www.sace.sa.edu.au

Download a copy of the 2012 exam timetable [PDF].

On the Subject pages of this website you can find:

• available past exam papers
• sample exam papers
• previous years Assessment Reports.

Assessment Reports give an overall picture of performance in previous years exams. They detail aspects of the exams where students have performed strongly, and not so strongly. You may find this helpful for your exam preparation.

To find these documents, simply navigate to the relevant Subject page and click on the Assessment and Reporting link. Scroll to the bottom of the page.

The files are in the Documents folder, under Assessment Reports and Examinations.

There will be a 10-minute reading time for external examinations. You may not write in your script books or question booklets or use a calculator during this time but you may write on the coloured scribbling paper provided. You will be allowed the full period scheduled for the examination after the reading time.

You will receive an examination attendance slip, which shows the exam rules, and lists your examinations. Bring this slip with you to your examinations.

The following general rules apply:

• the doors of the examination room will be opened 10 minutes before the starting time for the examination
• you will not be allowed to enter the examination room more than half an hour after the starting time for the examination
• you will not be allowed to leave the examination room until half an hour after the starting time for the examination
• you must hand your answer books to the exam supervisor before you leave the examination room
• if you are sitting for an examination that requires a separate script book or question booklet for particular sections (or questions) and you do not attempt such a section (or question) you must write 'BLANK' on the cover of the script book or question booklet before handing it in.

During any examination you must not:

• have in your possession any book or notes or blank paper (apart from the materials distributed for that examination) or any other means that would improperly help you in your work. An exception applies to mathematics subjects (see below for details of notes allowable)
• have in your possession any electronic device (including mobile phones and electronic dictionaries) apart from calculators (for those subjects in which they are permitted)
• directly or indirectly help any other student
• permit any other student to copy from or otherwise use your papers
• directly or indirectly accept help from any other student
• use any papers of any other student
• by any other improper means whatever, obtain or try to obtain, directly or indirectly, help in your work, or help or try to help, directly or indirectly, any other student
• be guilty of any breach of appropriate behaviour.

Students who undertake an external examination are required to sign the examination attendance roll as a formal declaration that they will comply with the rules printed on their examination attendance slip, including the conditions for the use of calculators.

A student declaration on the use of calculators is also printed in the examination question booklets for non-mathematics subjects in which calculators are permitted. Students who do not comply with the rules and conditions printed on their examination attendance slip will:

• be in breach of the rules
• have their marks for the examination cancelled or amended
• be liable to such further penalty, whether by exclusion from future examinations or otherwise, as SACE Board determines.

If you want to use a calculator or a dictionary in exams, you must provide your own.

The following documents list the scientific calculators, graphics calculators and dictionaries approved for use in exams. They also outline the general conditions for their use.

• List of approved calculators [PDF]
• List of approved dictionaries [PDF]

Conducting research is a critical learning skill that is promoted in the SACE, and is an essential part of the learning process. The documents below are provided to support students and teachers when undertaking independent research for SACE subjects. These include advice on conducting ethical research, and writing and referencing conventions.

• Ethical Research - Guidelines for Students [DOC]
• Evaluating research sources [DOC]
• Guidelines for referencing [DOC]
• How to conduct a case study [DOC]
• Primary and secondary sources [DOC]
• Tips on writing and structuring a practical science investigation report [DOC]

General advice
What seems overwhelming at first is manageable if you look at it calmly and decide early how to tackle it. Divide your subject study and revision into small portions, rather than looking at it as one huge lump. Approach it efficiently and systematically and you'll feel that you can handle it, one piece at a time.

Make a timetable and keep to it
Draw up a timetable for the next few weeks. Then for each day concentrate on the specific portions of your work that you have listed. Spread your tasks out so that your revision is varied, mixing areas that you feel you are good at and already know pretty well, with parts of the work that you have always found hard and are worried about. Set yourself attainable weekly goals. Try to stick to this schedule. You will feel that you are getting somewhere and can expect that each week will bring you closer to the goals you want to achieve.

Don't put it off!
If something unforeseen happens and you don't achieve the whole week's work, reschedule it and get back on track as soon as possible. Of course, if you don't achieve what you meant to in one week, you will need to rework your revision timetable - but it is very important not to procrastinate. You want to feel in control of your revision, not be faced with lots to do in not much time.

What works best for you?
Work out the best way to revise and complete your work. If you are revising for an exam, then writing a summary of a particular section of your work may help you. Setting out the summary in dot-point form is a good idea, making it easy to review later. You may find that saying these main points aloud, to a friend or family member locks them into your memory.

Set and answer questions
When you have summarised a section of your work, ask yourself some questions about it. If you find this hard to do, the past examination papers on the SACE website can help you. These can be found under each relevant subject in the Subjects area.

These papers may ask you to solve problems or give essay-type answers. For subjects that have numerical problems, try to work with a friend and check your answers against theirs. For essay questions, outline in note form how you would prepare a written answer and how you would construct the essay.

See what past examiners have said
Assessment Reports from previous years are another important source of information. They give an overall picture of performance in previous years exams and detail aspects of the exams where students have performed strongly, and not so strongly. You may find this helpful for your exam preparation.

Assessment Reports can be found on the relevant Subject pages. Once on the subject page, click on the Assessment and Reporting link and scroll to the bottom of the page. The files are in the Documents folder, under Assessment Reports and Examinations.

Find out about exam conditions
Copies of the front pages of the exam paper are sent to schools a few weeks before the exams. Have a look at the relevant ones. This will prepare you for that moment when you have the paper before you in the exam room. You'll know what it looks like, how long you have, how many questions you will be required to answer, perhaps how many marks are allocated to each question, and any other important information about exam conditions, such as whether you are allowed to use a dictionary or a calculator.

Think positively
If you have followed these tips, kept up with your revision schedule, allowed enough time for your studies, and kept your mind focused on your immediate purpose, you should feel your confidence building. This is important. Tell yourself that you can do it, you can succeed. There may have been times during the year when you have not done as well as you would have hoped, but that was then. Think of times when you were successful. Fill your mind with those positive images, be confident, at ease, and do your best.
 

Exams and final assessment tasks are important in the life of a young person, but they're not the only thing. Keeping this perspective will help you and those around you manage stress in the build-up to exams and assessment deadlines in the coming weeks. Health experts recommend simple, commonsense approaches to keeping cool under exam pressure.
Here are some useful tips to help you stay cool under pressure:

• develop good study habits, including making, and sticking to, a schedule
• set study priorities
• preserve a good study space (this helps maintain some control over study demands)
• take regular breaks
• eat and sleep well
• you could also get together with other students to study or discuss common exam topics
• keep communicating - let those around you know how you are going and tell them when you need as much quiet as possible
• recognise your own stress signals.

Exam week is a time when awareness of mental and emotional health is very necessary. Do the things that are known to promote good mental health, recognise when there may be cause for concern about stress, and discuss feelings and concerns with friends and family.

Headroom is an excellent web site for people seeking information about mental health issues and is designed for students and their friends and families: www.headroom.net.au

The Reach Out! website has lots of tips about studying, stress management and life in general: www.reachout.com.au

Remember that Year 12 is not the be all and end all - it's just one year out of your whole life. Make sure you have a plan B if things don’t turn out as you had hoped.

If you need to speak to someone urgently please contact any of the following crisis counselling services:

Crisis Care (after hours emergency line for Department of Families and Communities)
4pm to 9am weekdays 24 hours on weekends and public holidays
13 1611
www.dfc.sa.gov.au

Kids Help Line
This is a 24 hour hotline for young people
1800 551 800
www.kidshelpline.com.au

Life Line
13 1114 (24 hours)
www.lifeline.org.au

Parent Help Line
This line is for parents seeking help to support their children
1300 364 100
www.parenting.sa.gov.au/helpline

Youth Health Line
This is a 24-hour, 7-day telephone service for young people aged 12 to 25 years in South Australia.
1300 131 719 or 8303 1691 (local call cost within South Australia)
www.cyh.com

Northern Territory
Crisis Line 1800 019 116 (free, 24 hour, Northern Territory).