Exam Anxiety Is Costing You Marks: How to Stay Calm and Perform Under Pressure in A-Level Chemistry (OCR A)
“I knew this… why couldn’t I answer it?”
This is one of the most frustrating things students say after a Chemistry exam.
You revise for weeks. You understand the content. Then the paper hits… and suddenly your mind goes blank, you panic, and your answers don’t reflect what you actually know.
If that sounds familiar, the problem isn’t just revision.
It’s exam anxiety and performance under pressure.
With AS Chemistry Paper 1 on 12th May and Paper 2 on 19th May, how you perform on the day matters just as much as what you know.
In this article, I’ll show you:
why anxiety is costing you marks
what to do in the first 5 minutes of the exam
how to handle difficult questions without panicking
Why Exam Anxiety Causes You to Lose Marks
Most students assume anxiety is just nerves. It’s not.
It directly affects your ability to:
recall information
interpret questions properly
structure answers clearly
This is why many students:
do well in homework
understand topics in class
but do poorly in tests and timed exams
This pattern is extremely common, especially in Chemistry where exam technique matters as much as knowledge.
The First 5 Minutes Matter More Than You Think!
Most students start an exam like this:
Open the paper
Read Question 1
Immediately start writing
That’s a mistake.
You need a clear routine to settle your nerves and take control of the paper.
Use the SALAD Method
This is the exact routine I teach my students:
S – Skim the paper:
Quickly scan through and spot easy, quick-win questions.
A – Asterisk difficult questions
Star anything that looks confusing or time-consuming with a plan to come back to it afterwards. Don’t get stuck early.
L – Lengthy questions first
Longer questions (often at the end) usually carry more marks. Do these while your focus is highest and time is on your side.
A – Attempt everything
Never leave blank answers. Even if you don’t know fully where you’re going with the answer. Write down any formulae, balanced equations… Partial answers pick up method marks.
D – Double back
Return to starred questions at the end with a calmer mindset and more time to spare.
Why this works
Ensures you secure easy marks first
Stops you wasting time on one difficult question
Reduces panic early on in the exam
Builds confidence
How to Handle Difficult Exam Questions Without Freezing
When students panic, they either:
guess randomly
or give up too early
Neither works.
Instead, use a structured thinking method.
Use the CUAC Approach
The CUAC approach is a simple technique that is meant to get the cog wheels turning. It might not help you get full marks on a question, but might get you most of the way there when applied correctly:
C – Context
Identify the topic. Often examiners begin a question with “This questions is about [topic]”. This provides context. If they haven’t, narrowing the topic down helps your brain retrieve the required information faster.
U – Understand the requirements
Focus on command words. These detail exactly what is required to gain marks for your answer:
Explain: state and write a detailed answer that links cause/reason to effect.
Describe: mention facts and characteristics. Reference values from tables or graphs if applicable.
Suggest: the examiner expects you to link this to some pre-obtained knowledge about the question and make an educated guess.
Each requires a different type of answer.
A – Ask what you know
Pause and recall any:
facts that are relevant to the topic
equations, reagents or conditions
mechanisms
Even partial knowledge helps you narrow down your thoughts and help build an answer.
C – Clues
Look closely at provided:
units
keywords
diagrams
data patterns
These often tell you what the question is really asking.
What Examiners Are Actually Looking For
Examiners are not testing whether you “feel confident”.
They are looking for:
clear, structured answers
correct use of terminology
evidence you understand the question
Students lose marks often,not because they don’t know enough, but because:
they misread or misunderstand the question
they rush
they don’t structure answers properly
That’s why exam technique is so important.
Action Plan for the Weeks Leading Up to the Exams
With exams so close, don’t try to do everything.
Focus on what will actually improve your performance:
✅ Practise exam questions timed (don’t just read notes)
✅ Use SALAD in every practice paper
✅ Apply CUAC whenever you get stuck
✅ Review your mistakes properly using the mark scheme to identify weak points
✅ Repeat the questions again applying the corrections
Final Thought
You don’t need to know more Chemistry to improve your grade right now.
You need to:
stay calm under pressure
approach questions strategically
convert what you already know into marks
Pre-Exam Support (If You Want Structured Help)
If you want to go into your exams feeling clear, confident, and prepared:
I’m running live pre-exam masterclasses the day before each paper:
11th May – Paper 1 preparation
18th May – Paper 2 preparation
In these sessions, we’ll:
break down high-mark topics
go through exam-style questions
focus on exactly how to pick up marks under timed conditions
You’ve revised. Now it’s time for a final push to simulate exam conditions before the big day and, this is a great place to start.
👉 Book your place here
