Practise a simple routine for the start of an examination
A short starting routine can help you check instructions and find the first task.
Make the beginning predictable
A short starting routine can help you check instructions and find the first task. Build it from the requirements of your paper and school, rather than a ritual supposed to guarantee success. Practise with current school-selected material. The routine should be brief enough to use without consuming valuable examination time. Its purpose is to make your first decisions deliberate and keep the actual question at the centre of the response.
Check before committing to an answer
Read the paper instructions, required sections and choice rules. Confirm which questions you must answer and what resources are permitted. Then inspect the first task for command term, given information and scope. Do not assume the format matches an older paper you practised. If a rule is unclear, follow the available invigilator procedure for clarification rather than guessing or seeking help from another candidate.
Try an essay-paper start
Imagine a paper offers a choice of essay questions. Read all eligible choices and select one for which you can develop relevant reasoning and evidence. Write a short plan before the first paragraph. Avoid choosing solely because one word looks familiar. If the question asks about consequences, an essay prepared on causes may need substantial adaptation. The starting routine should expose that mismatch before you commit to a long response.
Use time as a decision aid
Make a rough allocation that reflects the paper and task demands, including a realistic final check. Avoid rigidly counting minutes while losing the meaning of the question. If a task stalls, use a permitted move-and-return strategy with a clear marker. Review your starting routine after timed practice: did it prevent instruction errors and support a useful plan, or did it become a lengthy delay?
Prepare the routine in advance
Write the sequence as a few prompts and rehearse it across subjects, adapting the checks to each paper. On the day, use the familiar sequence rather than adding new advice from a last-minute message. If you need assistance because you are unwell or distressed, use school procedures. A practical routine gives you a consistent way to begin the work while remaining responsive to the actual paper and your circumstances.
Check choices on a specimen paper
Take a current school-approved specimen or practice paper and identify its compulsory sections, choice rules and resource instructions before answering anything. Explain your selected starting task and why it fits those rules. Ask a teacher about any ambiguity. Then practise the opening again without your notes. A correct academic answer to an ineligible question is an avoidable problem, so this rehearsal focuses specifically on selecting and beginning the right task rather than testing content recall.
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Official references
This is an original practical guide from IBvia. The examples are illustrative; your subject guide, assessment year and school instructions determine the requirements.
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