No matter what point of the year you’re currently at, looking through VCE Chemistry past exams is a great idea! It is very useful to become familiar with the style of questions early on, as they can be different from the exercises and practice questions you complete in class.
However, it can be quite overwhelming at first — that’s okay! We’ll provide you with some guidance for whichever confidence level and exam prep stage you are at.
So, let’s get started!
How do you study for VCE Chemistry?
VCE Chemistry Past Exams
How do you study for VCE Chemistry?
Firstly, you may be wondering where you should even start. Studying for VCE Chemistry often requires a different approach than other VCE sciences like Biology or Psychology.
Notes can be a fantastic resource and way of consolidating knowledge, however without implementing other study techniques you may struggle in the exam.
The VCE Chemistry exam really tests your ability to apply your knowledge, rather than simply recall it.
Now that may seem daunting, but don’t stress! Let’s explore some different ways of studying for VCE Chemistry.
#1: Writing Notes
The VCE Chemistry content can be hard to grasp upon first learning it, so it is very beneficial to write notes as you are learning in class.
Your goal when writing notes should be to condense the information given to you in a way that makes sense to you. That may be using a lot of visuals, or using acronyms to remember certain processes.
Decide which way you learn best, and use that as a basis for how you create your own notes.
If you are unsure how to organise your notes, it can be helpful to use the VCE Chemistry Study Design dot points as headings. Check out our guide to the VCE Chemistry study design!
For example (from Unit 3: Area of Study 1: Outcome 1):
Each one of these dot points can act as a subheading, or as the centre of a mind map.
By structuring your notes like this, you can feel confident that you have covered everything that may be assessed on the exam.
When sitting down to write your notes, have the materials your teacher has given to you, any rough notes you took in class, as well as the textbook in front of you. Read the sections relevant to the subheading you are working on and then decide how you are going to synthesise the information.
This is a skill that becomes easier the more you practise it, so be patient with yourself and allocate yourself enough time to follow this note-writing process.
#2: Practice Questions
This is where you really get to test how well you have understood the content. Hopefully by writing your notes, you have reinforced what you learn in class and are able to recall the content.
Now, the harder part begins: applying this knowledge to questions. This will only get easier by completing practice questions frequently and getting feedback on them.
If it is still early in the year, completing a full VCE Chemistry past paper is unlikely to be super helpful for you. However, finding questions relevant to the topic you are currently learning from a past paper is a great way to introduce yourself to the way VCAA examiners test your knowledge.
If your exam is approaching, completing full VCE Chemistry past papers will help you identify which areas of content you are still not fully confident with — which you can then go back over using your notes and revise specifically.
Not sure how to use the data booklet effectively? Read our guide to using the VCE Chemistry data booklet before your exams!
#3: The importance of correcting and getting feedback
After spending hours completing practice questions or a past exam paper, you will probably want to quickly correct it so that you can take a break or move onto something else.
However, the most important learnings come from taking the time to correct your answers and understand where you went wrong.
If you have or are planning to create a study timetable, it is a good idea to allocate time specifically for correcting a practice exam, so that you don’t rush over it.
Another tip is to create a template for correcting your exams. For example:
You can include model answers, or certain little things you need to look out for in your next practice exam.
Plus, if there is anything you are unsure about, you can easily ask your teacher!
If you complete an analysis like this of each practice exam you complete, in the days leading up to your exam you can quickly check whether you now understand the questions you got wrong in your practices.
VCE Chemistry Past Exams
A quick thing to note is that only exam papers from 2017 onwards are within the current VCE Chemistry Study Design. Past papers from the years before this will likely include questions on content that is not within the current Study Design.
So, if you are completing earlier past papers just double check whether the question is referring to something within your Study Design.
Check out our five-step routine for the night before your VCE Chemistry exam!
Exam papers relating to the current VCE Study Design (2017-2023)
| Year | VCE Examination Paper | Examination Report |
|---|---|---|
| Sample Examination | NA | NA |
Exam papers relating to previous VCE Study Designs
Also studying VCE Maths Methods and have your Unit 1 and 2 SACs coming up? Read our ultimate guide!
On the hunt for other past VCE exams?
Feeling ready to tackle some more past papers? We’ve created lists for the different subjects below:
- VCE Maths Methods
- VCE Legal Studies
- VCE Physics
- VCE Biology
- VCE Psychology
- VCE Business Management
- VCE Physical Education
Also taking VCE Physics? Make sure to brush up your knowledge on using the VCE Physics Formula Sheet and read our definitive guide!
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Narisha Ford is an avid student who loves all things from studying the immune system, to analysing poetry, and learning how to differentiate logarithms. She graduated in 2021 with a 99+ ATAR and is thrilled to be a part of the AOS Content Writing team to support students through their VCE journey. She hopes to one day work in the international security field, but is still figuring everything in life out!
