Mock tests help students to revise the syllabus well before real examinations
The opportunity for the students to take part in mock version of an exam before they appear for the real exam has huge benefits. Here are 8 major advantages of mock tests.
1. Most importantly, mock tests tell candidates which topics they have not mastered and encourage them to focus future learning on weak areas.
2. Almost as important, mock tests tell candidates which topics they have already mastered. They can then direct their learning to other areas and spend minimal further time on the topics they already know.
3. Mock tests can also feed back to the instructional team the strengths and weaknesses of each candidate and for the candidate group. It can tell which topics have been successfully learned and which areas need more work.
It’s well understood in psychology that you are more likely to retain something if you learn it spaced (separated) over time. Since mock tests stimulate revision and studying, they encourage earlier learning and so space out learning, which is likely to improve retention.
5. The accuracy and fairness of exams can be impacted by some candidate’s fear or anxiety around the exam process. Mock tests can reduce test anxiety.
The more you are accustomed to sitting for a period of time, answering test questions, and pacing yourself, the more comfortable you will feel when you actually sit down to take the test.
6. Taking a mock doesn’t just measure how much you know, it helps reinforce the learning and make it more likely that you can retrieve the same information later. It’s a surprising fact that taking a test can actually be more beneficial to learning than spending the same amount of time studying.
7. Giving formative or mock tests seems to improve learning as well as final exam results.
8. It is crucial that exams are fair and that they are seen to be fair. By providing mock tests, you remove the mystique from your exams and allow people to see the question styles, to practice the time planning required and to have a fair view of what the exam consists of. It helps level the playing field and promotes the concept of a fair exam, open to and equal for all.
