Class 8 Exam: Preparation Tips, Study Plan, Exam Notes

Exams bring about nervousness, anxiety, and fear along with aspirations to perform your very best. This is true for all the grades and subjects. However, instead of letting the fears get the best of you, try to focus on your target i.e. acing the Class 8 exam.

Although your target is clear in your mind, you might be confused about the right path to take to achieve that goal. Several components contribute to scoring high marks in any exam. Class 8 syllabus is not that difficult and just the right kind of strategy to study smart can help you achieve that target easily.

Today we’ll talk about each of the components that make you a step closer to getting the perfect marks in your class 8 examinations.

• How to study?

The first and the most important component of a successful academic year is how you begin and approach your studies right from the start. Exam preparation begins way before the actual exams. It begins with how you studied whatever was taught in class, how much attention you paid, how much you revised at home, and what did you do with the study material. So first and foremost, pay attention to whatever you are taught in the class. Read the chapter before and after the class. Read it the third time to make notes. Don’t cram it but understand the concepts. If you have any issues in the conceptual understanding of any chapter, ask your teachers. You can even research a bit about those topics on the internet. Do whatever you need to do to clear doubts regarding the concepts. Class 8 will build a lot of your basics that will also help you in future classes. So make sure your basics are clear.

• The perfect notes

Notes are a significant part of your studies and a great revision tool. So give your notes the due diligence that is required. Take time to make clear, attractive, and comprehensive notes. You can use a variety of note-making techniques that will make your notes more informative and attractive. Make your notes color-coded, draw attractive diagrams, use flowcharts, tables, and mind maps. Make sure your notes are concise. Use shortcuts wherever possible. The notes should be such that during revision you can just refer to them and be sorted for the exam. You only need NCERT Books of Class 8 to prepare your notes and this should be sufficient for Class 8.

• The study plan

Count the chapters in all the subjects and make a study plan accordingly. A timetable is a great aid that can help you stay on track in your studies. Time management is a crucial aspect of studies and a good study plan can help you make use of your time efficiently. In your study plan, give separate sections for difficult chapters, revisions, the practice of question papers, etc.

• Preparation tips

1. NCERT textbooks: you should be thorough with your NCERT textbook to study effectively for the exam. For Class 8, you do not need any additional resources. Survey your NCERT textbook for important points and try to look for important questions that can be formed from the text.
2. Separate notebooks: different subjects require different studying strategies. It is recommended that you keep separate notebooks for different subject’s important notes. For instance, keep a separate notebook for mathematical formulas and another one for science diagrams. Also, maintain different language notebooks and try to form your questions and answers from the textbook in these notebooks. Another notebook containing all the important formats for letter writing, applications, articles, etc also comes in handy during the revision.
3. Question papers: go through some previous years’ question papers to get an idea about how Class 8 exams are to be expected. This will help you prepare more suitable for the exams.
4. Written practice: make sure that you do not just learn orally but do a properly written practice of all the subjects. This helps increase your writing speed in the exam. It will also help you avoid any confusion and thinking time during the exam.

• Revision schedule

Whatever grade you are in, revision is an important part of exam preparation. Make sure that whatever you have learned, you give enough time to revise those topics. Revision helps you understand your memory and recall ability. So make sure you do not waste any revision time and make proper use of it before the exam. Trying to solve some previous years’ question papers properly on an answer sheet will do wonders for your exam score.

• Exam strategies

Keep a few pointers in mind to make sure that your answer sheet is flawless and gets you a perfect result:

1. Read the question paper multiple times.
2. Write neat answers and underline important points wherever necessary. 
3. Highlight all the formulas in math exams. 
4. For science, and social studies, write your answers in neat concise bullet points and not in lengthy paragraphs.
5. For language papers, keep an eye on the word count of each answer and do not exceed it nor write too short answers. Write each answer strictly as per the marks allocated to it.
6. Keep a strict watch on the time limit of the exam from the beginning so that you do not rush towards the end.
7. Make suitable diagrams wherever possible even if not asked in the question. Label them properly.
8. Do not leave any questions unattempted.
9. Review your answer sheet twice and make sure you have attempted all the questions.

• Healthy competition:

Healthy competition can often be a positive driving factor to achieve a great score in the exams. Make sure you mainly compete with your previous performance and do not get overconfident or overambitious. Attempt your exams with a positive attitude and remember that your main goal is improving your knowledge and excelling as a student and learner. With the right kind of mindset, the sky is the limit.

Although Class 8 is not a very difficult grade, you should prepare yourself to study with the right kind of effort, attitude, and strategy. If you build a habit of following a good preparation strategy, it will benefit you in all your future endeavors.