‘Do’s And ‘Don’t’s When Studying Physics

DO	DON’T
Accumulate knowledge bit by bit without delay. (Kumpul—Sedikit-sedikit lama-lama menjadi bukit.)	Postpone your understanding of concepts. (Tangguh— Sedikit-sedikit lama-lama menjadi sakit.)
Ask, check and discuss to understand.	Memorise without understanding.
Write concepts/laws/rules/theories in your own words.	Memorise definition word by word without really understanding.
Practise problem solving. Practice makes perfect.	Just read model answers without actually trying yourself.
Visualise, summarise and relate to real life situations.	Just memorise without visualising and relating to real life situations.
Be honest with data and actual results of experiments.	Create false data and false results just to make it look neat.
Try to connect one concept to another and find their relationships.	Study the concepts as compartmentalised units or piecemeal basis.
Study the concept map and summary at the beginning of the end of each chapter of the text /revision books.	Depend on just one book or just the teacher’s notes.

DO	DON’T
Accumulate knowledge bit by bit without delay. (Kumpul—Sedikit-sedikit lama-lama menjadi bukit.)	Postpone your understanding of concepts. (Tangguh— Sedikit-sedikit lama-lama menjadi sakit.)
Ask, check and discuss to understand.	Memorise without understanding.
Write concepts/laws/rules/theories in your own words.	Memorise definition word by word without really understanding.
Practise problem solving. Practice makes perfect.	Just read model answers without actually trying yourself.
Visualise, summarise and relate to real life situations.	Just memorise without visualising and relating to real life situations.
Be honest with data and actual results of experiments.	Create false data and false results just to make it look neat.
Try to connect one concept to another and find their relationships.	Study the concepts as compartmentalised units or piecemeal basis.
Study the concept map and summary at the beginning of the end of each chapter of the text /revision books.	Depend on just one book or just the teacher’s notes.

Command Words You Need To Know To Answer Questions Correctly

State: Only requires a simple statement, no reasoning is expected.

• State one advantage of using high voltages for the transmission of electricity.
• State the law of reflection.
• State the characteristics of an image seen in a plane mirror.

Explain: Requires reasoning or some reference to theory in addition to a simple statement.

• Explain how the circuit converts an a.c. supply into a d.c. output.
• Explain why we can see light from the Sun but not the sound of explosion on the surface of the Sun.
• Explain why water is a suitable to be used to cool down engine.

Define: Only a formal statement or equivalent paraphrase is required.

• Define a monochromatic light.
• Define specific heat capacity.

Describe: Requires the candidate to state in words (using diagrams where appropriate) the main points of the topic. It is often used with reference either to particular phenomena or to particular experiments.

• Describe how two sets of readings are taken, explaining how equilibrium is achieved in
• Describe the method of calibrating a mercury-in-glass thermometer.
• Describe how a safety belt can reduce the injury of a driver when accident occurs.

Suggest: Can be used in two main contexts, i.e. either to imply that there is no unique answer, or where this may not be formally ' in the syllabus', but the examiner thinks the candidate should be able to apply his knowledge to make a simple deduction.

• Suggest a use for this lens arrangement.
• Suggest why it might be a good idea to reduce the pressure of the air in car tyres if the car is to be driven over soft sand or over snow.

Calculate: Used when a numerical answer is required. In general, working should be shown, especially where two or more steps are involved.

• Calculate a suitable turns ratio for the transformer.
• Calculate the combined resistance R of the three lamps using the equation

Name: Simply requires the technical name for a process, a chemical etc.

• Name the instrument used for measuring current.
• Name the principle used in your explanation.

List: Requires a number of points, generally each of one word, with no elaboration. Where a given number of points is specified this should not be exceeded.

• List the apparatus used in the experiment.

Complete: Usually used where there are missing items in a table or words in a sentence paragraph.

• Complete the column headings for each of the I, V and R columns of the table.
• Complete the column headings in the table.
• Complete the path of the ray to show how a spectrum is formed on the screen.

Measure: Implies that the quantity concerned can be directly obtained from a suitable measuring instrument, e.g. length, using a rule, or mass, using a balance..

Determine: Implies that the quantity concerned cannot be measured directly but is obtained by calculation, substituting measured or known values or other quantities into a standard formula.

What do you understand by/ What is meant by: Normally implies that a definition should be given, together with some relevant comment on the significance or context of the term(s) concerned, especially where two or more terms are included in the question.

Discuss: Requires the candidate to give a critical account of the points involved in the topic.

Find:Is a general term that may variously be interpreted as calculate, measure, determine, etc.