10 Common Exam Errors That Are Dragging Your Score Down

1. Misreading the Question: Not carefully understanding what the question is asking can lead to irrelevant or incorrect answers.

2. Poor Time Management: Spending too much time on one question can leave insufficient time for others, resulting in unanswered questions.

3. Not Following Instructions: Ignoring specific instructions regarding word limits, formats, or the number of questions to answer can lead to penalties.

4. Rushing Through Answers: Answering too quickly without careful thought can lead to careless mistakes and missed opportunities for higher marks.

5. Lack of Planning Before Answering: Not outlining or structuring your answer, especially for essay-type questions, can result in a disorganized and unclear response.

6. Incorrect Use of Formulas or Concepts: Applying formulas or concepts incorrectly due to a lack of understanding or carelessness can lead to wrong answers.

7. Not Showing Your Work: In subjects like math and science, not showing the steps involved in arriving at the answer can result in lost marks even if the final answer is correct.

8. Leaving Easy Questions for Last: Sometimes students get stuck on difficult questions and postpone easier ones, leading to potential time crunches and missed easy marks.

9. Ignoring the Marking Scheme: Not understanding how marks are allocated can lead to an imbalance in effort, focusing too much on low-scoring sections.

10. Not Proofreading Your Answers: Failing to review your answers for grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, and clarity can create a negative impression and cost marks.