Study Skills, Exam Strategy, and Wellbeing
❦
Learning That Lasts
Dunlosky et al. (2013) found that practice testing and distributed practice are among the most effective techniques, while rereading and highlighting are much less so. Brown et al. (2014) add interleaving and elaboration.
| Technique | How to use it in commerce subjects |
|---|---|
| Retrieval practice | Close the book and prepare a trial balance, an income statement, or a ratio table from memory |
| Spaced repetition | Revisit each unit after a day, a week, and a month |
| Interleaving | Mix accounting problems, economics graphs, and management concepts in a session |
| Elaboration | Explain a concept, such as why prices rise when demand increases, to a friend |
| Worked examples | Study a full solution, then solve a similar problem without looking |
| Error log | Record each error and its cause; review weekly |
Subject-Specific Skills
- Accounting: practise layouts (statements and ledgers) until they are automatic; check each calculation; present workings neatly, because marks are awarded for method.
- Business Studies: learn definitions precisely, use examples from Sri Lankan businesses, and structure essays and case-study answers (point, explanation, example, link).
- Economics: draw clear, labeled diagrams (axes, curves, equilibrium points) and explain the movements in words; know the difference between a shift and a movement along a curve.
- Business Statistics: show formulas, substitute values, and interpret the result in context.
- All subjects: read current economic and business news (the Central Bank of Sri Lanka's reports, quality newspapers) to build examples.
Paper Structures
Paper formats change, so confirm the current rules. In recent years, each subject has generally had a multiple-choice (objective) paper and a paper with structured and essay questions, with differing time and marks. Read the instructions on the day.
Exam Technique
- Read the question twice and note the command words (state, define, explain, calculate, discuss, evaluate).
- Allocate time in proportion to marks.
- In calculations, write the formula, substitute, and give units (rupees, percent, units).
- In essays, define terms, give a clear argument, use examples, and conclude.
- In multiple-choice papers, eliminate wrong options first.
- Leave time for a check.
Wellbeing
The A/L examination is competitive and can cause stress; a school-based study cited in a public source reported high levels of anxiety and depression among grade 12 and 13 students, although the sample was small (Wikipedia, "GCE Advanced Level in Sri Lanka," n.d.). Sleep well, eat regularly, exercise, keep in touch with friends and family, and ask a parent, teacher, or counselor for help early. Your result matters, but it is not the measure of your worth, and there are many routes into business and finance.
CHAPTER 3