Preparing for the HSC exams
NESA provides students with resources for Higher School Certificate (HSC) exam preparation. Find information and tips so you can feel more confident and be ready for your HSC exams.
Preparing for exams
Each year, some students get results below their expectations because of simple and avoidable factors. Reviewing previous exam papers is beneficial, but expect variations in question topics and formats. You have to answer the question that is asked and not the one you may have prepared for.
Stay updated with the HSC Rules and Procedures guide and refer to the syllabus A-Z for each course.
Tips for the exam
Some valuable tips in preparing for your exams include:
- Making an attempt is better than leaving questions unanswered.
- Be legible. It's in your interest to ensure that all your answers are clear, legible and easy to read.
- Write your answers in black pen.
- If you make a mistake, cross it out so the markers know not to mark it.
A pencil may be used where it is specifically directed but make sure that it can be read. Highlighters may be used to highlight text but not during reading time. Correction fluid is not allowed in the exam room. It wastes time and may smudge your work and make it unreadable.
To find out more about what you can bring to the exam room for each of your subjects, see the exam equipment list.
What to expect in the exam paper
Exam questions vary from year to year.
Don't assume you can prepare for an exam solely based on past papers. The nature, format or emphasis of questions will vary. HSC examiners never set out to trick students, but they will avoid creating a predictable exam.
Familiarise yourself with the Glossary of key words that are used in exam questions. Some HSC questions may start with words such as ‘how?’, ‘why?’ or ‘to what extent?’ and use verbs that are not included in the glossary, such as ‘design’, ‘translate’ or ‘list’.
Stimulus material - such as artwork, quotations or maps - may be included with a question for a number of reasons. For example, the stimulus material might provide a focus for analysis or interpretation. If a question contains stimulus material it will be needed to answer the question, so consider it carefully.
The presence or absence of stimulus material in a particular year doesn't guarantee its use or exclusion in future exam years.
Example of stimulus material
Question:
Explain the role of Rosa Parks in the development of the Civil Rights movement.
Use Source G to support your response.
Stimulus material:
Source G
Mrs Rosa Parks was presented to the mass meeting because we wanted her to become symbolic of our protest movement. The appearance of . . . [Rosa Parks] created enthusiasm, thereby giving the momentum to the movement. We then heard the resolutions calling for the continuation of the boycott unanimously and enthusiastically adopted by the 7000 individuals both inside and outside the church.
- REV RALPH ABERNATHY,
‘Recollection of the First Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA) Meeting’, in Daybreak of Freedom: The Montgomery Bus Boycott, 1997. Reproduced by permission of the University of North Carolina Press
Multiple-choice questions offer students various answer options.
Read through all the choices before selecting the most suitable answer. If you need to change your answer, instructions on the answer sheet will guide you.
Sometimes, an alternative answer may be correct in a different scenario, but not the most appropriate overall. Or an option might contain partially correct information, but also contain some incorrect elements.
You can test yourself online using multiple-choice question quizzes.
Some exam papers contain exam rubrics that show the general criteria used for assessing responses. The rubrics will show you how your performance in that section will be assessed. You can find rubrics in the HSC syllabus.
Some exams have questions that relate to options or electives. Only answer the questions that relate to the option or elective you have studied.
If you answer questions from more than one option or elective, your responses will be marked but you will ONLY receive marks for the option with the highest mark. Don't waste time doing more than you need to.
HSC exams are challenging for all students. If you have difficulty understanding a question, you should look for keywords and identify the aspect of the course to which these relate. You are then in a position to formulate your answer from relevant knowledge, understanding and skills.
HSC questions are not designed to support answers prepared in advance. It is important that you answer the questions asked in the exam rather than anticipating a particular type of question and memorising an answer to suit.
Partially modifying an otherwise irrelevant memorised response will not lead to high marks. Markers are looking to reward answers that are relevant and answer the specific question.
Where to write your answers
Exam papers and booklets will provide instructions on how and where to write your answers. Make sure you follow the instructions and write in the designated spaces. If markers can't find your answers, all your hard work will be wasted.
In almost all exams, markers assess specific sections or questions, not the whole exam paper. Different markers review different sections, so it's vital to answer in the right spaces. Clearly label your answers and avoid leaving unnecessary gaps between questions.
If you write in the wrong spaces or booklet, your work may not be presented to the markers.
Depending on which exam you are doing, you may be given:
- personalised multiple-choice answer sheet
- question/answer booklet
- personalised question/answer booklet
- personalised writing booklet
- generic (non-personalised) writing booklet.
Personalised exam material
Personalised exam material has your student number, centre number and generally, your name pre-printed on the front cover.
It's important not to use another student's personalised answer sheets or writing booklets. If you use someone else's personalised materials, your work will be attributed to that student. If you require additional space to write, please request an extra generic writing booklet.
If a personalised writing booklet is pre-printed with the question number, you must use the booklet for that question only. For example, in Mathematics, writing booklets are labelled Question 11, Question 12, etc. If you have run out of room in the Question 11 booklet, don’t use the Question 12 writing booklet to complete Question 11. You may be marked against the wrong marking guidelines, and consequently not gain marks.
In some personalised question and answer booklets and writing booklets, there are areas where it says ‘Do not write’. These areas may be at the bottom of the page or at the edge in the centre of a multi-page booklet. Anything you write in these areas will NOT be marked. If you need more space to write, ask for an extra writing booklet.
Extra writing booklets
If you need more space to answer a question on the exam paper, you can request an additional writing booklet. Make sure to clearly indicate on the exam paper where your answer continues.
Please make sure that:
- you label the booklet(s) carefully to show which question you are answering.
- if you use multiple booklets, mark the box on the last page of the booklet to indicate that you have continued your answer in another booklet.
- you keep track of the number of booklets used for each question by labelling them with the total number used.
For instance, if you use 3 booklets for a question, write '1 of 3' on the first booklet, '2 of 3' on the second booklet, and '3 of 3' on the third booklet, in the boxes provided on the front cover. Failure to clearly label your booklets may result in your complete answer not being marked.
Exams with question restrictions
In the Studies of Religion exams, there are specific guidelines regarding the questions you can choose to answer.
In Section III of the Studies of Religion exam, you must select a question from a different religious tradition than the one(s) you answered in Section II. If you answer 2 questions from the same religious tradition, you will only receive marks for one of your responses.