tried to actually do your own calculation.

To get a start in a series of related questions, read the first question and, if possible, estimate a likely answer. This may help guide you toward a process that can give you a correct, exact answer. Sometimes you can use your calculator if the question asks for an answer correct to some number of decimal places - otherwise you must give exact answers that may include surds, pi or e. If the answer comes out as a fraction, do not write it as a decimal unless told to give a rounded answer.

All of this is too late for the second part of your SAC but may be relevant for the remainder of the year. Your school based SACs for the entire year determine you ranking in Methods at your school (or in your class if there is only one Methods class at your school). This ranking (and your school/class exam results) goes toward determining 34% of your Study Score. The remaining 66% come directly from what you achieve in your two exams.

So, you still have time to achieve higher than your current SAC results indicate. I hope that an effective study program can get you the results you wish for. And keep checking questions and solutions offered by the members of this forum.

[Will Sparks]

Lol, you remind me so much of myself in year 11.

I used to do so shit in tests because I never really studied/fully understood the concepts and the excuse I'd make to myself was that, 'Oh, it doesn't matter, the assessment throughout the year is only 40% but the end of year exam will be worth way more (60%), I'll just study and go well then.'

I'll give you an example.

My average throughout my physics tests across the year was about 40%.
I said to myself every time I received a test with a fail score, 'Fuck it, I didn't even study for this one, I'll study and go well at the end of the year.'
I did study but at the end of the year, I received a 72% on my exam, which was still pretty shit, considering it was a Unit 1/2 exam.

I was so lucky that I learnt my lesson in year 11, cause if that happened now, I'd actually be fucked.

In my opinion, if you can't go well on your SACs, you'll struggle to go well on the end of year exams.

You have to start studying thoroughly and ensuring you understand everything NOW, and never say you'll do something tomorrow, cause I can assure you, tomorrow you'll repeat what you said.

If I were you, I'd go see my teacher and ask him/her to guide me through what I need to do, what I have to do to learn from my mistakes and most ultimately, how can I improve.

[DetteAmelie]

So this comes to my question...if I do horrible in SACs but do quite well in my exam, would my study score be lowered a lot?
I think it really depends on how 'well' you perform on your exam really.

My suggestions/tips which may help you improve

• Dedicate at least 1-2 hours a day studying and revising the material you've studied in class. I understand that it may as well be because you cannot grasp the concepts, however, sometimes I find that re-reading chapter notes etc really helps.
• Use the internet! For instance: Atarnotes is such a good source of help. Equally, I find that sometimes going on Youtube REALLY does help whenever I feel confused about topics.
• Ask your teacher for help! Use and abuse your teacher....seriously. Maybe ask your teacher to spend 1 hour after school every Wednesday (or whatever day suits you) to help clarify any points/areas you're concerned about.
• Get a tutor?

I understand how you're feeling ATM, I use to be in the same position. Just keep your head up high and keep working at it! That's all I can say. Just remember that we're all here to help, so don't hesitate to ask. Take care love!

[casbanjo]

I wouldn't want to do badly on any more SACs. Don't use the exam as a get out of jail free card for the whole year.

If you don't understand the concepts throughout the year, it's gonna be bloody hard to get them all sorted for the exam.

Also, as far as I know, your exam mark is determined by your ranking (ie if your ranking for SACs is 1st, you'll get the best exam mark out of the cohort, last gets the worst). So if your ranking is second last in your cohort and two people in the cohort screw the exam, no matter how well you go you'll get one of the screwed exam scores.

[Lasercookie]

Also, as far as I know, your exam mark is determined by your ranking (ie if your ranking for SACs is 1st, you'll get the best exam mark out of the cohort, last gets the worst). So if your ranking is second last in your cohort and two people in the cohort screw the exam, no matter how well you go you'll get one of the screwed exam scores.

You've got it backwards. Your exam mark is determined by whatever you put on that piece of paper that gets shipped back to VCAA. Your moderated sac marks is what will be dependent on rankings. Moderation is done in order to keep things fair and to account for the different sacs, marking scales etc. that teachers use. That doesn't need to be done with exam marks, since everyone sits the same exam and is all marked by VCAA assessors.

[FlorianK]

Also, as far as I know, your exam mark is determined by your ranking (ie if your ranking for SACs is 1st, you'll get the best exam mark out of the cohort, last gets the worst). So if your ranking is second last in your cohort and two people in the cohort screw the exam, no matter how well you go you'll get one of the screwed exam scores.

nope, I was second last. The best dude in our cohort had an A and a B+ for the exams, I got a B+ and an A for the exam. I ended up with a B+ as a SAC mark. Nobody else in the entire cohort ever got something higher than a C+.
As you can see VCAA's moderation is weird, but as stated before you shouldn't take my story as an excuse to only do something for the exam and nothing for SACs. Just stay motivated and do the best you can

[abcdqdxD]

Wait - so if you absolutely smash the exam but the kids ranked above you do poorly, are you still screwed? I assume your SAC marks can't get moderated upwards so much that it exceeds that of the kids ranked above you?

[pi]

Wait - so if you absolutely smash the exam but the kids ranked above you do poorly, are you still screwed?

Yeah, although you wouldn't be "screwed", just not doing as well as if you were ranked 1. This is more of an issue in weaker cohorts though.

[lala1911]

To the other posts above me, I actually don't believe that its put simply rank x gets x exam mark. There is more to it. It just seems to unfair to be likely.

[Lasercookie]

To the other posts above me, I actually don't believe that its put simply rank x gets x exam mark. There is more to it. It just seems to unfair to be likely.

If we're talking sac marks, then yeah it isn't that simple. 

Wait - so if you absolutely smash the exam but the kids ranked above you do poorly, are you still screwed? I assume your SAC marks can't get moderated upwards so much that it exceeds that of the kids ranked above you?

Usually the exam is weighted more than sacs too, so it's not necessarily true that you'll be 'screwed' study score wise. 

[vashappenin]

Wait so if the people ranked in the higher range completely demolish their sacs and exams, does that mean that the whole cohort's sac scores get moderated to go up? My cohort for methods has the reaaaaallly smart students who kill every sac, the medium students and some who just get really really low.

[DetteAmelie]

Wait so if the people ranked in the higher range completely demolish their sacs and exams, does that mean that the whole cohort's sac scores get moderated to go up? My cohort has the reaaaaallly smart students who kill every sac, the medium students and some who just get really really low.

It wouldn't matter that much, would it? The moderation would most likely be minute. Anyways, from what i've gathered it only applies when majority of the class do exceptionally well on the exams.

[Checkmate]

Wait so if the people ranked in the higher range completely demolish their sacs and exams, does that mean that the whole cohort's sac scores get moderated to go up? My cohort for methods has the reaaaaallly smart students who kill every sac, the medium students and some who just get really really low.

I would think so, since if it's hard to get rank 1 then that means the upper band of your cohort is strong. Conversely, trumping the people who consistently get very low would mean less since they were never doing good in the first place. Well that's how I think it works anyway, but I can't really see this helping unless you beat those few odd students who are scoring highly. The whole SAC moderation up I believe would be pretty minimal unless it's like 30 A+s and you got a B+.

Anyways, from what i've gathered it only applies when majority of the class do exceptionally well on the exams.

Yeah if all your top students got smashed on the exam, that's saying something about how strong the top of your cohort is, but if they do well, then what I said above should hold true I think.

[Franky3121]

You 2013 graduates are the best.

If what you guys are saying is true then i still have hope that i can score above 30 in all my subjects.

Thanks for everything guys, its just what i needed!