Students often say that they make common mistakes.
And after a while, they get pretty fed up with making the same mistakes over and over again, especially when their test scores start falling because of these common mistakes.
So here are some methods to “nip it in the bud”
1. Underline or highlight the mistake that was made on paper.
By underlining or highlighting the mistake, you draw attention to it and it makes it less likely to happen again.
2. Speak it aloud.
Acknowledge your mistake. Talk through the process by which you made the mistake and really analyze what type of mistake it is.
3. Record the type of mistake.
There are different types of mistakes. The most common ones that my students make are the following.
- misreading the information – underlining the key points can help alleviate this
- skipping essential information – underlining can also help with this
- not answering the question asked – make sure to go back are reread the question asked before moving onto the next problem
- negative signs – losing negative signs when copying down information from one section to another
- calculation mistakes – problems with addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division
- misreading their own work – copying down numbers incorrectly because it wasn’t easy to read
- lack of organization in their steps – getting lost in their steps and then taking the wrong next step
4. Complete similar problems.
Find problems like the one you just made the mistake on, and make sure to avoid making the same mistake.
5. Review your list of mistakes before your next test.
By keeping the errors fresh in your mind, you are more aware of situations during the test when you will make these mistakes.
Agree or disagree? If these steps worked for you – let us know! We’d love to hear how these tips helped you improve your scores.
