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Do you dislike the SPM Sejarah subject? Are you finding it difficult to remember many facts and struggling to grasp the right techniques to answer the exam questions? Is it one of the subjects in SPM that you find extremely challenging?
Many students do not score well or fail the Sejarah (History) subject because they fail to understand or do not know how to study for this subject effectively. There are many tips and methods to study for SPM Sejarah which can pave the way to scoring a better grade for this subject.
Did you know that failing the Sejarah subject means failing SPM? You will not be eligible to get the SPM certificate if you fail this subject which in turn will make it difficult for a student to progress to tertiary education. You have to take the SPM Sejarah repeat paper simply to enable you to continue studying or to even get a job.
There are various ways to study this subject which students can incorporate into their studying techniques in order to get a better grade. In this article, we will focus on giving you excellent tips which will help you not only study more efficiently but to also understand and retain what you have studied and most importantly, lead you to score well for SPM Sejarah.
SPM Grading System
Before looking at the tips, let’s take a closer look at the SPM Grading system. It is important to understand the grading system of this paper in order to know what marks you need to get to not only pass the exam but score an A+. This is why the grading system will help you understand the marking scheme of the Sejarah paper. Please refer to the current grading system for all SPM subjects shown below:
Score/ Grade / Level
90 – 100 : A + : Cemerlang Tertinggi
80 – 89 : A : Cemerlang Tinggi
70 – 79 : A – : Cemerlang
65 – 69 : B + : Kepujian Tertinggi
60 – 64 : B : Kepujian Tinggi
55 – 59 : C + : Kepujian Atas
50 – 54 : C : Kepujian
45 – 49 : D : Lulus Atas
>40 – 44 : E : Lulus
0 – 39 : G : Gagal
TH : TH : Tidak Hadir
Students must take note of this grading system in order to understand their results for their subjects. Getting to know the SPM grading system will help students see for themselves where they stand in their academic performance. This will lead them to set their own goals or targets to improve their future grades based on their current results.
Let’s move on to the tips you can follow and incorporate into your studying techniques in order to ace the SPM Sejarah paper.
Use the Sejarah Textbook as Your Primary Reference
First and foremost, students must use the form 4 and form 5 Sejarah textbooks as the main reference to study for SPM Sejarah. Other reference books published by book companies may be used as a second reference if necessary. This is because the SPM questions are taken/processed/drafted from the main textbooks.
Sejarah's textbooks are excellent examples of writing essays. While it is true that the writings and style of writing in the textbooks are long, with the right studying method, learning history can be interesting and thorough.
Making notes on the textbook with a pencil or using highlighters to highlight important facts, descriptions of facts and examples found in the textbook makes it easier for students to make quick references later and it also stimulates memory.
Read the textbook thoroughly, chapter by chapter in order to have the sense of continuity of historical events and stories in textbooks.
Mind maps
Using mind maps is an effective learning method, especially for the Sejarah subject. Mind maps can attract interest and increase students' understanding of a concept, information, and facts. This is especially beneficial for a student to not only understand but get an overall picture of Sejarah.
By using mind maps, students will be able to understand the topics they are studying and find the focus of each chapter. For example, in chapter 2: Perlembagaan Persekutuan (Federal Constitution) of the Form 5 Sejarah syllabus, a mind map can be used to compare the differences in characteristics between Undang-undang Melayu (Malay Laws) and Undang-undang Ingeris (English Laws). This method will enable students to learn, understand and remember concepts and connect two sub-topics at once.
Mind maps can help improve students' mastery, especially focus, and understanding and strengthen students' memory, especially in the Sejarah subject.
Acronyms
Everyone has their own learning methods and techniques. One of the most effective and easy way to remember facts is by using acronyms. What is an acronym? According to the Cambridge Dictionary, an abbreviation consists of the first letters of each word in the name of something, pronounced as a word.
For example, if you want to remember the characteristics of the Hwang Ho civilisation, you can opt to use the acronym: PATI.
P - Pertanian (Agriculture)
A - Anyang (City)
T - Tembok (Wall)
I - Istana (Palace)
Making notes by incorporating acronyms makes it easier for students to remember and memorise historical facts. Students are only required to remember the first letter of every keyword to recall the historical facts. This technique is one of the best way to help students retain historical facts and events.
Attempt Practice Questions
Students are encouraged to attempt actual SPM Sejarah past year questions because the questions that come out in the actual exam are sometimes similar and often times repeated, with a slightly different sentence structure and question presentation. This will be helpful for students as if they encounter similar questions that they have encountered before, they will be able to score well as they have read up and attempted it!
Attempting trial examination questions and additional Sejarah practice questions will help students familiarise themselves with the exam format and recall important facts if a similar question is asked during the SPM examination.
Furthermore, looking for Sejarah reference papers and attempting many practice questions is one of the best ways for students to test their knowledge retention. Therefore, it is highly recommended for students allocate some time every week to attempt Sejarah practice questions. Do not get discouraged if you are unable to answer some questions. Refer to the Sejarah textbook and find the answers. As you continue attempting more questions, you will gain more knowledge.
Study together with Friends
Many things can be achieved if done together. Therefore, it is very important to find a committed group of friends to study the Sejarah subject together. By studying Sejarah in a group, you get the opportunity to share and exchange opinions with each other.
You will also be able to understand the same topic from different angles. Moreover, when you explain a topic to your friends, indirectly you get the chance to learn as well. This method can make the Sejarah subject more interesting and fun to learn. Interaction can make you more creative in terms of thinking when studying this subject.
Furthermore, when you study together with others, you get the opportunity to share resources to learn better. For example, you might be familiar with good YouTube videos that help students master certain topics in Sejarah while another group member may have information on websites that have good notes that you can refer to. By studying together, you get the opportunity not only to share but gain new information which is mutually beneficial.
There are many ways you can study for SPM Sejarah. While some may find it challenging, it is important to keep in mind that it is not impossible to score A+ for the Sejarah subject in SPM as there are many resources and tips available. Follow the tips that work best for you to study this subject.
Everyone learns differently. Some may be comfortable reading and making their own notes traditionally while others might prefer to use mind maps. There is no right or wrong way. Just stick with the tips and methods that you find to be the most effective and easy to retain the information. We at Superprof would like to wish you good luck in your upcoming SPM examinations.
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